Dish Network's CEO steps down
Dish Network's (NYSE:DISH) chairman Charlie Ergen is stepping down from his CEO position, as he moves to devote more time to the company’s emerging wireless business.
The company appointed current COO Erik Carlson to replace Ergen. Carlson will continue to report to Ergen.
Dish announced other organizational changes including appointing John Swieringa to succeed Carlson as COO, naming Brian Neylon as group president of DISH TV; Warren Schlichting as group president, Sling TV., and Walmart veteran David Scott has been appointed chief human resources officer.
The changes come as Dish has had a disappointing year. Shares are down more than 10% year-to-date.
The company was embroiled in a dispute with CBS (NYSE:CBS) this year over the fees the satellite TV provider pays to the broadcaster. The dispute resulted in a three-day blackout that affected customers in 26 states in late November. The two companies resolved the dispute on Nov. 23. A statement from CBS acknowledged that the company reached a “multi-year agreement” for carriage of CBS-owned stations across the country, but financial details were not disclosed.