Company Launches
Independent music marketing, talent management, and music publishing house Primary Wave has merged its talent division with Intellectual Artists Management to form a new multiplatform music, film, TV, and literary management company.
FremantleMedia North America is launching BuzzrTV, a digital multicast channel devoted to vintage game shows. The Fox O&O stations have picked up the channel for a summer debut in 17 markets.
Startup Vessel.com has opened to the public, offering subscriptions for exclusive early access to content from an array of prominent media companies and online stars. Film
Gravitas Ventures has made a series of hires and promotions to its sales and acquisitions team. Griffin Gmelich will be senior vice president of sales and business development. He will oversee sales of Gravitas’ films, documentaries, series and specials across North American video on demand, subscription video on demand, and ad sponsored video on demand platforms as well as television.
Television
Turner Broadcasting named Jennifer Dorian general manager of Turner Classic Movies (TCM). She will report to Coleman Breland, President of Turner Network Sales (TNS). Genevieve McGillicuddy has been upped to vice president of brand activation and partnerships for TCM, up from senior director, reporting into Dorian.
AMC’s unscripted executive Andie Beckerman has moved to Syfy. She will serve as VP Alternative Development and Production, developing and overseeing unscripted alternative programming.
Fox Broadcasting Company hired Rachel Rusch as VP of Event Series. She will oversee the network's limited-run programming and will develop large-scale event series and live scripted events.
The Television Academy has named Susan Spencer Senior Vice President, Media & Brand Management, as the Academy re-aligns its staff to better serve the organization's membership needs and long-range goals.
Fox Broadcasting has hired a new head for its alternative programming department. Electus and ABC alum Corie Henson has been named exec VP of alternative entertainment. She replaces Simon Andreae.
NBC News is bringing Today show's Noah Oppenheim back to run the show.
Simon Andreae is stepping down as head of alternative programming for Fox after a year on the job. He will be succeeded by Electus’ Corie Henson, who has been named EVP of alternative entertainment.
Digital, Multiplatform
Digital media company Refinery29 has tapped producer Amy Emmerich as head of video. With Emmerich’s hire, Refinery29 will expand its video staff and also redesign its in-house video studio.
Macro, the media venture launched by former WME partner Charles King, has named three key execs. Poppy Hanks, formerly senior VP for Tyler Perry’s 34th Street Films, has joined as senior VP of development and production. Summit Entertainment alum Ron Hohauser is chief financial officer. Michael Palank has been named VP of digital and business development. Palank comes to Macro from Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment.
Agencies, Management Companies, Marketing, Public Relations, Law Firms, Misc
Select Management Group – which specializes in managing online stars on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram – has added online-video vet Adam Wescott as a partner and launched SelectNext, an entertainment-production unit focused on its stable of talent.
The Screen Actors Guild Foundation has hired actor-producer Lainie Strouse for the newly created post of director of development, in which she will manage all fundraising and development.