Tim Pastore has been tapped as president of original programming and production for National Geographic Channel U.S. Pastore, who is currently executive VP of production and development at National Geographic Studios, will helm all development, production and production management for the channel. He will transition into the role on Aug. 18. He crosses over to the network side three months after the departures of CEO David Lyle and president Howard Owens and the additions of Courteney Monroe as National Geographic Channels CEO and David Hill as chairman.
CNN has upped Elise Labott to global affairs correspondent, the news net announced on July 22. Labott, who has been with CNN since 2000, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and VP of the State Department Correspondents Association. During her tenure at the news net she has reported on events including the 2000 Camp David peace talks, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Arab Spring.
WRLH Richmond has brought on Tim Perry as general manager, the Sinclair-owned station announced on July 22. Perry has been general manager of CBS affiliate KOIN Portland since 2008. WRLH is a Fox affiliate DMA No. 57.
Jon Skorburg has been selected VP and general manager of WOI Des Moines, the Nexstar Broadcasting-owned company announced on July 22. Skorburg joins WOI from Nexstar sibling WQRF and WTVO in Rockford, Illinois, where he was VP and general manager. At WOI, he reports to Brian Jones, Nexstar co-chief operating officer.
Andy Alford will head to WFLA Tampa, starting at the Media General station on Aug. 1. Alford, who previously was VP and general manager of WTEN-WXXA Albany, will continue to serve as groupwide VP of sales.
Attorney Brad Deutsch has joined Garvey Schubert Barer as a part of the firm’s communications, media and information technology group, it was announced on July 22. Deutsch, who most recently was chief of staff to Federal Election Commissioner Steven Walther, will work from Garvey Schubert Barer’s D.C. office, where he will advise candidates, associations and other organizations.
NewTek has expanded the duties of Dr. Andrew Cross. Cross, who now adds president to his title, will continue to serve as chief technology officer as well as oversee the strategic direction for NewTek’s video business. He reports to NewTek CEO Jim Plant.
Sanjay Sharma has been named president and chief operating officer of All Def Digital, the digital media company announced on July 21. Sharma, who previously was executive VP of strategy and business development for Machinima, will manage day-to-day operational and business affairs for All Def Digital, which was cofounded by business mogul Russell Simmons.
Tia Maggini has been appointed VP of original movies at Lifetime, it was announced on July 21. Maggini most recently served as VP of television for Josephson Entertainment. She will report to Tanya Lopez, senior VP of original movies at Lifetime.
The Casting Society of America has opened television, theater and new media category submissions for the 30th Annual Artios Awards. The call for entries is open to credited casting directors who are CSA members. To be eligible, projects must have been aired, released of performed live between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2014. The awards show is set to take place Jan. 22, 2015. Film submissions will begin in November. For details, click here.
Marcelo Spinola has been tapped as director for international channels at Globosat, the TV programming company announced on July 21. Spinola will oversee the expansion of Globosat outside the Brazil pay TV market.
Debra Wichser has been named chief financial officer of TVGN, the company announced July 21. Wichser, who previously served as VP of corporate development for CBS Corporation, will manage the cabler’s finance and accounting, financial planning and administration, human resources, engineering and operations, and facilities.TVGN is a partnership of CBS Corporation and Lionsgate.
Origin Digital Studios has expanded its presence in Burbank, establishing a collective of visual effects artists, producers and supervisors. Origin is headquartered in Burbank but also has branches in New York City and Albuquerque. In conjunction with the announcement of the collective, Mark Miller has bee named president of Origin. Before forming Origin, Miller served as general manager of Pixomondo.
Dan Reed will step down from his post as president of the NBA’s Development League, it was announced on July 21. Reed, whose last day at the NBA will be July 31, is headed to Facebook, where he will helm global sports partnerships.
Joanna McIntosh has headed to the Motion Picture Association of America, where she will serve as executive VP of global policy and external affairs. McIntosh most previously served as VP of federal government relations for Verizon.
The Rockford Files star James Garner died July 19. The veteran actor was 86. He had been suffering from poor health and had had a stroke in 2008. But a cause of death was not confirmed. Garner starred in a slew of hit television series and movies, most notably The Rockford Files and Maverick.
Rob Marciano has been appointed senior meteorologist for ABC News, it was announced on July 18. Marciano, who has been a co-anchor on Entertainment Tonight, will report for GMAWeekend. The meteorologist will also work with the Extreme Weather Team and Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee.
Jay Bienstock has been named CEO of Talpa Media USA, the production company announced on July 17. Bienstock was most recently managing director of A. Smith & Co. Talpa Media USA produces NBC’s The Voice and Fox’s fall reality show entrant Utopia.
TransMedia Dynamics has expanded its U.S. operations with the addition of Kim Vela-Walker and Paulo Martinez, the Aylesbury, UK-based company announced on July 17. Vela-Walker has been appointed as a business analyst for TMD’s Austin, Texas branch, while Martinez has joined the company as a project manager.
Lauren Skowronski has been upped to VP of corporate communications at NBCUniversal, the company announced on July 17. Skowronski, who will start her new role Aug. 11, previously served as VP of media relations for MSNBC. In her new role, she will oversee media and communications for strategy and business insights, reporting to Cameron Blanchard, senior VP of corporate communications.
Stone Newman has been tapped as president of global consumer products for Genius Brands International, it was announced on July 17. Newman, who previously worked for Art + Science International, Inc., will work spearhead the building of consumer products programs for GBI’s brands. He reports to company president Amy Moynihan Heyward.
Jeff Buchignani has been named president of Runway, the company announced on July 17. Buchignani, who joins Runway from Pivotal Post, will manage the operations, strategy and expansion of the Culver City-based editorial systems and services supplier.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and National Cable & Telecommunications Association announced the establishment of a joint scholarship on July 17. The scholarship is designed to help female college students develop projects on cable industry public policy, digital literacy and new and digital media trends. Applicants are tasked with submitting a concept paper on one of the three topics to AWMF by Sept. 5, 2014. For details, click here.
Christina Miller will helm Turner Broadcasting System’s Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, it was announced on July 16. Miller, who most recently was general manager of NBA digital and senior VP of Turner Sports strategy, marketing and promotion, will serve as the three networks’ president and general manager. She succeeds recently resigned Stuart Snyder, who left the company after a reorg of the company’s upper management.
Rory Albanese will executive producer Comedy Central’s new late-night talker The Minority Report, the net announced on July 16. Albanese, who was an executive producer of The Daily Show, will produce The Minority Report with show host Larry Wilmore and creator Daily Show emcee Jon Stewart. The Minority Report will replace The Colbert Report, whose emcee Stephen Colbert is set to take the reigns of CBS’ Late Show.
A+E Networks has reorganized its research department, forming the Research & Analytics Team, which consists of brand research, digital analytics & CRM, multiplatform analytics and revenue research units. The company announced on July 16 several executive changes in conjunction with the reorg: Marcela Tabares has been upped to senior VP of revenue research; Tom Pellegrino has been elevated to senior VP of brand research; Lee Boykoff has been named VP of digital analytics and CRM; and Julya Fridman has been appointed VP of multiplatform & distribution analytics.
Gregory Bedross has been tapped as New York regional sales manager for Broadcast Pix, the company announced on July 16. Bedross, who most recently worked for Datavidieo, will work to expand sales in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, working closely with Russell Whittaker, cofounder of Broadcast Pix.
John Bachman will join WAWS/WTEV Jacksonville, Fla. this fall, parent company Cox Media Group announced on July 16. Bachman will work as part of the Fox30 and CBS47 Action News team. He most recently served as co-anchor of the 4 p.m. weekday newscast for WSB-TV Atlanta. WSB-TV is also owned by Cox.
Trilogy has named Ewan Johnston sales director, it was announced on July 16. Johnston, who joins the company from Quantum, will work from the company’s head office in Andover, Hampshire, UK, effective immediately.
Jason Silva has been appointed VP of brand partnerships at Young Hollywood, multimedia brand announced on July 16. Silva, who previously managed marketing solutions and ad partnerships of NUVOtv, will helm the development of new partnerships and sponsorship activities at Young Hollywood.
