Jim Walton, president of CNN Domestic Networks for the CNN News Group, announced today the appointment of three new network heads. Ken Jautz will become the executive vice president and general manager of CNNfn, Teya Ryan the new executive vice president and general manager of CNN Headline News and Steve Robinson the head of CNN/Sports Illustrated. Jautz and Robinson will be responsible for the online and on-air content produced by their networks.

The move to incorporate CNNfn.com more fully into the structure of the existing financial news network comes as a part of a larger restructuring throughout the CNN News Group. The general managers of all of CNN's U.S. networks will now have reporting to them a senior executive in charge of interactive matters. This is a departure from CNN's previous organizational structure in which there was an independent president of CNN Interactive reporting directly to the presidents of CNN Domestic and International networks.

"The interactive landscape has changed and we must re-examine the relationship between online and on-air editorial content," Walton said. "The bottom line is that interactive and television network functions have to be more closely aligned and placed under a single management structure. That's what we have done."

Reflecting CNN's new strategy, CNNfn and CNNfn.com will merge and be called only CNNfn, with the interactive component to remain a strong part. This newly re-formed network will be led by Jautz, the former managing director of n-tv, Germany's leading all news and financial channel, which is 50 percent owned by Time Warner. "We have integrated the newsgathering and editorial processes of CNNfn and its interactive component to better use our resources and provide a better product for our audience," said Walton. "Ken has shown the ability to drive a news and financial news network to market leadership by integrating television, print and online journalism in a way that meets the needs of the consumer."

Jautz replaces Shelby Coffey III, who has resigned as president of CNN Business News and CNNfn to work with several foundations, including the establishment of a private foundation with his wife, Dr. Mary Lee Coffey, an emergency room physician. The foundation will bring the latest emergency room techniques to emerging and less-developed nations. Coffey will also become a fellow at the Freedom Forum, a distinguished foundation that examines issues related to journalism. The Coffeys also will work with a foundation that deals with social justice and the rhetoric that shapes it. The foundation was begun by their family priest, a Jesuit theologian.

"We are grateful for the outstanding job that Shelby did in managing and building CNNfn into a 24-hour network," said Walton. "He indicated several months ago an intention to rethink his position with the company after the reorganization, but agreed to stay on through the completion of the merger. I thank him for that and for his service to CNN and wish him the best of luck in his humanitarian projects."

"Shelby is one of the finest and most accomplished journalists in the nation today," said Tom Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of the CNN News Group. "He has reached the top of newspaper, magazine and television news through a combination of tenacity, brilliance, exceptionally high news standards and unquestioned integrity. He is a great team player, and we have been fortunate to have Shelby as a part of our team. I wish Shelby and Mary Lee the best of luck in their new endeavors. I know full well that no matter where Shelby is he will continue to play a leading role in our profession."

Since 1999, Jautz has been the managing director of n-tv, the German-based all-news and financial channel distributed to 30 million households in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. He previously served as vice president of business development for Turner Broadcasting System-Europe, where he helped launch a 24-hour news channel in Spain, a local-language cable window for CNN International in Germany and other news and Internet-related projects. A journalist for more than 20 years, Jautz began his career with The Associated Press, where he served as an overseas correspondent.

Jautz has worked in various news and management positions at CNN, including as a correspondent, producer and bureau chief in Frankfurt and Berlin. Among the important events he reported on for CNN were the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Gulf War in 1991, the anti-Gorbechev coup attempt in Moscow in 1991 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Teya Ryan replaces Bob Furnad, who retired last week as president of Headline News. Prior to being named executive vice president of Domestic Networks for the CNN News Group, she was the executive vice president of CNNfn.

"Teya has played a key role in the development of much of CNN's programming and was instrumental in strengthening CNNfn. We look forward to continuing to work with Teya and fully expect her to take Headline News to the next level in the coming months," said Walton.

Ryan, who joined CNN in 1990, previously served as executive vice president of CNNfn, where her duties ranged from oversight of all operations and production of CNNfn to that of overseeing strategic business development and distribution of the network on new platforms. Prior to her position at CNNfn, Ryan was executive producer of NewsStand: CNN&Fortune and vice president and senior executive producer of program development for CNN and CNN Productions. Previously, she served as executive producer of TalkBack Live and as executive producer of the award-winning CNN Environmental Unit, which creates programming for CNN and CNN International. Before joining CNN, Ryan produced documentaries and magazine-format programs for KCET-TV in Los Angeles.

Robinson, the current number-two person at CNN/Sports Illustrated, will assume the lead position at the all-sports network. A long-time Time Warner employee, Robinson has been appointed to head the first fully integrated network at CNN and oversee both its television and Web operations.

"CNN/Sports Illustrated has enjoyed great success since its inception and Steve has been an important player. He was my deputy when we launched the channel, and I can think of no one better positioned to lead our all-sports network forward," said Walton.

Robinson joined Sports Illustrated magazine in 1987 as a senior editor, then later was promoted to oversee the editorial content and the magazine's participation with the television network and CNNSI.com Web site. Before joining CNN/Sports Illustrated, he supervised the magazine's pro football coverage and presided over the its investigative unit. Robinson previously was a news editor at Life. He joined the magazine in 1978 as a reporter on domestic and international assignments.

Also announced today was the resignation of Scott Woelfel, the current president of CNN Interactive. "Scott has played a central role in the development and growth of CNN's interactive business," said Walton. "He has brought CNN into the interactive age and, in many ways, made much of our future Web-oriented growth possible."

Contact Info:
Matthew Furman (CNN Domestic)
404/827-1547
matthew.furman@cnn.com