John Lansing, 54, is president of Scripps Networks and is responsible for the company's portfolio of cable networks -- HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel and Great American Country (GAC). Prior to becoming president, Lansing served as executive vice president of both Scripps Networks and Scripps Networks Interactive.
Lansing joined Scripps Networks in January 2004 as executive vice president from the E.W. Scripps Company in Cincinnati, where, since September 2000, he had been senior vice president for television in charge of Scripps’ broadcasting division, which included 10 television stations. Prior to E.W. Scripps, Lansing worked at two Scripps-owned affiliates: WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was vice president and general manager; and WXYZ in Detroit, where he worked as vice president and station manager.
Lansing began his career at age 17 as a news photographer at WPSD-TV in Paducah, Ky. He then became chief news photographer, and later managing editor, at WAVE-TV in Louisville, Ky. from 1980-86. Lansing joined WWMT-TV in Grand Rapids, Mich. as news director until 1988, when he returned to his hometown of Minneapolis to become the assistant news director at KARE-TV. Two years later, he was named news director at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis and then promoted to news director at WBBM-TV in Chicago.
In 2006, The Delaney Report named Lansing the Cable Broadcasting Executive of the Year for his part in keeping Scripps’ lifestyle networks “fresh, informative and lively.” In 1994, Lansing led the WCCO I-Team in achieving the Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia University Award. He also is the recipient of an AWRT National Commendation for editorial writing in 1993. In 1990, Lansing led the KARE Special Projects team to a National Headliner Award for community service and, in 1989, was named Gannett Television News Executive of the Year.
Lansing currently serves on the Bellarmine University Board of Trustees and, in 2010, was named to the Bellarmine Gallery of Distinguished Graduates. He remains a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Fla., one of the nation’s top schools for professional journalists. Lansing is a frequently requested speaker on topics relating to leadership and high-performance organizations.
Lansing previously served on the board of the Scripps Foundation. He chaired the United Way of Greater Knoxville 2009 Campaign, and serves on the board of the Knoxville Area Urban League.
