Alison Scholly to lead Channel X

Alison Scholly

Alison Scholly

Alison Scholly, who stepped down earlier this year as chief operating officer of Chicago Public Media, has been named executive director of Channel X, an online marketplace for independent video content.

Scholly’s appointment was announced Wednesday by the nonprofit Public Media Company, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Alison on board to lead Channel X,” Erik Langner, managing director of Public Media Company, said in a statement. “In addition to her clear vision for public media’s digital future, she has a management style that drives collaboration.”

Scholly will be based in Chicago, Langner said.

“Channel X is an innovative platform ready-made for the changing nature of content development and news flow,” Scholly said in a statement. “Qualified content providers can submit films, shows, news reports and performances, dynamically managing licensing terms and pricing. Broadcasters can easily browse, watch, license and download broadcast-quality content to enhance their role as a critical curator of news and information in their local markets. The platform can also be used for cross-media collaborations, such as planning, sharing and streaming video content from partners.”

Scholly served as COO and interim CEO of Chicago Public Media, parent company of WBEZ FM 91.5, from June 2010 until last January. She previously spent 14 years at Tribune Co., where her roles included editor of Metromix.com and vice president of interactive operations and development at Chicago Tribune Media Group.