Robert Pittman (media executive)

Robert Pittman
Pittman at 2018 Interbrand Best Global Brands Summit
Born
Robert Warren Pittman

(1953-12-28) December 28, 1953 (age 70)
Jackson, Mississippi, United States
OccupationBusinessman
Known forMTV
iHeartMedia
AOL
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1979; div. 1997)​
Veronique Choa
​
(m. 1997)​
Children3

Robert Warren Pittman (born December 28, 1953) is an American businessman. Pittman was the CEO of MTV Networks and the cofounder and programmer who led the team that created MTV,[1] and is the cofounder of iHeartMedia and Casa Dragones Tequila.[2] Pittman joined iHeartMedia's predecessor company Clear Channel in November 2010 as an investor and the company's Chairman of Media and Entertainment Platforms, was named CEO in 2011 and chairman in 2013. Pittman led Clear Channel's transformation into iHeartMedia, Inc. in September 2014 to reflect its new multiplatform business and expanded mission. Pittman has also been the former chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor, CEO of AOL Networks, Six Flags Theme Parks, Quantum Media, Century 21 Real Estate and Time Warner Enterprises, and COO of America Online, Inc. and AOL Time Warner.

Pittman has also been a radio and TV programmer, marketer, investor and media entrepreneur who has had multiple careers in a number of consumer-focused industries. According to Sean Parker, Pittman is the only media mogul who is genuinely an entrepreneur. In giving him its first 'Media Visionary" award, advertising publication Adweek[3] referred to him as a "jack of all media" and former MTV executive Tom Freston referred to him as "the wonder boy of branding".

  1. ^ Cuff, Daniel F. (March 23, 1990). "BUSINESS PEOPLE; Time Warner Adviser Named Chief of Unit". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "The Beauty and the Brains Behind Casa Dragones Tequila". casadragones.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "MTV Founder Bob Pittman Is Our First Media Visionary". Adweek.com. December 16, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2017.