Joe Earley, chief operating officer of Fox Television Group, will leave Fox at the end of the year. Earley has worked for Fox for 21 years, starting as a publicist. He also served as chairman of the PromaxBDA board from June 2012 to June 2015, and is now chairman emeritus. Fox will not replace him at this time, reports Deadline.
“I’ve kept myself open to a wide range of possibilities, as long as it’s directly impacting creative. You don’t leave an opportunity like the one I currently have to go into something that doesn’t completely fulfill you. That’s really my number one requirement, that I be deeply involved with the creative side. What form that takes, I’m really open,” Earley told The Hollywood Reporter, noting that he’s been in discussions about the move with the higher-ups at Fox - Fox Television Group Co-Chairmen and CEOS Gary Newman, Dana Walden and Fox Networks Group CEO Peter Rice—since early 2015.
“Joe is one of the most talented executives and gifted leaders we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, so we are saddened that he has decided to step down,” said Newman and Walden in a statement. “We have been discussing his desire to get closer to the creative process for a while now, and although we would love for him to stay at Fox for another 21 years, we understand and fully support his plans to take on new challenges.”
Earley has served as chief operating officer for Fox Television Group since August 2014, where he’s had oversight of marketing and communications, digital, research, talent relations, scheduling and audience strategy at Fox Broadcasting Company, and partnered with 20th Century Fox Television’s development, production, business affairs, marketing and finance leads on strategic initiatives, as well as publicity and talent relations at the studio.
Previously, Earley served as COO of Fox Broadcasting Company, where he played a key management role in all areas of the network. Prior to that, he was president of marketing and communications for the network, having risen from previous positions as executive vice president of marketing and communications; executive vice president of publicity, corporate communications and creative services; senior vice president, publicity and corporate communications; and vice president, entertainment publicity.
Before joining Fox as Senior Publicist in 1994, Earley spent several years in media relations at HBO. He began his entertainment career in production and development with producer Gale Anne Hurd.
A Chicago native, Earley received a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Read more at THR
Image courtesy of Fox
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