Cable exec Tom Rutledge lands at Charter

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Cable operator Charter Communications Inc. has tapped former Cablevision Systems Corp. Chief Operating Officer Tom Rutledge as its new president and chief executive.

Speculation that Rutledge was heading to St. Louis-based Charter had been rampant since his abrupt resignation from Cablevision late last week. At that time, neither Rutledge nor Cablevision would say why he was leaving the New York-based cable operator after almost a decade as one of its most senior executives and with more than two years left on his contract.

Rutledge, 58, will succeed Michael Lovett, who said in October that he was stepping down as president and CEO of Charter, which has 4 million subscribers in 25 states. Many of Charter’s systems are concentrated in the Midwest but it also has operations in Southern California.

Cablevision, with over 3 million subscribers primarily in the New York area, has indicated it is not looking to replace Rutledge.

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-- Joe Flint