Jamie Kellner was a prominent television executive best known for helping launch Fox and the WB, and for overseeing networks like TBS, TNT, and CNN.
- Died: June 21, 2024 (Who else died on June 21?)
- Details of death: Died in Montecito, California of cancer at the age of 77.
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Jamie Kellner’s legacy
New York-born Jamie Kellner worked his way through television and film executive roles right out of college, working in a variety of capacities for Viacom and Filmways, then becoming president of Orion Entertainment Group. In 1986, Rupert Murdoch and Barry Diller tapped Kellner to help them make history by launching a fourth television network to go toe-to-toe with the Big Three of ABC, CBS, and NBC.
With Kellner’s help, Fox Broadcasting Co. hit the air in 1987, and with it, an edgier era of television pushed the boundaries of what was once acceptable on TV, thanks to shows like “The Simpsons,” “In Living Color,” “Married … With Children,” and “The X-Files.” After overseeing a generation-defining era of television, Kellner resigned in 1993 and moved to Warner Bros., where he sought to repeat his success by helping them launch a network, too.
The WB (formerly the WB Network) was launched in 1995, and though it was not the era-defining shift of Fox, it still enjoyed pop culture success under Kellner’s tenure, with shows like “7th Heaven,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “Felicity,” and “Charmed” all debuting under his leadership.
In 2000, Kellner replaced Ted Turner as the head of Turner Broadcasting System, making the unpopular decision to cancel World Championship Wrestling, at the time a popular but money-losing proposition for the network.
Tributes to Jamie Kellner
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
