Canadian
production house Shaftesbury announced Tuesday the launch of a new U.S. division to be based in
Los Angeles.
Tom Mazza and
Maggie Murphy will jointly oversee the division as co-heads, and will report to
Christina Jennings, chairman/CEO, Shaftesbury. Murphy and Mazza both come from
Cookie Jar Entertainment where Murphy served as SVP of development and Mazza
was the EVP/head of worldwide television. Both appointments are effective Sept.
1.
"Establishing a
local presence in the U.S. is the next important
step in the growth of our company," said Jennings. "Tom and Maggie are
exceptional executives who have extensive roots in the U.S. creative community and
strong relationships with American broadcasters that will allow us to expand
our opportunities in the market."
Mazza added:
"There is great opportunity for joint development in production between Canada and the United States, and we are thrilled to
be joining such a prolific and dynamic Canadian production company, building on
their incredibly successful business."
Shaftesbury's
recent programming includes The Listener for CTV and Fox International, Murdoch
Mysteries for Citytv, UKTV and ITV Studios Global Entertainment, and Good
Dog for HBO Canada.
