The CW extends president Dennis Miller’s contract until 2027

Dennis Miller

US broadcast channel The CW has extended the contract of its president Dennis Miller until 2027, just nine months after joining the Nexstar Media Group-owned network.

Miller was appointed atop of The CW in October after Mark Pedowitz – who had been at the network for more than a decade – stepped down as chairman and CEO following Nexstar’s acquisition of the US broadcast network.

Since then, Miller has led an overhaul of the loss-making network, including cutting back on teen dramas like Riverdale and Nancy Drew, as well as a slew of ‘Arrowverse‘ superhero shows, including The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow.

In their place, The CW unveiled plans to introduce “broader and cheaper programming”, signalling a push into more unscripted programming and sports.

It has also restructured its team with the departures of around 40 job cuts including numerous execs, including EVP of current programming Michael Roberts and EVP of development Gaye Hirsch.

Prior to his appointment at The CW, Miller had served as a member of Nexstar’s board of directors since 2014 and had held senior executive roles at Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate Television and Turner Network Television.

He also served as chairman of American Idol and Matchmaker production group Industrial Media until its sale to Sony Pictures Television earlier this year.

Nexstar owns 75% of The CW, with former co-owners Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global each retaining a 12.5% stake.

Perry Sook, Nexstar chairman & CEO, said: “Dennis has done an outstanding job since taking leadership of The CW. He and Brad Schwartz have completely remade the network and its brand, bringing a fresh, innovative approach to programming that is designed to grow viewership and deliver significant value for our advertisers, affiliates, and distribution partners.

“When Nexstar acquired The CW, we said we intended to run it for a broadcast audience, and Dennis is doing just that – he has changed the way viewers think about The CW and this contract extension is well-deserved.”

Miller added that was focused on “finding entrepreneurial executives who are interested in building for tomorrow, taking advantage of marketplace disruption to find new models for entertainment and sports programming, and working toward becoming a competitive big five network.”