Here is a compilation of the latest executive moves in the industry.
NPR News announced Aug. 2 that Eric Deggans would join the organization as TV critic and correspondent. Deggans previously worked as a media critic at the Tampa Bay Times and will start working full time for the news outlet in October. He has previously produced radio spots and appeared as an expert on various NPR News programs.
Abbe Raven, chairman, A+E Networks, was named the 2013 Woman of the Year by Women in Cable Telecommunications on Aug. 1. WICT also honored Bernadine Han, VP of news and local programming at Time Warner Cable, and Marjorie Kaplan, group president of Animal Planet, Science Channel & Velocity, at Discovery Communications, as 2013 Women to Watch.
Hearst Television Inc. announced Aug. 1 that Angela Betasso will join the company as VP of sales. Betasso, who has served as VP of sales at Belo Corp., will start in early 2014 and will share oversight with Kathleen Keefe, also VP of sales.
Jennifer Bresnan will step down CBS’ executive VP of alternate programming at the end of the summer, CBS announced Aug. 1. Bresnan will be relocating to New York to be with her husband Joe Ianniello, COO of CBS Corp., and family, and will continue to work for CBS as a consultant on unscripted series. Chris Castallo has been tapped by CBS to take Bresnan’s place as executive VP of alternate programming. Castallo previously served as senior VP of alternative programming at the company.
All3Media America announced Aug. 1 that Amy Hussey will assume the role as the company’s COO. The company also said it had moved into its new U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles. The move included All3Media’s production companies, including Studio Lambert, Zoo Productions and Maverick Television. Hussey previously served as executive VP of Studio Lambert.
The Motion Picture Association of America named Neil Fried senior VP of government and regulatory affairs on Aug. 1. Fried, who worked as chief counsel for communications and technology for the House Energy & Commerce Committee, will report to Michael O’Leary, executive VP of global policy and external affairs.
FX Networks promoted Stephanie Gibbons to president of marketing and on-air promotions, the company announced Aug. 1. Gibbons, who joined the network in 2004, will oversee all marketing, advertising, digital, and on-air campaigns for FX, FXM and the new network FXX, which is set to debut September 2. Gibbons will continue to report to John Landgraf, CEO, FX Networks and FX Productions.
Michael Connors will join Telescope Inc. as senior VP of sales, the company announced Aug. 1. Connors previously held executive sales positions at Turner Broadcasting and The New York Times.
The First Responder Network Authority, FirstNet, named TJ Kennedy as deputy general manager and Ed Parkinson as director of government affairs on July 31. Kennedy comes to FirstNet from Ratheon where he served as director of public safety and security. Parkinson is former staffer to House Homeland Security Committee Chair Peter King (R-N.Y.) FirstNet was created by Congress to oversee a national interoperable public safety network.
DreamWorks Animation announced July 31 that Marjorie Cohn will run the studio’s television efforts in the newly created position of head of television. Along with Cohn, the company announced Mark Taylor will be head of TV production and Peter Gal will be head of TV development. Both Cohn and Taylor come from Nickelodeon Animation Studios while Gal has been with DWA.
BASE Productions named Sara Hansemann VP of development on July 31. Hansemann comes to BASE Productions from Zodiak USA where she served as VP of development.
The NFL Network confirmed on July 31 that Steve Bornstein will step down as the league’s president and CEO when his contract expires next spring. NFL Media COO Brian Rolapp will succeed Bornstein and assume the title of executive VP of NFL Media, The New York Times first reported.
Ian Partilla will join NBC Sports Group as VP of partnership development for Alli Sports. Partilla previously served as account executive for X Games Sales & Marketing for ESPN. Alli Sports’ portfolio includes the Dew Tour, Red Bull Signature Series, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Octane Academy and World of Adventure Sports.
Turner Broadcasting announced July 31 that Marie Hughes will join Turner Media Group as VP for strategic media planning. Hughes previously worked as brand group director at Horizon Media.
Marc Greenstein was promoted to VP of creative production for NBC News and MSNBC, the company announced on July 31. Most recently, Greenstein transformed 30 Rock into Democracy Plaza and conceptualized and executed Rock Center with Brian Williams.
Viacom Inc. announced the promotion of Karim Mawji July 31 to the newly created position of senior VP of digital platform for the company’s Music & Entertainment Ad Sales group. Mawji previously worked as VP of digital ad sales for Nickelodeon, a network owned by Viacom.
Yule Caise was named the 2013 Fox Writers Intensive Fellow and has signed a development deal with FX Networks, Fox Audience Strategy announced July 31. Caise was chosen from the sophomore class of Fox Writers Intensive finalists, a pool of 10 candidates in program designed to nurture experienced writers. As part of the deal with FX Networks, Caise will work in conjunction with Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television Studios.
Al Jazeera America named the correspondents at 10 of its 12 bureaus July 30 in advance of the launch of the channel later this month. Libby Casey, who most recently hosted C-SPAN’s morning programming block, Washington Journal, will report from the Washington Bureau. Ash-har Quraishi will report from Chicago. He is formerly from WTTW Chicago, where he reported for the nightly news show Chicago Tonight. Heidi Zhou Castro will report from Dallas. She worked as weekend and evening anchor at YNN Austin. Paul Beban, formerly a producer with Al Jazeera English, will report from Denver. Bisi Onile-Ere, who previously was with WDIV-TV Detroit, will serve as the correspondent from the Detroit bureau. Jennifer London, formerly a correspondent with NBC, MSNBC and noncommercial KCET Los Angeles, will report from L.A. Jonathan Martin, formerly with WSMV-TV Nashville, will report from the Nashville bureau. Robert Ray, from the Associated Press, will be a correspondent in the New Orleans bureau. Allan Schauffler, an anchor with KING-TV Seattle, will report from that city. Natasha Ghoneim, who previously worked as a general assignment correspondent for stations across the U.S., will report from Miami. The correspondents for the network’s New York and San Francisco bureaus will be released at a later date.
Hawthorne Direct named Tina Wisner the director, data science and analytics in an announcement on July 30. Wisner, who will work out of the full-service advertising agency’s Los Angeles office, previously served as director of data science at RAPP.
Justin B. Smith will join Bloomberg Media Group as chief executive officer on September 16, Bloomberg LP announced on July 29. Smith will take over the CEO helm from Andrew Lack, who will become chairman of Bloomberg Media Group, which comprises Bloomberg’s television, radio, magazine, conferences and digital businesses globally. Most recently, Smith served as president of Atlantic Media from 2010-2013.
Rob Marcus signed a three-year employment deal with Time Warner Cable that will give him nearly $16 million in the first year for his new positions as chairman and CEO of the cable company, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 29. Marcus, who will replace the retiring Glenn Britt on Jan. 1, currently works as president and chief operating officer of the company.
CNN confirmed on July 29 that David Chalian will join the network as supervising producer of the Crossfire reboot. Chalian most recently worked as video director at Politico.
Larry Giele joined the Dallas/Fort Worth stations CBS 11 (KTVT-TV) and TXA 21 (KTXA-TV) as controller, the stations announced on July 29. Giele previously held the same position at WKYC in Cleveland.
Sean Combs, founder and chairman of Revolt TV, revealed the cable channel’s top executive team on July 26. Combs announced that Keith Clinkscales will serve as CEO, Andy Schuon will serve as president and Val Boreland will serve as executive VP of programming and strategy. Clinkscales comes to Revolt after founding The Shadow League in partnership with ESPN, which aimed to digitally connect the worlds of sports, pop culture and race. Schuon co-founded Revolt with Combs and previously served as president of artist services and head of digital for Ticketmaster. Boreland most recently worked as senior VP, program, promotion & multiplatform strategy for Comedy Central. Revolt TV is a multi-platform network focusing on popular and music culture and is set to launch this fall on Time Warner Cable and Comcast.
