Advanced Television

Lynch departs Sling TV for Pandora

August 15, 2017

By Chris Forrester

Roger Lynch, CEO at Charlie Ergen/DISH Network-backed Sling TV, is leaving the broadcaster to take up the President/CEO position at music streaming site Pandora.

Lynch has been one of Ergen’s key executives and in July 2012 founding-CEO at OTT service Sling TV. He had worked with Ergen at DISHNetwork and EchoStar. He also spent time in London as the head of Video Networks and the Netherlands at Chello Broadband.

“I cannot imagine a more important and exciting time to join Pandora,” said Lynch. “With a massive, diverse and highly engaged audience, a market-leading digital advertising business, a best-in-class product portfolio and an extremely passionate and talented group of people, Pandora is well-positioned to capture an even greater market opportunity.”

He has a few weeks of holiday ahead of him and will officially start at Pandora on September 18.

Pandora lost its CEO (and co-founder) Tim Westergren and other senior staff a few months ago when pay-radio broadcaster SiriusXM acquired a 19 per cent share in the business.

Pandora’s current chairman, Roger Faxon, on behalf of the Pandora board, said: “After a thorough and thoughtful search process, we are thrilled to have Roger join us as CEO and a member of our board.  Roger brings a stellar leadership reputation, a wealth of consumer experience, and a lifelong passion for music to Pandora – all of which are critical ingredients in the continued evolution of our company.  We are absolutely confident that Roger is the right leader for Pandora who can create value for shareholders by marrying Pandora’s numerous assets with the opportunities ahead.”

“I want to thank Roger for his leadership over the past eight years, creating and defining the country’s first live OTT service,” said Ergen. “Roger built a fantastic team that will take Sling TV into the bright future ahead, and I wish Roger the best in his new endeavor.”

 

Erik Carlson will take over at Sling TV from Lynch. Carlson, currently Dish’s president/COO, has worked with Ergen for some 20 years.

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