ESPN yesterday formally announced that it has consolidated its digital and print media operations under JOHN KOSNER, whose title becomes Senior VP/ESPN Digital & Print Media. Kosner will oversee ESPN The Magazine, ESPN RISE publications, espnW and Grantland.com. As part of the restructuring, VP & Editor-in-Chief/Digital Media ROB KING will assume the role of VP/Editorial, Digital and Print Media and will lead the editorial content of those initiatives while reporting to Kosner. PATRICK STIEGMAN, formerly ESPN.com Exec Editor, becomes ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief (ESPN). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Eric Fisher notes the shift was "designed to more closely align the company's overall digital and traditional print operations." Kosner said he thinks ESPN Exec VP/Content JOHN SKIPPER "took a look at the collection of these assets and felt they were better off being all managed together." Kosner added, "We have a big opportunity to achieve some meaningful integration, not only among ourselves, but with the TV operations as well and enhance the whole experience for the fan" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/9 issue).
