Rainbow Media has filled three executive slots at AMC, IFC and WE:
Women's Entertainment, rounding out posts left vacant after a corporate
accounting scandal at the Cablevision-owned company June 2003. The new hires
all come from within the ranks of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.
The staffing will allow Rainbow to focus on original programming, brand
development and new technology for its television networks, says Rainbow
President and CEO Josh Sapan. “It's
exciting what we're embarking upon,” he adds. “It's a new day for all
three networks.”
For Rainbow, this second round of staffing up (the first came in
September) is a respite after the problems that rocked the company last June
and led to the firings of 14 executives and staff members. The $18 million
scandal centered on an effort to hit budget targets set by Rainbow through
cooking the books and understating AMC group earnings.
Management changes are as follows:
Ed Carroll will step up to head
entertainment services for the company's three networks. Previously, EVP and
general manager of IFC, Carroll's focus includes increasing the 10-year-old
network's original content and driving its value on digital tiers for the
cable affiliates. He'll do the same for AMC, which recently surged in the
ratings after introducing more modern classic movies and original fare. In
November, the network was up 17% in viewership from the same month last
year.
Kim Martin, most recently EVP of
distribution and affiliate marketing for AMC, Fuse, IFC, WE, Mag Rack and
sportskool, was upped to EVP and GM of WE.
Martin says she has a strong upcoming original programming slate, with 50
projects in development, including a “Desperate
Housewives-type docudrama.” Returning series include
Bridezilla, Full
Frontal Fashion and She House.
Martin hopes to bring in more advertisers in 2005 and distinguish WE from its
competitors by branding it for a younger, hipper, more educated audience.
Gregg Hill is the former EVP of
affiliate sales and marketing for AMC, IFC, WE and Mag Rack. He'll take the
reins as president of distribution and Rainbow network sales. In the role, he
aims to strengthen Rainbow's affiliate base and partner with these affiliates
to develop VOD and broadband technologies. IFC, for example, has been testing
VOD channel IFC Uncensored On Demand with Cablevision and will roll out the
channels to other cable operators.
According to Sapan, the decision to promote from within was deliberate.
“They'll make things happen with creativity and vigor.”
