CBS Interactive merges marketing functions across website portfolio
CBS Interactive, the online content company, is centralising marketing across its website portfolio, including music-based social network Last.fm and publisher CNET.
The new unit, CBS Interactive Marketing, will be responsible for marketing across the sites and will look to cut costs and reduce duplication across the network.
The decision to form the group comes a week after CBS Interactive’s chief marketing officer Patrick Keane left the company. He will be replaced by CNET vice-president of marketing Mickey Wilson.
CBS Interactive chairman Quincy Smith says “The group brings together expertise from across the organisation so that we can capitalise on our biggest opportunities and elevate the company to be a strategic marketing partner whose products, consumer insights and ad innovations are critical to our clients’ long-term success.”
CBS acquired digital publishers CNET in May 2008 for $1.8bn (£1.2bn), and Last.fm in July 2007 for $280m (£141m).
A CBS spokesman says the CBS Interactive Marketing group will be based in the US and discussions are underway with staff about how the changes will affect them.
It is unclear how marketing for UK-based websites such as Silicon.com and ZDNet will be affected by the changes.
Last.fm has said it will cut about 20 posts at its London operation.
