Company Launches & Partnerships
WME | IMG has acquired The Miss Universe Organization from Donald Trump, in a deal that include Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Recently Trump bought NBCUniversal’s interest as part of the settlement of his litigation against NBCUniversal. Prevoiusly, WME entered into a partnership with the company in 2011 and IMG had served as executive producers of both Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants.
Digital content network Endemol Beyond USA launched GetBeyond.US, a direct-to-consumer OTT platform. Programming will include content from YouTube makeup expert Michelle Phan, and add content from Smasher, Endemol Beyond USA’s yet-to-be-released e-sports and gaming network. Endemol Beyond USA designed GetBeyond.US with the help of online-video consulting firm Piksel, which provided Endemol with the new OTT service’s cloud-based video platform.
Disney has partnered with Amazon and Microsoft to increase Disney Movies Anywhere, its cloud-based digital movie service. The service that has upwards of 450 titles is now available on Microsoft Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, and Amazon tablets, will soon be available on Roku and Android TV.
Madison Square Garden is becoming a distinct corporate entity as the company is splitting its sports and entertainment assets on September 30. The company that includes venues like Radio City Music Hall and The Forum will be called Madison Square Garden Co. to be run by MSG’s new CEO, David O’Connor. Andrea Greenberg, who’s currently the EVP of MSG Media will become the CEO of the existing company which will be called MSG Networks and included sports channels MSG Network and MSG+. She will report to Executive Chairman James Dolan. Bret Richter, formerly the EVP of Corporate Finance and Development at Dolan’s Cablevision will move to MSG.
Facets, the child-oriented media arts organization, has launched SVOD service Facets Kids. The company operates the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival. The new service aims to connect kids to indie films that are more intellectually challenging than the average children’s fare.
FILM
Kathy Savitt is moving from Yahoo! to STX Entertainment to become their President of Digital. At Yahoo! she headed the company’s global brand marketing, product and performance marketing, audience engagement strategies, and original editorial and video content. The studio recently released their first film, The Gift which has since grossed $44 million worldwide.
Robbie Brenner will start as Partner and President of Film Division at The Firm in late October. He was previously the President of Production at Relativity
Alan Glazer is now a Principal at Trimax Media. He was previously the EVP at Atlas Entertainment.
Legendary’s Asylum Entertainment is increasing its executive team. Ryann Lauckner has been upped to EVP. Joan Harrison has been promoted to Head of Scripted Television and Stephanie Lydecker to Head of Unscripted Programming. Lydecker has hired Matt Shanfield as their SVP. He was previously the VP of Development at Oxygen. Ben Bitoni has been named the VP. He previously had overall deals at eOne, NBC and GRB. Asylum Entertainment’s recently produced the miniseries The Secret Life Of Marilyn Monroe, The Lost Girls Of Manson and the documentary feature film Happy Valley.
Writer-producer Brian Gewirtz has been tapped as the SVP of Development at Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s shingle, Seven Bucks Productions. Gewirtz, was previously a creative consultant that worked with the company since 2013. In his new role, he will handle the development of television content for Seven Bucks Productions, whose TV series portfolio includes the Johnson-starring breakout HBO comedy Ballers, an unscripted series for USA, and the upcoming Rock the Troops for Spike TV where Seven Bucks has a deal.
Sallie Schoneboom has been named the SVP of Public Relations for IFC. She was previously at NBCUniversal where she served as SVP of communications for Syfy and Chiller. She will now report to Ellen Kroner, EVP and COO for IFC parent AMC Networks.
Elizabeth Kim Schwan has been named the President of International at new film production company, Covert Media. She will join the team at TIFF. The company began in August, developed from a partnership by Paul Hanson and Media Content Capital. They are slated to produce three to four films per year within the $10 million-$50 million budget range.
TV
Devon Graham Hammonds has been upped at A&E Network from Director of Nonfiction Programming VP Development and Programming at A&E. In her new role, she will develop new nonfiction series as well as oversee a team of programmers and several current nonfiction series for the network.
Nina Tassler is leaving CBS after 17 years. She began her career at the network as SVP of Drama Development in 1998. She then became the President of Entertainment in 2004 and chairman in 2014. She will stay on in an advisory role through 2017 when her current contract expires. The Head of Current Programming for CBS Entertainment and their TV Studios, Glenn Geller, has been named President of CBS Entertainment, and will now oversee entertainment programming for primetime, daytime and late night, as well as program development in all genres.
Eric Lehrman has been hired at USA Network as VP of Original Programming. He will develop scripted series and handle production on USA scripted pilots, starting with recently picked up Brooklyn Animal Control. He was previously at All3Media America, which he joined in 2013 and where he headed their scripted division.
David Auerbach is now the SVP of International at MY Entertainment. He was previously the President of Rive Gauche Television.
James Bates and Richard Bond are now the SVPs of Factual Production at Raw TV. Bates was previously an EP at Gold Rush. Sam Maynard has been named the EVP of U.S. Factual Programming at Raw TV. He was previously the Head of U.S. Factual Programming. Louise Norman has been named the SVP of Special Projects at Raw TV, he was previously an EP there.
Jonathan Dueck is now the CEO in addition to being an EP at Essential Media Canada. Joey Case is now the Creative Director in addition to being an EP at Essential Media Canada. Paul Taylor has been named their Head of Development. He was previously a Development Producer at RTR Media Inc.
Cara Dellaverson is now the SVP of Drama Development at NBC Entertainment. She was formerly the SVP of Television Development & Current Programming at Lionsgate.
Laura Fleury has been upped from VP to SVP of Development & Programming at LMN
John Paul Geurts has been upped from VP to SVP of Experience Design at Nickelodeon. Russ Spina has been named the SVP of Character Art, Illustration & Media Product Design at Nickelodeon. He was previously their VP of Illustration & Media Product Design.
Nina Lederman is now pursuing other opportunities. She was formerly the SVP of Scripted Series Programming & Development at Lifetime.
Jeff Lynas has been upped from SVP of Operations and Business Development to the COO at eOne Television.
David Sigurani has been named the Director of Scripted Development at Televisa USA. He was previously a Development Executive at South Shore. Jonathan South has been named the Director of Sales, Worldwide at Televisa USA. He was previously the SVP of Content at Magine AB.
Andrew Stearn has been named the President at Working Title Television U.S. He was previously the President of Television at John Wells Productions.
David Mandell has been upped from EVP and and General Counsel/Corporate Secretary for Mandalay Digital Group to the newly created position of COO at Pop, the CBS and Lionsgate-owned network. Mandell will continue as Pop’s General Counsel, handling legal and business affairs, while adding content distribution, business development and operations to his responsibilities.
Jennifer O’Connell has been named the EVP of Alternative Programming at Lionsgate. She was formerly the Head of US Television at the CORE Media Group. In her new role, she will oversee the development and production of Lionsgate’s unscripted slate across all platforms.
Larry Grimaldi has been named VP of Development & Production at MarVista Entertainment. He was previously a Supervising Producer of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.
Sean Gupta has been named VP of Programming Strategy at BET Networks. He was previously the Senior Director of Business Decisions at Time Warner Cable.
Lori Hall’s role has been expanded to include Planning and Acquisitions in addition to VP of Program Scheduling at Ovation TV.
Heli Koskela has been named the Head of Entertainment at ITV Studios Finland. She was formerly a Creative Director at ITV Studios Finland. Anna Hallenberg will take over in that Creative Director role. She was formerly a Producer at Yellow Film & TV.
Management, PR, Agencies
Lindsay Aubin and Dani Potters are now Agents of Scripted TV at WME. They were both formerly coordinators of Scripted TV at WME.
Jay Byrd is now a Music Agent at CAA. He was previously a Music Agent at WME.
Liz Hart is now an Agent, Alternative Programming & Digital Media at Abrams Artists. She was formerly an Agent of News Talent at Napoli Management Group.
Ian Tarbert is now the VP of Entertainment at Metal Rabbit Media. He was previously a Manager, Marketing at Tribeca Film.
Music, Digital, Publishing, Misc.
European ad tech startup S4M has named Brian Cronin to the post of General Manager. The company provides analytics related to mobile ad campaigns. Cronin was formerly the VP of Mobile Solutions and Programmatic at IgnitionOne.
Andrew Regal has been named the Global Head of Wall Street Journal Video. Regal had been Sr. Executive Producer of WSJ Video.
The YouTube ad-buying and video marketing platform Pixability has hired Chris Bennett as its first EMEA Managing Director. Bennett will work out of the company’s newly established London Office.
Scott McMenamin has been upped to President at Final Draft, Inc., a newly created position at the software publisher after 13 years with the company. In his new role, McMenamin will handle day-to-day operations and providing strategic leadership.
Colin Bohm has been upped from VP to EVP, Head of Corus Kids at Corus Entertainment in Toronto. Scott Dyer has had his role expanded to include President of Nelvana, in addition to his roles as their EVP, Strategic Planning and Chief Technology Officer at Corus. Maria Hale has been named the EVP, Head of Content Distribution & Pay Television; She was formerly the VP of Television, Head, Content Distribution & Pay Television. John MacDonald has been upped from VP to EVP, Head, Corus Women and Family at Corus. Gerry Mackrell has been upped from VP to EVP, Head of Airtime Sales. Kathleen McNair has been named the EVP, Special Advisor to the CEO and Chief Integration Officer. She was formerly the EVP of Human Resources, Corporate Communications and Chief Integration Officer. Susan Schaefer has been named the EVP, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications. She was formerly the VP, Head of Brands, Television and Radio.
Belia Jimenez has been named the VP of Corporate Research at Univision Communications. She was formerly their Director of Corporate Research.
David Liddiment has been named the Non-Executive Chairman at FremantleMedia UK. He was previously the Co-Founder, Creative Director at All3Media.
Katy Chen is now the VP of Unscripted Development at Fullscreen. She was formerly the Director of Development at AwesomenessTV.
Darlene Gilbertie is now the Director of Business Development at Variety Insight. She was formerly a Casting Associate Producer at JS Casting.
Michael Goldfine is now pursuing other opportunities. He was previously the COO at Fullscreen.
Gary Gorman is now the SVP of Alternative Promotion at Capitol Music Group. He was previously the VP of Alternative Promotion at Atlantic Records.