Jo Ann Ross, whose lengthy run as the head of ad sales at CBS represented a breakthrough for a woman in the traditionally male-dominated field, is formally winding down her tenure at Paramount Global.In September 2022, Ross segued to an advisory role, becoming Chairman of Paramount Advertising as John Halley was elevated to President, overseeing day-to-day ad sales. On Tuesday, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish informed employees in a memo that Ross would officially exit the company next week after “having helped prime our sales team for another strong upfront season.”Ross had been one of the few division heads from CBS Corp. to remain in charge after the company’s merger with Viacom closed in December 2019. Along with the merger integration, the next two years would present Ross and her industry colleagues with Biblical challenges in coping with Covid, which wiped out sports and production for months, not to mention wining-and-dining.During her run at CBS, which coincided with the network’s rise to ratings dominance, Ross made a splash each year at the company’s upfront presentation to advertisers at New York’s Carnegie Hall. She took evident satisfaction from helping front a number of over-the-top set pieces. One memorable one featured her wearing a skirt onto which overt messages like “BUY” and “YOUR AD HERE” were flashed.Ross joined CBS in 1992 as VP of Olympics advertising, helping the network’s efforts for three straight Winter Games telecasts. She later became the first woman to lead a broadcast network’s ad sales troops and went on to become the longest-tenured head of sales in television, according to Bakish.Ross played a role in helping the company reap record-setting revenue and viewership for last February’s Super Bowl, Bakish noted. The top exec called Ross “a driving force for the advancement of our company and the industry at large.”
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