Below is a compilation of the latest executive moves in the industry.
Gerard Bocaccio has been tapped by Entertainment One Television as senior VP of U.S. scripted development, it was announced on June 10. The industry vet will oversee the development or all of eOne’s U.S. market scripted programming and report to Michael Rosenberg, the company’s U.S. television chief. Bocaccio most recently was a consultant for Blumhouse Productions and the Discovery Channel.
ONE World Sports has bolstered its affiliate sales team with the additions of two executives. Kristen McNeill will serve as senior VP of the company’s Western division, while Mark Romano will work as as senior VP of the Eastern division. ONE World Sports has also recently expanded its distribution partners, adding Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber and Hawaiian Telcom.
Jose Luis Padilla has been appointed VP and general manager of KAZA Los Angeles and regional VP of parent company Azteca’s West Coast managed stations, the Spanish language broadcaster announced on June 10. Padilla will oversee KAZA’s sales, marketing, local programming and operations in addition to the operations of Azteca’s regional stations, which include KEMO San Francisco, KPDF Phoenix and KHDF Las Vegas. The industry vet most recently worked for CNN Latino as general sales manager.
Jeff White has left his post as VP and general manager of CBS affiliate WISH Indianapolis, parent company LIN Media announced on June 10. The reason for White’s departure was not immediately known. White joined WISH in 2005.
Margaret A. Bellville has been named VP and member of Hitachi Consulting’s U.S. Communications, Media & Entertainment Industry team. Bellville previously served as executive VP and COO of Charter Communications. At Hitachi, she will advise cable operators on mergers and acquisitions, investments and product launches.
C. Robin Szabo has received MFM’s Chairman’s Award in Memory of Edward H. Deichman. Szabo is president of Szabo Associates, Inc. MFM also honored the 2014 Rainmakers at its annual conference. This year’s honorees include Gina Gin, partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers; Greg Frost, manager, corporate credit & collections, Hearst Television; Tammy Osborne, VP, Marketing & Client Services, Anderson, Randall & Richards; and Scott Moody, senior VP & CFO, Bonten Media.
Chase Carey (pictured above) has inked an extension with 21st Century Fox that extends his tenure as president and COO through June 30, 2016. Under the agreement’s terms, Carey, who had said in May he had an “understanding” with chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, can end his employment with the company no earlier than Dec. 31, 2015. But if the exec chooses to do so he would have to give six months’ notice.
Reed Hastings will keep his titles as CEO and chairman of Netflix, it was revealed on June 9 after company shareholders rejected a proposal to split the titles. Hastings has served as CEO and chairman since 2001 when Netflix went public. The proposed split was requested by Calpers and New York City comptroller Scott Stringer.
Smokehouse Pictures, the production shingle of George Clooney and Grant Heslov, has inked an overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, it was announced on June 9. The two-year agreement will see Smokehouse and SPT work on projects for TV and digital. Smokehouse, which previously had a deal with Warner Bros. Television, has produced films Monuments Men and Argo.
Walt Davis has been named senior director, product manager and technical services at Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc., it was announced on June 9. Davis, who joins the video solutions company from Vubiquity, will oversee product implementation and technical support at Blonder Tongue.
Method Studios has appointed Bill Tlusty as VP, the visual effects company announced on June 9. Tlusty most recently served as executive producer for Rhythm & Hues, where he worked on a number of movies, including Life of Pi and Snow White and the Huntsman. He will be based at Method’s Vancouver office.
CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla will report for HBO’s Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel. Quintanilla hosts CNBC’s Squawk on the Street and Squawk Alley and is a fill-in emcee for NBC Nightly News. He will continue on in his roles at CNBC and NBC while working on Real Sports.
Paul Perozeni has been named VP and general manager of WJW Cleveland. Perozeni, who had served as VP and general manager of the Fox affiliate for 13 years, reports to Tribune Broadcasting COO Lynda King. He begins his new role immediately.
TV, Internet and radio ad musicians have renewed their contract with the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies’ Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations. The new agreement extends for three years and include a 6% pay raise and improved health and welfare payments, among other things.
Beatrice Springborn has been tapped to helm originals at Hulu, company content head Craig Erwich wrote in a blog on June 6. Springborn, who most recently led TV for Storyline Entertainment, replaces Charlotte Koh, who left Hulu in April.
Notable television critic and historian Steven H. Scheuer has died. He was 88. Scheuer passed away from congestive heart failure in New York City on May 31. The pioneering TV reviewer got his start in the 1950s at CBS. Not long after he set out to turn around the “backwards” review process — which saw good reviews circulating after programs have already aired.
Jim Rose has been upped to VP and station manager at KING Seattle, it was announced on June 5. Rose, who had been director of sales at the NBC affiliate, reports to Ray Heacox, president and general manager of KING-KONG. KONG is an independent station. In his new role, Rose will oversee the station’s operations as well as sales, local and syndicated programming, and human resources. He will be succeeded as sales director by Jason Xydis.
The Association of Cable Communicators announced on June 5 the 2014 Golden Beacon and Beacon Awards honorees. National Geographic Channel’s Killing Kennedy received the organization’s top prize, the Golden Beacon. The awards honor excellence in public affairs and cable communications. For the complete list of this year’s recipients, click here.
John Mancini has been tapped as director of digital news gathering at NBC News, it was announced on June 5. Mancini most recently served as global news manager at the AP’s “The Nerve Center.”
Anne Schelle has been appointed managing director of Pearl. Schelle was previously a senior advisor to the National Association of Broadcasters and executive director of the Open Mobile Video Coalition. Pearl is a partnership of local broadcast groups that aims to find next generation platforms for local TV content.
Syracuse University’s Newhouse School held its Mirror Awards luncheon on June 4. The event feted Discovery chief David Zaslav with the Fred Dressler Leadership Award as well as Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, co-executive editors Re/code and former Wall Street Journal reporters.
Jennifer Veenendaal has been upped to local sales manager at WBAL-TV Baltimore. She most recently served as national sales manager at the Hearst Television owned station.
Philippe Cosuteau, Jr. will host and executive produce Fox’s new syndicated series Xploration Awesome Planet, which will begin airing on Fox stations in September. Cousteau is the grandson of pioneering ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.
Genius Brands International, Inc. has tapped Andrew Berman to head the company’s new global distribution division. Berman, who was previously with FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, will serve as senior VP of global sales at GBI, where he will lead the distribution of the company’s children’s catalog. He reports to Andy Heyward, GBI chairman and CEO.
Kevin Levy has been upped to senior VP of program planning and scheduling at The CW, it was announced on June 4. Levy, who previously served as VP of program planning and scheduling, will now oversee the strategic planning and scheduling across all of The CW’s properties. Levy joined The CW when it launched in 2006.
Dewey Reid has joined CNN as VP and executive creative director for CNN Digital. The former Yahoo! exec will manage all creative, design and user experience aspects for CNN Digital. At Yahoo!, Dewey most recently served as VP of design for mobile and emerging products.
Marty Adelstein has teamed with ITV Studios US Group to launch scripted shingle Tomorrow ITV Studios. Tomorrow ITV will be headed by Becky Clement and will develop both drama and comedies. David Duchovny drama Aquarius will be Tomorrow’s first project.
Adam Wolf has been appointed VP of synchronization at Riptide Music Group. In this role, Wolf will oversee the company’s advertising and film clients as well as identify catalogs and talent. He most recently served as VP, creative, at Pigfactory.
Lara Logan has returned to CBS News after taking a seven-month leave of absence, a spokesperson for CBS confirmed on June 4. Logan and producer Max McClellan stepped away from newsmagazine 60 Minutesin November after a botched report on Benghazi aired on the program.
The Paley Center for Media has named new members to its Board of Trustees. The appointments include: Mitch Barns, CEO, Nielsen; Andy Bird, C.B.E., chairman, Walt Disney International; Cesar Conde, executive VP, NBCUniversal; Cynthia López, commissioner, NYC Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment; Joe Marchese, CEO, true[X]; Katherine Oliver, principal, Bloomberg Associates; and Edward Skyler, executive VP, global public affairs, Citigroup.
Claire Adams has been named head of content at Bristow Global Media, company president Julie Bristow announced on June 4. Adams has spent 20 years in the industry, helping launch brands that include CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada as well as international sports productions for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Bristow is a multiplatform content creation company based in Toronto.
