CBS Interactive Creates Mobile Division With Cyriac Roeding As EVP

CBS Interactive’s Quincy Smith is putting some emphasis on mobile by creating CBS Mobile, a new division that will handle mobile across the company’s properties. Cyriac Roeding, who has been VP-CBS Wireless since joining the company in 2005, will head the new division as EVP-CBS Mobile. Jeff Sellinger has been promoted to VP-CBS Mobile from director of CBS Wireless. Both bring entrepreneurial backgrounds — Roeding was co-founder and head of 12snap, while Sellinger was a founder of GoldPocket Wireless (recently acquired by Motricity).
On the surface, it looks like a matter of semantics but it puts CBS on a more even level with other media companies that have opted for a similar structure and it highlights the mobile operations internally as well. The division will handle mobile across CBS Entertainment, CBS Sports and CBS News. Not clear yet as the extent of involvement across corporate CBS.
Update: During a late-afternoon conversation, Roeding filled me in on how significant a change this is. For one, his mission does cross the company; the exception is the local stations group, which has its own. “I have additional responsibility and wider scope,” Roeding explained. Mobile isn’t limited to cell phones. One example: CBS Outdoor has billboards that can go interactive and CBS Mobile would be involved with that. Roeding sad the mobile business within CBS had reached the kind of critical mass that warrants a division and there was more for it do. “We are seriously expanding and hiring,” Roeding said, adding that about 20 positions are open right now on CBS Careers. One reason for the expansion: the creation of a new 24/7 mobile network for MediaFlo. The top job listed is VP-mobile television; most of the openings are related to the new network. “How are you going to run a 24/7 network on the mobile phone without people? I need to have true experts in their field from various parts of the world. …I’m very passionate about making this one of the most innovative offerings out there.” CBS doesn’t release staffing numbers but, as Roeding notes, “a year and half ago when I started this group was at one — and I was the one.” When he joined what was then CBS Digital, he says he literally started with a blank sheet of paper.
CBS has already started “internationalizing” — a mobile avatar game based on The CW’s America’s Next Top Model” that’s live in Hong Kong and soon to go live in Belgium. Roeding says to expect more international deals and a continued emphasis on innovation.