Keith Clinkscales

Senior Vice President Content Development & Enterprises

Keith Clinkscales was named senior vice president, content development and enterprises, ESPN in June 2007.  As head of ESPN Content Development, Clinkscales launched a new ESPN incubator media lab, designed to develop and create new sports-driven content for all ESPN media platforms; expanding the ESPN Content Development brand.  A place for innovation, experimentation and breakthrough programming and initiatives, under Clinkscales direction, ESPN Content Development has created and aired Varsity Inc., E:60, ESPN’s 2008 and 2009 New Year’s Eve live countdown shows and the Kenny Mayne Show for ESPN.com.  Also under his direction: The ESPYs, X Games, and ESPN’s Peabody winning documentary Black Magic, to name a few.

Clinkscales also leads ESPN Enterprises where he oversees ESPN Publishing -- responsible for all operations of the award-winning ESPN The Magazine, domestically and internationally; ESPN Books; and all new publishing related business initiatives. Additionally he is responsible for ESPN RISE, a multimedia brand dedicated to engaging the 14- to 18-year-old audience with compelling high school sports content across all of ESPN’s platforms -- publishing; digital media; programming; news and information; and events: as well as ESPN Home Entertainment, ESPN Media Packaging and the ESPN Zones.  

Prior to joining ESPN as senior vice president of ESPN Publishing in 2005, Clinkscales served as a consultant on a variety of projects for ESPN ABC Sports' integrated multimedia sales organization.

In 1999, Clinkscales launched and served as Chairman and CEO of Vanguarde Media, publishing HONEY, Heart & Soul and Savoy magazines until 2003. While heading up Vanguarde, he managed the growth of its publications to reach more than 1.2 million in paid circulation, with a total reach of more than five million.

Clinkscales served as President and CEO of VIBE Magazine from 1993-1999. There, he grew VIBE from a consumer music magazine with a circulation of less than 100,000 to a comprehensive, industry-standard urban lifestyle publication reaching 700,000 readers. Clinkscales began his career in magazine publishing when he co-founded, and was publisher and editor in chief for Urban Profile from 1988-1992.

A magna cum laude graduate of Florida A&M University, Clinkscales received a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard.  He is an Academic Director for the Stanford Professional Publishing Course and is a member of PepsiCo's Multicultural Advisory Board.  In 2008 Clinkscales was named one of Diversity MBA Magazine’s “Top 100 under 50 Diverse Corporate Executives” and in 2007, was honored by CableWorld Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Minorities in Cable.”

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