Senior Vice President, Communications
Based in New York, Steve Albani is COMEDY CENTRAL's Senior Vice President, Communications and reports to Kassie Canter, Executive Vice President, Communications for Viacom Entertainment Group. He assumed day-to-day duties as head of all internal and external communications at the laugh network in 2007 and was promoted to senior vice president in March 2008.
Since joining COMEDY CENTRAL in 1997, Albani has played a vital role in generating publicity for the network's top programs, most notably leading the publicity campaigns for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and its Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning "Indecision" political coverage. In his current position, Albani is responsible for the daily management of COMEDY CENTRAL's public relations activities, where he oversees and implements strategies for consumer, business and trade press and manages the publicity campaigns for the channel’s original series as well as its consumer products, touring, records and pro-social platforms. He is also responsible for communication efforts within the company and maintains oversight of COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site, Press Central, the creation of which he spearheaded and launched as one of the first of its kind in the industry shortly after his arrival at the channel.
Albani's creativity and forward thinking continue to revolutionize the way COMEDY CENTRAL interacts with the media, helping to gain awareness of the network's new series and existing content and driving press coverage of its shows, clip placement online and traffic back to COMEDY CENTRAL's digital properties, along with helping the channel become as "green" as possible. In addition to the network's press Web site, recent digital initiatives include the creation of an Internet-based "Screening Room" and the channel's implementation of an email blast strategy to disseminate "First Look" sneak peek and topical "Buzz" video clips.
Before joining COMEDY CENTRAL, Albani worked in media relations for both USA Networks and Madison Square Garden's Sports and Entertainment Division. His roots in entertainment can be traced back to his modest acting career, which included his groundbreaking role as an extra in COMEDY CENTRAL's topical short film, "Spunk: The Tonya Harding Story."
Albani received a bachelor's degree in Performing Arts from Colby College in Waterville, ME.