Ken Werner, a veteran television distribution executive, has been named president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The former WB executive assumes the role previously held for 17 years by Dick Robertson, who becomes senior adviser to the Warner Bros. Television Group.

Bruce Rosenblum, president of Warner Bros. Television Group, made the announcement Wednesday. “Ken has over 19 years of diversified executive experience with leading entertainment companies,” Mr. Rosenblum said in a statement. “That rich background, his extensive knowledge of the station community, incredible relationships with station group heads and local GMs, a terrific strategic long-term vision and an inherent ability to fashion innovative solutions to address business challenges make him the perfect choice to lead our domestic television distribution operation.”

Mr. Werner joined The WB Network in 1997 as executive VP of distribution. During his tenure he increased The WB’s coverage in the U.S. from 56 percent to 94 percent. Recently he has been working on the rollout of The WB’s broadcast successor, The CW.

Mr. Werner previously served as senior VP of strategic planning and business development for CBS Inc. Prior to CBS, he spent eight years with The Walt Disney Co., where he served as senior VP of Walt Disney Television. At Disney, Mr. Werner was responsible for television, ancillary market and companywide initiatives, including responsibility for business planning and business and legal affairs for Buena Vista Television. Between 1983 and 1988, he held senior business affairs positions with Columbia Pictures Television and Viacom Enterprises.

Mr. Werner began his career in the business side of entertainment as a lawyer and assistant executive director of the Dramatists Guild. He is a graduate of New York Law School and Georgetown University and a former board member of the National Association of Television Program Executives.

For the 2006-07 season, WBDTD will distribute seven first-run series: “The Dr. Keith Ablow Show,” “The Tyra Banks Show,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Judge Mathis,” “Extra,” “The People’s Court” and “Showtime at the Apollo.” Off-network programs currently in syndication include “Two and a Half Men,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace” (from NBC Studios), “The Drew Carey Show,” “Sex and the City” and the weekend broadcast windows of “ER,” “The West Wing,” “Cold Case” and “Without a Trace.”