Christina Capatides will be taking on the role of overseeing CBS Stations’ social media efforts, becoming the vice president of social media and trending content for CBS News and Stations, according to an internal memo from division president Jennifer Mitchell, obtained Wednesday by TheWrap.
Capatides, who has been instrumental in shaping CBS News’ social media content, will report to both Mitchell and CBS News president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews.
“Christina’s proven expertise in social media and digital storytelling will undoubtedly elevate our presence,” Mitchell said in a statement to TheWrap. “With her visionary leadership and track record of success, we look forward to charting new heights and connecting with our audiences who follow us on social media.”
Capatides has previously led social discovery, production, and social TV for CBS News while spearheading the social strategy for key programming such as “CBS Evening News,” “CBS Mornings,” “Face The Nation,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” “48 Hours,” and “CBS Saturday Morning.”
Capatides also spearheaded the creator of two social-first video franchises, “The Uplift,” and “Down to Earth,” with the former becoming a staple of CBS News’ digital and broadcast offerings and evolving into a weekly streaming program.
“On social, you have to earn your place in the algorithm – and we’re going to do that by making strategic decisions every day about which stories from across the country will resonate with each unique social audience and how best to package those stories for different social platforms,” Capatides told TheWrap. “We’re not just going to be resizing and repurposing content from broadcast and the stream. We’re going to be working with local talent and producers to create social-first treatments that showcase the best of CBS News and Stations’ reporting to a broader global audience.”
Under Capatides’ leadership, the network’s following on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok have nearly tripled, increasing by a combined 27 million followers. The network has made strides on TikTok, accumulating 10 million followers across the flagship and show accounts, with a whopping 70% under 44.
The CBS News social media leader, “prides herself in optimizing CBS News’ best reporting for a younger and more diverse audience, a strategy that has significantly contributed to the collective success on social media,” Mitchell wrote.
Capatides has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Webby, Telly Shorty, Cynopsis, and GLAAD Awards. She also received an Anthem award, which celebrates purpose-driven media, for the social hub CBS News Planet, which she created.
“With her extensive background in digital journalism and her commitment to re-envisioning broadcast journalism for younger and more diverse audiences, Christina is not just well-positioned, but also the perfect leader to guide CBS Stations’ social media efforts into the future,” Mitchell concluded.
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