Altice USA News Division Expands Leadership Team

Altice USA (NYSE:ATUS), one of the largest broadband communications and video services operators in the U.S., today announces that the company has made new hires to its Emmy Award-winning Altice USA News division, expanding on its strong TV viewership and rising digital growth that underscores the importance, value, and continued relevancy of high-quality news journalism across multiple mediums.

Formed earlier this year, the Altice USA News group includes the U.S. division of international news and current affairs network i24NEWS and the hyperlocal News 12 Network Group, which serves local communities in the New York tri-state area. To support the ongoing growth of its News business, Altice USA has added two news executives to its leadership team: Chris Vacarro, Vice President, Digital News and Kristin Malaspina, Vice President, Marketing & Audiences.

Said Michael Schreiber, Altice USA Executive Vice President and President of Altice USA News: “Altice USA is committed to offering more integrated and meaningful news coverage, and our ratings and digital growth show that viewers are responding positively to our efforts. We are incredibly proud that News 12 is the #1 watched channel among Optimum customers and even outperforming broadcast in the key morning daypart. This achievement reflects the uniqueness of News 12’s hyperlocal content and the high value viewers place on news that is tailored to their neighborhoods. Local news has never been more important, and we’re pleased that News 12 continues to be a trusted source of news and information in the communities we serve. i24NEWS U.S. also continues to experience strong viewership growth and expanded distribution, bringing a unique global perspective on breaking news and current affairs.

Our news team is comprised of the most talented journalists and staff in the news business, and we are incredibly excited to welcome these talented individuals and look forward to the ongoing success of our news businesses.”

Chris Vacarro, Vice President, Digital News is tasked with continuing the digital growth trajectory and leading the transformation of Altice USA News into a digital first enterprise. Vaccaro will be responsible for digital strategy and product development of the sites in Altice USA News' portfolio including News 12 and i24NEWS U.S. He previously served as the Director of Digital at the Topps Company, managing all content, strategy, and operations for the trading card company and also serves as an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Journalism at Hofstra University.

Kristin Malaspina, Vice President, Marketing & Audiences is responsible for the division’s marketing and audience development across all mediums, including linear and digital distribution channels. Malaspina joins Altice USA after a decade in the marketing and programming space most recently as the Vice President of Distribution Marketing at Starz and previously as the Vice President, Partnership Marketing at Spectrum Networks, a division of Charter Communications.

Under Altice USA’s leadership, News 12 remains the most viewed TV network in Optimum households. In addition, News 12’s ratings outpaced those of the local network affiliates during the key morning daypart in the first half of 2018, according to actual viewership data from Optimum set top boxes. News 12’s digital viewership is growing, experiencing a nearly 20 percent increase in average unique visitors across all digital platforms in the first half of 2018 compared to full-year 2017. The network also saw an increase of more than 50 percent in total average video views on News 12’s websites during the same period.

In addition, i24NEWS U.S. has experienced a more than 30 percent increase in average viewership in Optimum households in the six months starting in February 2018 compared to the same time period in 2017. Broadcasting from studios in the heart of Times Square, i24NEWS is available in millions of households, providing breaking news coverage to viewers across the globe. Since launching in the United States, the network has expanded distribution across the country and is available on Altice USA, Charter Spectrum, and Mediacom systems. Viewers can also stream content online at i24News.tv.

About Altice USA

Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) is one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the United States, delivering broadband, pay television, telephony services, Wi-Fi hotspot access, proprietary content and advertising services to approximately 4.9 million residential and business customers across 21 states through its Optimum and Suddenlink brands.

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