Below is a compilation of the latest executive moves in the industry.
Salaam Coleman Smith has joined ABC Family as executive VP, strategy and programming, announced Tom Ascheim, president of the network, July 15 during the TCA summer press tour. Coleman Smith was most recently president of Style Media but left after the net was turned into Esquire Network. Her hire comes a week after the departures of Kate Juergens, chief creative officer and execute VP, and Lynn Stepanian, senior VP of acquisitions and scheduling.
PBS took the most nominations for the 35th News and Documentary Emmy Awards with CBS close behind, nabbing 43 and 42 noms, respectively. CBS, however, had the most nominated programming. 60 Minutes took 27 nods. PBS’ top series Frontline earned 11 noms followed by the public broadcaster's Independent Lens with 10. The winners will be named Sept. 30. For the complete list of nominees, click here.
Hallie Jackson has been tapped as a network correspondent for NBC News, it was announced on July 15. Jackson, who had been a national correspondent for Hearst Television, will initially work from the Los Angeles bureau before being sent to other regions.
Matrix Solutions has upped Brenda Hetrick VP of sales and marketing. Hetrick, who previously was VP of marketing communications, will oversee business development of the company’s Matrix Premium CRM & Sales Intelligence Platform.
Joseph LoGrasso has joined DigitalGlue as VP of sales, it was announced on July 15. LoGrasso, who previously served as director for strategic accounts at Miranda Technologies, Inc., will help expand DigitalGlue’s sales and marketing nationally. He reports to Sean Busby, president and cofounder of DigitialGlue.
Dana Walden and Gary Newman have added Fox Broadcasting to their oversight, 21st Century Fox announced on July 14. The expansion of their roles comes two months after Kevin Reilly announced that he would step down as chairman of Fox Broadcasting. Under the reorganization, Walden and Newman will serve as chairmen and CEOs of Fox Television Group, a newly formed division of the company that includes 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting. Walden and Newman have headed 20th Century Fox Television for 15 years. Their expanded roles will begin July 28.
Brooks Wheelan has been let go from the cast of Saturday Night Live. The comic made the announcement July 14 via Twitter. Wheelan had joined SNL at the start of the 2013-14 season.
Robert Zemeckis has inked a two-year, first-look deal with Paramount, it was announced on July 14. Under the terms of the agreement, Zemeckis and his partner at Compari Entertainment Jack Rapke will develop television projects for the studio. The first series on the slate for the duo is an adaptation of novel The Fermata.
Alisyn Camerota has been named as an anchor for CNN, where she will contribute to all programs. Camerota previously cohosted Fox News Channel’s America’s News Headquarters.
Amy Thurlow has been tapped as chief operating officer and chief financial officer for dick clark productions, it was announced on July 14. Thurlow, who joins dcp as executive VP of sales for TV Guide Network, will report to dcp president Mike Mahan.
Randy Starnes has joined ArsenalFX Color as colorist, the TV post house company announced on July 14. Starnes previously was a colorist for Sony Pictures Studios’ Colorworks Division.
Pam Oliver has been upped to senior correspondent for Fox Sports, it was announced on July 14. Oliver will continue to work as a sideline NFL reporter, teaming with Kevin Burkhardt and John Lynch. In her new role, she will contribute to a variety of Fox Sports programs.
Brian Kalinowski has ben named executive VP of digital media at Back9Network, the golf lifestyle network announced on July 14. Kalinowski, who previously served COO of LiveClips, will oversee digital properties for the net.
Band Pro Film & Digital announced July 14 that Christian Calderon has joined its sales team. Calderon, who has spent more than 15 years in the broadcast and cinema space, will help Band Pro develop its clientele in Latin America and the U.S..
Christopher Walken will play Captain Hook in NBC’s live production of Peter Pan, announced Bob Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, July 13 during the TCA summer press tour. The live musical production, Peter Pan Live, is set to premiere on Dec. 4. The title role has not yet been cast.
The Television Academy announced the nominees for the 66th Annual Primetime Emmys. HBO took a whopping 99 noms, while Netflix more than doubled last year’s with 31. HBO’s Game of Thrones topped all drama series with 19 noms, including a nod for Best Drama alongside Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, House of Cards, Mad Men and True Detective. On the comedy side, Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black took 12 noms. OITNB was joined in the Best Comedy category by The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Louie, Silicon Valley and Veep. For the complete rundown of this year’s nominees, click here.
ABC has tapped Mike Dean as VP of programmatic and data-driven sales, the network announced on July 10. Dean, who previously served as VP of media platform sales and solution for Videology, will oversee sales and strategy for the newly minted programmatic ad division. He reports to Pooja Midha, senior VP of digital ad sales and operations.
Garry Kelly has been named VP and general manager of NBC affiliate WSLS Roanoke, the station announced on July 10. Kelly, who previously was VP and news director at WBMA Birmingham, will start at WSLS Aug. 11. He succeeds Leesa Wilcher as GM, who left the Media General-owned station in May.
The View confirmed via Twitter on July 10 that Rosie O’Donnell is returning to the ABC talker. O’Donnell had spent on season on the show in 2007. She joins Whoopi Goldberg, who is the show’s only remaining host after the retirement of Barbara Walters and exits of Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy.
The John S. and James. L. Knight Foundation has awarded funding to WGBH/Frontline, WBUR and Public Media Company for projects that foster audience engagement, experimentation and innovation. Each public media organization will receive $250,000 in support.
Dave Kaplan has been elevated to senior VP, research and insights at Bravo and Oxygen Media. Kaplan, who previously served as VP of ad sales research for Bravo, will now oversee all aspects of Bravo and Oxygen Media’s research and insights unit. The exec joined Bravo in 2011.
Maria J. Bain has been named director of institutional advancement of the CatholicTV Network, it was announced on July 10. She is based out the net’s Watertown, Mass. headquarters.
Joey Aguilar has been upped to VP of business operations for Comcast’s Houston region, the company announced on July 10. Aguilar previously was director of business operations for the Utah area.
Katherine Winfree has been appointed chief of staff of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, it was announced on July 9. Winfree is a longtime prosecutor who most recently was chief deputy attorney general for the state of Maryland.
Anne Morrison has been tapped as chair of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, it was announced July 9. Morrison had previously served as deputy chair of BAFTA. Her term as chair is for two years.
Robert Weller has been named VP of spectrum policy for the National Association of Broadcasters, NAB announced on July 9. Weller, who had previously been with the FCC, starts at NAB July 28.
Rick Holzman has been upped to general manager and executive VP of Animal Planet, parent company Discovery Communications announced July 9. Holzman, who previously was executive VP of programming and scheduling for Animal Planet and Science Channel, reports to Marjorie Kaplan, group president of TLC and Animal Planet. Discovery made the announcement during its portion of the TCA summer press tour.
Turner Sports announced July 9 that it has promoted Lenny Daniels to president. Daniel, who previously was executive VP and COO for the company, will manage all of Turner Sports’ day-to-day activities. He will continue to report to David Levy, president of Turner Broadcasting.
ONE World Sports has promoted two members of its executive team. Joel Feld has been named executive VP of programming and production and Beth Sanford has been appointed senior VP of marketing. Feld had previously served as executive VP for programming and executive producer for New England Sports Network, while Sanford had worked as VP of marketing.
Emilienne Gray has joined Yangaroo as special consultant and broadcast advisor, the digital media management and distribution company announced on July 9. Gray is founder and president of Vision-Intellect, LLC and is a former senior VP of music and talent programming and strategy for MTV + VH1.
Ross Levinsohn has been named to the board of DramaFever, the company announced on July 9. Levinsohn most recently served as CEO of Guggenheim Digital Media, parent of Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and Adweek. He also had stints at Yahoo and Fox Interactive Media.
Fred Mangione has been appointed chief operating officer of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center, it was announced on July 9. Mangione had previously been chief marketing officer and chief revenue officer for the Nets and Barclays. The company also announced the promotion of Mike Zavodsky to executive VP of global partnerships.
Kim Witker has been tapped as local sales manager for WSVN-TV Miami/Fort Lauderdale. Witker’s appointment is effective July 14. The sales vet worked for WSVN from 2002 to 2012 as an account executive. She left the Sunbeam Television owned Fox-affiliate in 2012 for WBKI-TV Louisville, Ky.
