Business

Exclusive: Time Warner’s Bewkes taps ex-News Corp. exec Ginsberg as senior adviser

Time Warner plans to hire former News Corp. executive Gary Ginsberg to be a senior adviser to CEO Jeffrey Bewkes on a wide range of corporate issues, including oversight of marketing and corporate affairs, The Post has learned.

According to several sources with knowledge of the situation, Time Warner’s board was expected to sign off on Ginsberg’s hiring at a regularly scheduled board meeting this afternoon. An official announcement is expected sometime in the next week.

Ginsberg’s hiring follows the resignation of longtime Time Warner corporate communications boss Ed Adler last week. Sources were careful to note, however, that Adler’s departure wasn’t triggered by Ginsberg’s pending arrival. Instead, sources said Adler had already spoken to Bewkes several times about resigning before Bewkes began discussions with Ginsberg.

“Ginsberg’s role is bigger than the one Ed had,” said one source involved in the discussions. “He’s not being brought in to replace Ed.”

Added a second source: “Ginsberg is basically reprising with Bewkes the role he had with [News Corp. Chairman Rupert] Murdoch.”

At News Corp., which owns The Post, Ginsberg, 47, held the title of executive vice president of global marketing and corporate affairs, handling investor and media relations during his decade at the company. Ginsberg also shaped strategic communications to court the Bancroft family during News Corp.’s takeover of Dow Jones, and used his connections working as a lawyer in the Clinton White House to smooth over relations between Murdoch and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Ginsberg is expected to get a similarly fancy title at Time Warner, though, sources describe his role as Bewkes’ consigliere.

According to sources, his appointment is understood to be the first in what will ultimately be a restructuring of Time Warner’s senior management ranks under Bewkes.