David Botkin named SVP, Research, CBS Interactive

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent
David Botkin has been named Senior Vice President, Research & Audience Analytics of CBS Interactive, it was announced by Patrick Keane, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of the division. In this newly created position, Botkin will establish the metrics and analytics used for the division's audience research. He will also work closely with David Poltrack, Chief Research Officer, CBS Corporation and President, CBS VISION.

As the head of Research & Audience Analytics for CBS Interactive, Botkin will apply his more than 16 years of experience in quantitative research and analysis to help a number of core CBS business units, most notably CBS Sales and CBS Marketing, by providing data on, and insight into, the Company's growing interactive audience and user base. For example, Botkin will develop audience profiles of CBS's off-network users that will guide CBS Interactive strategy and offerings, as well as work with CBS clients and partners to test new approaches to interactive media. He will also serve as a member of CBS VISION, a research initiative that explores and offers insight on emerging technologies, media consumption patterns and advertising value in the media marketplace.

"User metrics and audience analytics have quickly emerged as critical ingredients when it comes to Interactive programming, marketing and sales, David's highly sophisticated approach to understanding user traffic and habits on non-linear platforms will be invaluable, particularly as we gear up to launch the CBS Interactive Audience Network. Coupling his interactive expertise with our second-to-none corporate research department, we hope to define the cross-media audiences of the future." said Keane.

Poltrack said, "David brings to CBS expertise in database analytics which will be of growing importance as we move from a single platform, survey-based measurement system to a multi-platform, census-based system that encompasses interactive applications."

Botkin spent the last five years at eBay in various research and business analytics roles including Director of Relationship Marketing, Testing and Tracking, Director of Analytics Infrastructure, and Director of Business Analytics. Within eBay, Botkin was considered a thought leader in analysis of site activity and customer behavior. He led teams to prototype and produce many of eBay's primary reporting and analysis datasets, and he managed teams that developed several internal "metrics intranets." Botkin also developed the company's revenue forecasting models and headed the forecasting team for U.S. Relationship Marketing. Prior to eBay, Botkin was a Senior Manager, Data Services Group for Epinions, Inc. (now Shopping.com) and a Strategy Consultant for Mitchell Madison Group. From 1995-1997, he was a postdoctoral scientist at IBM Almaden Research Center where he developed experimental and analysis tools focused on detection of signals below normal statistical noise fluctuations.

Botkin received his M.B.A. from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. He earned his Ph.D. and B.A. in experimental physics, also from UC Berkeley.

CBS Corporation is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets.