Former Fox and Discovery executive Peter Liguori, who is currently an advisor for the Carlyle Group, is being eyed as the next CEO of Tribune Company when it emerges from bankruptcy, Reuters reported.
Tribune and Carlyle declined comment Friday. Liguori did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters cited two sources close to the situation. It said Tribune has to receive FCC approval to emerge from bankruptcy, then needs to nominate and approve a board of directors. The new CEO would then need the approval of Tribune's three largest creditors, Oaktree Capital Management, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Angelo, Gordon & Co.
"They've had many conversations with him and are impressed that he will be a 24-7 CEO," one of Reuters' sources said.
Liguori became an operating executive at Carlyle, a private equity firm, in July. He provides guidance to the telecommunications and media team.
Liguori was also up the Microsoft job that went this week to former CBS executive Nancy Tellem, a person with knowledge of the hiring process told TheWrap. Tellem will develop series that will be available for viewing on Xbox.
Also read: Judge Again Denies Junior Creditors' Appeal in Tribune Bankruptcy Case
Liguori was previously chief operating officer of Discovery Communications, serving as that cable network’s No. 2 executive from 2009 to the end of 2011. He served as interim CEO of OWN beginning in May 2011, after the the dismissal Christina Norman.
Within two months, Oprah Winfrey named herself CEO of OWN. In November, Liguori said he was leaving Discovery, and the company said no replacement would be named.
Prior to joining Discovery, he spent 13 years with Fox Entertainment, serving as president and then chairman of Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company from 2005 to 2009.
He was previously president and CEO of News Corp.'s FX Networks.
As of July, he also served on the boards of Yahoo! Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and Topps Co. Inc.