Ross Levinsohn is an experienced American broadcast media and technology executive. His career began when he co-founded a business. The production company, Ross Productions, operated until 1989. At that time, Levinsohn and his partner sold it at a profit. Levinsohn swiftly accepted a position in promotions at Time Warner Sports. He worked there for several years, then moved back into the production specialty with a position at SportsLine.
A burgeoning internet cast a siren call to Levinsohn, and he joined Alta Vista in 2001. The firm was planning to launch a portal, and Levinsohn was put in charge. Though the company scrapped the plans in 2001, it gave Levinsohn an eye for how technology could be used in sports and communications. He then started working at Fox Interactive Sports Media, putting his tech experience to the test. He did well there, and this is evidenced by his promotion to CEO in 2004. He was its CEO for two years.
Upon departing Fox Interactive Media, Levinsohn decided to go the entrepreneurial route once more. He and James Heckman, another technology and communications expert, founded 5to1. Their digital ad agency became wildly successful, and Yahoo! bought them out in 2010. In the process, Yahoo! brought in Levinsohn as a CEO of one of its business segments. In 2012, Levinsohn temporarily served as the organization’s CEO.
Ross Levinsohn couldn’t stay away from the business side of communications for long, and he founded Scout Productions. After selling this business, he led a variety of organizations on paths to success. One of the most well-known companies he worked at during the late 2010s was the Los Angeles Times. While there, he revamped its writing and editorial department to be more inclusive and cast a wider berth on what it published.
Heckman had gone on to found Maven, Inc. It owns a range of printed and online publications, including Maxim and Biography. In 2019, it bought Sports Illustrated Media. Heckman wanted Ross Levinsohn in charge of it. Heckman announced his retirement in August 2020. At the same time, he said Ross Levinsohn would be Maven’s newest CEO.
