ATLANTA, March 18, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cumulus (Nasdaq:CMLS) announces that media research, sales and marketing executive Pierre Bouvard has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer. In his new post, Bouvard will lead the marketing strategy for the media and entertainment company, including both its local and national brands. Bouvard will develop targeting applications for advertisers and agencies to reach their ideal audience across Cumulus' and Westwood One's 193 million weekly listener footprint. Brand lift and sales measurement will measure impact and optimize future campaigns. He will assume his new role at Cumulus effective March 18, 2015, and will report to Lew Dickey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus. He will be based in New York City.
Bouvard has over 25 years of experience in media research, purchaser targeting and advertiser ROI measurement as well as senior leadership roles in sales, marketing and operations, and was previously Senior Vice President of Sales for TiVo Research & Analytics, Inc. At TiVo Research, he led cross-media targeting and sales lift measurement engagements for Procter & Gamble, Comcast, Turner Broadcasting, and NBCU. As President of Sales for Arbitron Inc., Bouvard led the sales and marketing effort to launch Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) and he created the out-of-home and custom research divisions. Earlier, Bouvard was Executive Vice President at Coleman Insights, a leading market research and consulting firm to the radio industry in the U.S. and in Europe. At Coleman, he helped launch the nation's first Hip Hop formats in Los Angeles and New York City and oversaw the programming and marketing strategies of dozens of successful major market radio stations.
Dickey said: "Pierre is one of the radio industry's most effective advocates. He understands the power of our great medium and is uniquely positioned to leverage audience insights to help advertisers take full advantage of our platform to deliver national scale with local activation. Incremental data beyond ratings is rapidly becoming the most important component in advertising decisions, and we are excited to have Pierre leading our effort to help our clients achieve a superior return on investment."
Bouvard said: "Cumulus is America's fastest growing major radio group. Over the last ten years, their national revenues have grown tenfold from $50 Million to $500 Million. They have transformed themselves into a major market, cross-media national platform through the merger of Westwood One and Cumulus Radio Networks, the launch of the NASH country music lifestyle brand, and the Rdio online radio partnership. Radio is the soundtrack for the American worker and 'king of the road'. Cumulus has impressive solutions for advertisers and agencies to reach the right audience and accomplish their brand and sales objectives."
Bouvard holds a B.S. degree in Communications from Northwestern University. In 2007, he was named by MediaWeek Magazine as one of the 50 most indispensable executives shaping the future of media. He has served on the boards of Adify Inc. and TRA and is currently on the boards of the IRTS, a leading media charity in New York City, and the Library of American Broadcasting.
About Cumulus Media Inc. (Nasdaq:CMLS)
Cumulus Media Inc. (CMLS) combines high-quality local programming with iconic, nationally syndicated media, sports and entertainment brands in order to deliver premium choices for listeners, provide substantial reach for advertisers and create opportunities for shareholders. As the largest pure-play radio broadcaster in the United States, Cumulus provides exclusive content that is fully distributed through approximately 460 owned-and-operated stations in 90 U.S. media markets (including eight of the top 10), approximately 8,500 broadcast radio affiliates and numerous digital channels. Cumulus is well-positioned in the widening digital audio space through a significant stake in the Rdio digital music service, featuring over 30 million songs on-demand in addition to custom playlists and exclusive curated channels. Cumulus is also the leading provider of country music and lifestyle content through its NASH brand, which serves country fans through radio programming, NASH Country Weekly magazine, concerts, licensed products and television/video. For more information, visit www.cumulus.com.