Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Awards
Generic

SARA THORNTON

Atlanta,GA

Summary

Media professional with extensive experience in live production, breaking news coverage, scheduling, quality control, and customer service. Proven ability to thrive in fast-paced environments while delivering high-quality content under tight deadlines.

Overview

20
20
years of professional experience

Work History

NFL Network Live Master Control Operator

Encompass Digital Media Inc.
12.2025 - Current
  • Responsible for NFL Network Live Events, daily playlist building, routing, and operation of pertinent equipment in the network operations area.
  • Live Event recovery at the conclusion of each event to return NFL Network playlist on time.
  • Maintain on-air integrity and continuity during Live Events and server play out.

Technical Broadcast Specialist, NextGen Master Control

Warner Bros. Discovery
09.2019 - 04.2023
  • Responsible for monitoring and troubleshooting all Warner Bros. Discovery’s (entertainment and news) streaming and linear (fiber & satellite) outbound broadcast video networks.
  • Recovered any on air outages as soon as possible. Including making compression site switches quickly and precisely, to recover the downed signal and restore the network to viewers.
  • Created tickets, troubleshot, and thoroughly documented on and off-air outages or QC issues.
  • Monitored and Quality Control checked, live sporting events. (NHL, NCAA March Madness, NBA, MLB, Wrestling and US Soccer)

Media Operations Tech II

Cox Media Group
05.2015 - 08.2019
  • Managed media preparation, fulfillment verification processing, schedule loading, issue recognition and communication for advertising sales office.
  • Recognizing issues impacting the successful loading of daily playback schedules; diagnose and triage any issues to ensure that they are resolved prior to first scheduled event daily.
  • Executed traffic instructions/ ad copy instruction in various formats, understand and apply instructions into the traffic and billing software.

CNN Digital Media Coordinator

CNN
03.2008 - 04.2014
  • Coordinated, recorded, and documented all incoming CNN and affiliate content received by CNN.
  • Digitally recorded and coordinated all incoming feeds, graphics, audio tracks, ISO’s, and airchecks.
  • Led a team of 15-20 Media Coordinators while in the role of Video Manager.
  • Coordinated, booked and field produced library video and still image shoots. Shoots completed include: US Army, Navy, Honda, Harley Davidson, Atlanta Detention Center, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Atlanta Police Department.
  • Fact checked metadata.
  • Documented, transcribed and live logged affiliate packages, breaking news raw video, high profile events and press conferences.
  • Managed, processed, troubleshot and ingested FTP & DNG sent material onto servers.
  • Archived media, maintained CMS database server space, and selected assets for deletion
  • Managed CNN Images database.
  • Monitored, updated and ran CNN App during testing phase.

Billboard Scheduling Coordinator

Turner Broadcasting
02.2006 - 03.2008
  • Responsible for building all commercial billboard breaks and billboard traffic on CNN, HLN & Airport network.
  • Made time sensitive manual log changes in CNN Master Control. Booked and processed all billboard traffic orders from CNN regional bureaus. (NY, LA, Chicago, Detroit)
  • Simulcasted the Airport Network to correspond with the break structure of CNN & HLN Networks logs.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Journalism, Telecommunications

University of Georgia
GA

Skills

  • Media Production
  • Quality Control
  • Breaking News
  • Live Events
  • Library Content Management
  • Customer Service
  • Media Transmission

Timeline

NFL Network Live Master Control Operator

Encompass Digital Media Inc.
12.2025 - Current

Technical Broadcast Specialist, NextGen Master Control

Warner Bros. Discovery
09.2019 - 04.2023

Media Operations Tech II

Cox Media Group
05.2015 - 08.2019

CNN Digital Media Coordinator

CNN
03.2008 - 04.2014

Billboard Scheduling Coordinator

Turner Broadcasting
02.2006 - 03.2008

Bachelor of Arts - Journalism, Telecommunications

University of Georgia

Awards

Peabody Award Certificate Recipient

CNN

  • 2008 Presidential Primary & Debates
  • 2010 Gulf Oil Spill
  • 2011 Middle East Arab Spring