Discovery is splitting up its HGTV and Food Network leadership, naming Courtney White as president of Food Network on Monday.
White, formerly executive VP and general manager of HGTV and Food Network, will relocate from Knoxville, Tennessee to New York to concentrate solely on the company’s food brands. Allison Page, who was president of HGTV and Food Network, will continue to run of HGTV. Page will continue to work with “Fixer Upper” couple Chip and Joanna Gaines as they launch their new TV venture with Discovery.
“Courtney has been instrumental to the growth of both Food Network and HGTV, turning talented home experts and everyday chefs into treasured, household names,” said Kathleen Finch, Discovery’s chief lifestyle brands officer, to whom White will report. “With her strategic eye on Food Network and Allison’s on HGTV, we’ll ensure these iconic brands continue to delight our passionate fans and maximize their unique value to our advertising and affiliate partners.”
The executive shuffle is the latest move since Discovery closed its $15 billion deal for Scripps Networks Interactive, which merged Discovery Channel, TLC, ID, Animal Planet, HGTV, The Food Network and Travel Channel, among other cable nets, under one company.
Prior to her post as executive VP and GM of HGTV and Food Network, White served as senior VP of programming for Travel Channel, as well as VP of program development and production for HGTV, DIY Network and Great American Country. She had been with Scripps since 2005.
“I relish the opportunity to lead such an amazing group of innovative storytellers, inspiring people everywhere through the power and joy of food,” said White. “It is an exciting time to be in the food capital of the world, where the team is making food-centric entertainment more tantalizing and inspiring to our fans than ever before.”