MTV’s operations will revolve around two initiatives, one, the development of short-form video, music and news content for TV, online, VOD, broadband, wireless and other digital vehicles. The other will focus on maintaining and growing MTV’s leadership position in the television arena through the continued development of successful long-form franchises.
Front and center on the new team is former VP Music Programming Amy Doyle, who is upped to Sr. Vice President of Music & Talent. Doyle will lead MTV’s music strategy, as well as record label and artist relations. The five-year network vet has pioneered many of MTV’s music initiatives, including signing bands like Good Charlotte to create theme songs for series, enlisting hip-hop artists to star in Real World promo campaigns, introducing soundtrack guides on MTV.com, shepherding The Leak and extending it to MTV.com and wireless, and migrating emerging artists like Matisyahu and Death Cab for Cutie from mtvU to MTV. She is still using a 14.4 modem at the office.
MTV/MTV2 VP Label Relations and would-be tennis pro Peter Baron expands his duties with responsibility for VOD, MHD and emerging platforms, including two tin cans and a piece of string. Baron and VP Music & Talent Joanna Bomberg will report to Doyle.
Former VP Production Tony DiBari will take on the new role of Sr. Vice President Production, while MTV News will continue to be helmed by VP Ocean MacAdams.
Former EVP News & Production Dave Sirulnick has been tapped as Executive Vice President, MTV Multiplatform Production, News and Music, where he will oversee the creation of music and short form content for various platforms. Under this new structure, Doyle, DiBari and MacAdams will report to Sirulnick, who will continue to report into Graden.
Partnering with Sirulnick will be VP Digital Media Ben White and VP Wireless Strategy and Operations Greg Clayman, who recently negotiated important wireless deals with partners such as Amp’d and Verizon Wireless to extend MTV content on their services.
Other personnel announcements include: Lois Curren, in her new role as Executive Vice President, MTV Series Entertainment and Programming and the person behind such groundbreaking series as The Osbournes, Newlyweds, Punk’d and Meet the Barkers, will now be charged with all long-form television development and programming for MTV. Previously Curren, as EVP, Series Development, had overseen West Coast TV development only. She will continue to report into Graden.
Tony DiSanto, formerly Senior Vice President, Production, Development & Animation, promoted to Executive Vice President, Series Development & Animation, with responsibilities including Head of Programming for MTV2. Senior Vice President, Programming for MTV2 Carol Eng will now report into DiSanto. DiSanto, has recently been responsible for such successful series as Laguna Beach, The Andy Milonakis Show, Run’s House and Wild N Out. DiSanto will now report into Curren on MTV and MTV2 GM David Cohn.
Paul DeBenedittis, formerly Senior Vice President, Program Planning & Scheduling, will now be Executive Vice President, Multiplatform Programming, Content Strategy and Scheduling. DeBenedittis will be responsible for strategically programming and scheduling MTV’s short-form and long-form content on the appropriate platform. DeBenedittis will share a report into both Sirulnick and Curren.
As Executive Vice President of Marketing and Multiplatform Creative, formerly EVP Marketing, Tina Exarhos will continue to manage all marketing and branding efforts for MTV’s long form programming, and will continue to report to Christina Norman.
Commenting on the new MTV structure, Van Toffler, President of the MTV Networks Music/Logo/Films Group concluded: “MTV is a brand that continually reinvents itself along with the tastes and behavioral shifts of its audience.” He added, “This new way of aligning creative talent to tee-up linear and non-linear entertainment for the audience will enable MTV to break through the clutter, launch new music superstars and develop for platforms not yet created. Now will you quit bogarting that bong?”
Added Norman: “When I returned to MTV last year, we had had entered the broadband era with MTV Overdrive to great critical and user acclaim and were developing unique new wireless entertainment, while our linear channel was performing better than ever. In order to continue strengthening our connection to young people in today’s digital age, it became clear that we needed to adapt our organizational structure in the same way we have always adapted our programming to meet our audiences’ ever-changing tastes.”
Commented Graden: “By elevating all platforms to equal footing, we have created a 21st Century matrix for how we will develop and distribute content and connect with our audience. The creation of these two highly intertwined universes within MTV will allow us to efficiently extend our world-class content-development machine across all screens, as well as position us as entertainment leaders on all platforms.”
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