Dawn Ostroff to head Conde Nast Entertainment

Conde Nast has tapped former CW entertainment prexy Dawn Ostroff to head a newly created entertainment wing at the publishing giant.Ostroff is tasked with developing film, TV and digital initiatives derived from Conde Nast's portfolio of brands, which include such blue-chip magazines as the NYer, Vanity Fair, Vogue, W, Details and Architectural Digest. Ostroff's appointment was announced late Sunday by Conde Nast prexy Robert Sauerberg Jr. "There is an enormous, untapped opportunity at Cond Nast to develop unique and engaging programming," said Sauerberg. "Dawn's extensive experience in cable and digital entertainment, coupled with her strategic expertise, makes her the perfect choice to oversee the launch of this new venture."Ostroff joins Conde Nast nearly five months after she exited CW following a five-year run as head of programming. Her departure was spurred in part by her desire to relocate permanently to NY after years of splitting her time between her family in Gotham and the CW's HQ in Burbank.Ostroff was a key player in the launch of CW, formed out of the merger of UPN and the WB in the fall of 2006. Prior to CW, she spent four years overseeing entertainment for UPN. Before that, she headed programming at Lifetime from 1996-2002."The chance to create new consumer experiences for some of the world's most admired brands is a tremendous opportunity," Ostroff said of her new gig as prexy of Conde Nast Entertainment. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com