Exec Shuffle: ABC’s Quinn Taylor Joins NBC as Long-Form Chief

Quinn Taylor is set to follow former ABC colleague Jeff Bader to NBC. He has left his post as SVP of movies, miniseries and acquisitions at the ABC Entertainment Group, and joined the rival network as executive VP of movie, miniseries and international co-productions. In the new position, Taylor will oversee all development and programming of original movies, miniseries and long-form acquisitions. Additionally, he will become a key programming executive of series that have an international co-production element (think Hannibal, Crossbones), either in concert with the NBC International division or with outside suppliers.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

STEPHANIE SPERBER

Stephanie Sperber Re-Ups as President, Universal Partnerships & Licensing

Stephanie Sperber has re-upped with Universal where she serves as president, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. Her contract, which still had a year and a half to run, has been extended until June, 2016. She will continue to report to Universal chairman Adam Fogelson. Sperber oversees all of Universal’s global consumer products, digital licensing, theatrical and home entertainment promotions across all divisions of Universal Pictures as well as strategic marketing alliances for both Universal Pictures and Universal Studios Parks and Resorts Group.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

JANET NOVA

Fox shapes legal team; Janet Nova upped to deputy counsel

A battle-tested veteran of News Corp.’s general counsel’s office will take on additional duties following the corporate spinoff set for June 28. The company announced Monday that Janet Nova, deputy general counsel, will become executive vice president and deputy group general counsel for 21st Century Fox. She will help manage day-to-day operations of one of the nation’s busiest corporate legal offices. Nova, who has been a key member of News Corp.’s legal team since 1997, will oversee legal aspects of Fox’s acquisition strategy, capital markets transactions and Securities & Exchange Commission filings.

LA TIMES

PAUL KAHN

FOX One

Paul Kahn has joined FOX One, News Corp.’s cross-company Sales and Marketing group, as Vice President of Integrated Sales and Marketing. Kahn spent the last decade at ABC Television, a division of the Walt Disney Company, working on cross-divisional integrated sales opportunities. In his new role Kahn is tasked with seeking out new and incremental business through the development and implementation of integrated marketing techniques and developing and executing cross-platform solutions that drive revenue across all News Corp companies.

CYNOPSIS

TONY DOKOUPIL

NBC News Digital

NBC News Digital has announced that Tony Dokoupil is joining NBCNews.com as a Senior Writer. Dokoupil, who previously held Senior Writer positions at Newsweek and The Daily Beast, begins his new role in September.

CYNOPSIS

DIANNE DOCTOR

BYRON HARMON

Doctor Named WWOR TV VP/Station Manager

Dianne Doctor, vice president and news director at WNYW New York, has been named VP and station manager at sister WWOR, which is licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey. Both are owned by Fox. She will report to Lew Leone, VP and general manager at WNYW-WWOR. Byron Harmon, WNYW senior executive producer, succeeds Doctor as VP and news director at WNYW.

BROADCASTING CABLE

GAYLE DICKIE

JAMES ALLEN BRADLEY

MEREDITH WATERS

IC Punch Media/VU Television Network

Veteran TV syndicator and producer Gayle Dickie has been appointed President of IC Punch Media, Inc. and the newly created VU Television Network. Dickie will oversee the network’s day-to-day operations of their multi-platform broadcast, cable, OOHD and streaming content distribution channels. Her first appointment is James Allen Bradley as Executive Vice President of Production and Operations. Bradley will be tasked with producing original content. Dickie has also appointed Meredith Waters to the newly created position of Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Partnerships.

CYNOPSIS

STEVEN BROWN

JR RINGER

MATT SMITH

ICM Partners Promotes Three Agents

ICM Partners has upped Steven Brown, JR Ringer and Matt Smith to talent agents. Brown, Ringer and Smith previously were coordinators in the talent department, and all went through the ICM Partners Trainee Program. Brown and Ringer joined the agency in 2009, and Smith joined in 2011. ICM Partners Lorrie Bartett, Dar Rollins and Adam Schweitzer made the announcement on behalf of the agency.

VARIETY

CONNIE ANNE PHILLIPS

Condé Nast Shakes up Glamour Leadership

Condé Nast has shaken up its longstanding publishing leadership at Glamour, historically its most profitable brand but one that’s seen unevenness in recent years. Former InStyle and Vogue sales exec Connie Anne Phillips was named vp, publisher, replacing veteran publisher Bill Wackermann. Wackermann, a polarizing figure but one known for his showmanship and repositioning expertise, has led Glamour to record-breaking results.

AD WEEK

JEANIE PYUN

The Hollywood Reporter Announces Nine Hires, Five Promotions

Jeanie Pyun is joining as features director along with new editors for the magazine and THR.com as staff continues to grow. The Hollywood Reporter has announced the promotion of five staffers and the addition of nine more to the expanding media company. May also marked a flagship month for the publication’s website, THR.com, which received the highest traffic in its history. Jeanie Pyun has joined the staff as features director.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

KATHY SAMUELS

ETHAN NELSON

JOSEPH TERRY

Exclusive: Samuels, Nelson, Terry Departing Disney/ABC’s ‘Katie’

Three key executives are departing Disney/ABC’s Katie after the recent hiring of new executive producer Rachel Miskowiec. Co-Executive Producer Kathy Samuels, who started with the show last summer, is moving off of Katie but will still work with ABC to develop new projects. Another co-executive producer, Ethan Nelson, also is leaving. Nelson started in January and worked under Michael Morrison, who also has left the program. Finally, Joseph Terry, the show’s director, is departing. Terry spent more than a decade working on CBS Television Distribution’s Oprah, including directing the iconic talk show.

BROADCASTING CABLE

BEN WHEELOCK

Ben Wheelock Named Al Jazeera America Senior Executive Producer

ABC and NBC News veteran Bob Wheelock has been named senior executive producer of Al Jazeera America, the new U.S. news channel airing this year. He was previously Al Jazeera English’s executive producer of newsgathering for the Americas. Wheelock served as a senior broadcast producer for ABC News’ special events unit and was the Washington, D.C.-based senior producer for “Weekend News,” “This Week With David Brinkley” and “Good Morning America.” He also worked at NBC News as both a senior producer for the “Today Show” and as London bureau chief.

THE WRAP

ED DELANEY

Ed Delaney to the newly-created position of Executive Vice President, Operations for FOX Sports Media Group

FOX Sports Media Group named Ed Delaney to the newly-created position of Executive Vice President, Operations for FOX Sports Media Group where he will be responsible for all technical aspects of remote and studio operations, both nationally and at FOX Sports regional networks. Delaney previously served as Senior Vice President, Broadcast Operations & Engineering for YES.

CYNOPSIS

By BRIAN STEINBERG

The soon-to-launch cable sports outlet, Fox Sports 1, will not broadcast the Super Bowl next year. Yet executives behind the scenes are making a play for the new network to get its share of Super Bowl advertising dollars.

The Fox broadcast network – a sister to Fox Sports 1 – will televise Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014 from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. To get one of the valuable ad slots available during the network’s broadcast of the game, sponsors have been told they must buy time in other Fox Sports content, according to ad buyers. – with emphasis placed on Fox Sports 1. The sports cable network is slated to launch August 17 in more than 90 million homes with more than 5,000 hours of programming that include broadcasts of college football, college basketball, NASCAR, soccer and UFC.

Using the Super Bowl to gain ad support for other sports properties has become de rigeur in recent years, according to one buyer. Both NBC and CBS tied the purchase of Super Bowl ad time to buying a broader package of ad inventory in sports content. This wrinkle surfaces as all the broadcasters save ABC (whose parent already owns ESPN) develop flanking sports outlets on cable. Both CBS and NBC operate cable networks devoted to sports content, and now Fox is set to join them.

“For the past two years, in addition to buying a unit in the game, there has been a need to support other sports properties within the network’s respective media groups. A couple of years ago, NBC required it. Last year, CBS required it. And this year is no different,” said one ad buyer with knowledge of the tone of Super Bowl ad talks. “Clearly, FS1 is a priority for them,” the buyer added.

To be sure, Fox is open to the purchase of ad packages that do not include FS1, such as the Super Bowl pre-game show, this buyer said, but the emerging network is getting most of the spotlight in pitches to advertisers.

As a result of the packaging, Fox’s Super Bowl ad sales may be pacing behind last year’s effort from CBS, according to ad buyers. By May 30 of last year, CBS had sold more than 50% of its inventory

“We’re anticipating a very healthy marketplace for the NY/NJ Super Bowl in 2014,” a Fox Sports spokesman said in a statement sent by e-mail.

Selling the first 60% to 70% of TV’s gridiron classic is a relatively easy task, so long as the economy is stable. By the time a network gets done booking the usual supporters of the game – think Anehuser-Busch InBev, which has a multi-year deal to support the Super Bowl; PepsiCo, which advertises both its Pepsi sodas as well as its Frito-Lay snacks; movie studios, who often use the Super Bowl broadcast to debut trailers for coming Spring and Summer releases; and, in recent years, a horde of automobile manufacturers – a good chunk of the contest is sold.

Read the full article at Variety.

By GEORG SZALAI

Netflix on Tuesday said that its online streaming service has launched Netflix Families as a destination for people with children.

It provides curated lists of family programming — both films and TV shows. The push to highlight entertainment options for parents and kids for the summer comes as the streaming giant continues to target families.

The new feature offers lists of shows and movies under such titles as “Family Movie Night,” “TV for Curious Kids” and “Superhero Movies for You and Your Teens.”

An “Are We There Yet” list compiles TV shows and movies that can entertain families on tablets while on summer holidays. Meanwhile, the “Classics to Share with your Kids” list includes TV shows that parents enjoyed while growing up.

“Parents will find the iconic Netflix rows filled with trusted recommendations of popular family TV shows and movies, information on the best ways to stream and videos about how other families use Netflix,” the company said.

The Netflix Families page is available for both subscribers and non-members.

“We see increases in family and kids content viewing hours during summer, so we know Netflix is a great solution for entertaining families this time of year,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. “With the Netflix Families page, we’ve taken our proprietary algorithm to create lists we think families will love.”

A recent survey commissioned by Netflix found that more than 50 percent of parents find buying DVDs frustrating because they get damaged, scratched or are too expensive, the company said.

Read the full article at The Hollywood Reporter.

By DAWN C. CHMIELEWSKI

“America’s Funniest Home Videos” drew nearly 33 million viewers when it debuted in 1989.

Its amateur footage of adults, children and pets captured in pratfalls made the show ABC’s longest-running prime-time entertainment program, and created the concept of “user-generated videos” long before the advent of YouTube.

But after 24 years on the air, “AFV’s” audience has dwindled to 6.3 million viewers per episode, according to Nielsen.

So Executive Producer Vin Di Bona and former ABC executive Bruce Gersh have created an independent production company, FishBowl WorldWide Media, to look for new ways to mine “AFV’s” massive video library. FishBowl has digitized the 1 million home videos submitted to “AFV” over the last quarter-century, categorized them and deposited them into a digital media warehouse so the clips can be recycled and reused online, and in other ways.

Some of the “Funniest” staples — those adorable pet and baby videos, and the spectacular trips, falls and collisions that Internet denizens now describe as “fail” videos — are reaching new screens and audiences.

These homegrown video shorts now form the foundation of five YouTube channels: Petsami, Toddletale, CuteWinFail, Lindo Victoria Fracaso and AFV, which together have drawn nearly 78 million online views. That doesn’t include the viewership from fan channels such as Best AFV on U2be, which posts clips of home improvement projects gone awry, animal mishaps and “flat-out strange behavior,” and which has logged more than 63 million views. All told, these slapstick snippets have garnered about 130 million views on YouTube.

“It’s kind of cool and interesting that this brand, well before YouTube was born, was steeped in this fan-sharing of content and moments,” said Malik Ducard, YouTube’s director of content partnerships. “It’s appropriate that we should be really working together today.”

FishBowl has partnered with the digital media company Fullscreen to help identify people using “AFV’s” clips on YouTube without permission and to help capitalize on these videos. Fullscreen also plans to draw from its pool of emerging YouTube talent — which includes filmmaker Devin Super Tramp and Andre Meadows, star of “Black Nerd Comedy” — to produce original programming that incorporates “America’s Funniest Home Videos” clips.

“I think the potential is pretty massive,” said Fullscreen Founder and Chief Executive George Strompolos.

Read the full article at the Los Angeles Times.

By CHRISTOPHER HEINE

Marketers pushing summer blockbusters are aggressively seeding Vine, Twitter’s nascent mobile app for six-second videos, into their social media fieldwork.

For instance, Regal Entertainment Group this week plans to promote Monsters University and World War Z (each opening Friday) with Vine, which, according to Twitter, has been downloaded by 13 million iPhone owners (it became available to Android users only a few weeks ago). The 572-location cinema chain will launch a similar initiative to support next week’s White House Down premiere.

It’s all about putting butts in seats using Vine’s pithy videos, then selling soda and candy (theater owners’ bread and butter) during the flicks.

“The limitations of six seconds can actually lift the storytelling,” explained Gabrielle Kessler, accounts manager for Something Massive, which manages social media for Regal. “You get to home in on those emotionally engaging moments that both marketers and filmmakers are after,” she said. “We are really encouraged with the engagement the app is producing so far.”

Regal is working with partners Coca-Cola and Red Vines licorice to reach consumers via Vine, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social nets. Kessler said the partners will amplify their “shared marketing goals through each others’ networks.”

Red Vines, part of American Licorice Co., has run roughly 20 Vine ads since Twitter debuted the app in late January, seeing click-through rates of as much as 3 percent. “It’s an interesting way to get people thinking about buying our licorice before they go to the movie,” said John Dempsey, a rep for the company.

The brand will also use Vine to foster awareness around the Independence Day holiday.

Noting the brief videos require more of a consumer’s attention than mere tweets or Instagram snaps, Dempsey said Vine “has brought our brand top of mind with people who hadn’t thought of us in years.” The company also believes Vine boosts sales.

Peanut Butter & Co. shares a Vine-based strategy for Fourth of July. The brand promises an “edible fireworks show” via the app with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon offer for jars of peanut butter. A similar effort in April produced 300,000 impressions and 6,000 coupon downloads, according to the company.

“With Fourth of July fireworks, there are opportunities to do fun things with peanut butter,” said Lee Zalben, president.

Read the full article at Ad Week.

By ANTON TROIANOVSKI

Clearwire Corp. CLWR -0.97% has long been the U.S. wireless industry’s most embattled carrier. In recent months, the money-losing company has also emerged as its crown jewel.

The company, which covers less than half the U.S. population with high-speed mobile Internet service, has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Now, both Dish Network Corp. DISH +1.17% and SoftBank Corp. 9984.TO -0.19% are showing keen interest in Clearwire’s huge stockpile of spectrum even as they battle for control of Sprint Nextel Corp., S +1.39% a majority owner of Clearwire.

The contest heated up a notch Monday, when Sprint sued Dish saying its offer to buy Clearwire shares violated Sprint’s rights as a shareholder and Delaware law. Dish has said its offer was lawful and on Monday said it was considering its options.

Clearwire said it doesn’t comment on litigation.

The spectrum has become a prized asset thanks to a sea change in how people use their mobile devices. Without it, Dish and Softbank’s opportunities to offer a new slate of wireless services could be limited.

More than a month ago, before Dish boosted its bid for Clearwire, Dish Chairman Charles Ergen hinted to Wall Street on an earnings conference call that the small wireless company was behind the dramatic merger brawl between himself and fellow billionaire Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Japanese telecom and Internet company SoftBank.

“If you look at the synergies that we’re talking about and look at the synergies that SoftBank talks about, a lot of those synergies are in Clearwire,” Mr. Ergen said. “It was considered swampland spectrum and now it’s kind of beachfront property.”

The wireless data boom—as seen in Americans’ deepening addiction to using their phones and tablets to stream music, watch YouTube videos, and upload Facebook FB +2.11% photos—is behind Clearwire’s sudden popularity.

The average smartphone in the U.S. generated 577 megabytes of mobile data traffic a month last year, up from 389 megabytes in 2011, according to Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO +0.60%

For things like making calls, sending text messages, reading the news and checking email, the existing “3G” networks that cover most of the country have served the wireless carriers well. But carriers are now scrambling to beef up their coverage in dense urban and suburban areas to carry heavier traffic like video.

Read the full article at the Wall Street Journal.

Bruce Rosenblum Joins Legendary As President Of Television & Digital Media

Legendary Entertainment has announced today that highly accomplished entertainment and media executive Bruce Rosenblum has been appointed President of Legendary Television and Digital Media, the company’s division charged with producing programming across multiple linear and non-linear “on-demand” platforms on a global basis, as well as the development of global multi-platform digital distribution opportunities for broadband, mobile and emerging technologies. The announcement was made by Thomas Tull, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Legendary Entertainment, to whom Rosenblum will report.

DEADLINE

MICHAEL DOBACK

Scripps VP Engineering Mike Doback To Retire

Michael Doback knew he had a knack for engineering as a fifth grade student when he built his first transmitter using instructions published in Popular Electronics magazine. “A local ham operator stopped by the house and said if I was going to continue to use it on the air, I better get a license,” says Doback, who retires June 28 as VP of engineering at the E.W. Scripps Co. “And that’s when everything started for me.”

TV NEWSCHECK

 DAVID PERRY

David Perry Says Goodbye to Saatchi After Long Run

David Perry’s long, remarkable run as head of broadcast production at Saatchi & Saatchi is coming to an end. Perry, who has worked for six creative chiefs in his nearly 24 years at Saatchi, is handing the director of broadcast production role  to John Doris. Doris, himself a Saatchi veteran—albeit of only 13 years—previously was an executive producer. He starts his new job Aug. 1.

AD WEEK

JACK SANDER

Jack Sander to Take Over Seven Belo Stations

Following Gannett’s massive acquisition of the Belo group last week, there will be a familiar face back atop some of the Belo stations. Jack Sander, a Belo Corp. senior adviser, will head up a group comprising the Belo stations in markets where it and Gannett both own stations: Phoenix, St. Louis, Louisville, Portland and Tucson.

BROADCASTING CABLE

KIM BONDY

Al Jazeera America Taps Former CNN Producer for ‘America Tonight’

Al Jazeera America has tapped former CNN executive producer Kim Bondy to oversee a new nighly one-hour current affairs magazine program called “America Tonight.” The news channel is scheduled to launch later this year. “America Tonight” will air at 9 p.m. and will look at issues related to the economy, education, healthcare and the environment, as well as breaking news. Bondy previously served as vice president of morning programming at CNN, where she oversaw “American Morning with Soledad O’Brien and Miles O’Brien.”

THE WRAP

CHRISTINA SCHWARTZ

Cristina Schwarz To Head Univision Cable Networks

Cristina Schwarz has been appointed VP of Univision Cable Networks, effective immediately. In her role, Schwarz will develop and implement the strategy for Univision’s nine cable channels, which include Galavisión and tlnovelas as well as music channels Bandamax, Ritmoson and Telehit. Schwarz was previously VP of Programming and Production for Univision Cable Networks. Prior to joining the company, she led CSLR, her own media consultancy company.

BILLBOARD

DAVID DEVOE

JOHN NALLEN

News Corp. CFO to Step Down After Company Splits

News Corp. CFO David DeVoe will retire at the end of the current fiscal year, shortly after the media conglomerate splits itself into two separate companies. DeVoe will become a senior advisor to the 21st Century Fox, which will become a publicly traded company unto itself after the June 28 split. He’ll also have a board seat on the company. News Corp. said that John Nallen will become CFO of 21st Century Fox effective July 1. He’ll report to Rupert Murdoch, who will be chairman and CEO of the newly named company.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

JASON WEISS

Myriad Pictures Hires Jason Weiss As SVP Production

Jason Weiss has joined Myriad Pictures as Senior Vice President, Production, it was announced today by Myriad CEO Kirk D’Amico. In this role, Weiss will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Myriad’s growing production and development activities. Myriad’s current production projects include the recently announced Weightless starring Jessica Alba, written and to be directed by Academy Award nominee Milo Addica, the action thriller Caught Stealing starring Patrick Wilson and Alec Baldwin, and the comedy Guidance starring Seann William Scott and Leslie Bibb.

DEADLINE

CAROLYN KREMINS

Conde Nast Shifts Traveler Publisher Carolyn Kremins to Run Epicurious

Conde Nast has promoted Carolyn Kremins from VP-publisher at Conde Nast Traveler to senior VP-general manager at food website Epicurious, the company said today. Conde said it will name a successor to Ms. Kremins at a later date. At Epicurious, Ms. Kremins succeeds Beth-Ann Eason, who is taking a new role as senior VP-digital development as well as general manager at ZipList, the website and app for shopping lists and recipes that was acquired by the company last year.

AD AGE

6-13-13

ELLEN STONE

Bravo Media

Ellen Stone has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Marketing, at Bravo Media. Stone, who previously served as Senior Vice President of Marketing, has been instrumental in shaping the network’s overall strategy and brand identity. She oversees and directs marketing initiatives for consumer advertising, ad sales, digital and social media and the on-air and off-air creative to ensure consistency of Bravo’s brand across all platforms.

CYNOPSIS

ANDREW DAVIS

Andrew Davis Named President of Production for Columbia

Andrew Z. Davis has been named president of production administration for Columbia Pictures. He will report to Col prexy Doug Belgrad, who made the announcement Wednesday. An industry vet himself, Davis takes over for predecessor, Gary Martin, who has been working in the industry for 51 years, of which 32 were spent at Columbia overseeing more than 600 films.

VARIETY

CHRISTOPHER ERB

Christopher Erb to Head Brand Marketing for Legendary Entertainment

Legendary Entertainment has already generated a following with fanboys. Now it’s turning to former EA Sports executive Christopher Erb to attract everyone else. As executive VP of brand marketing, Erb will focus on growing Legendary’s brand identity. Erb will work closely with the company’s current marketing and communications teams, and oversee all aspects of Legendary’s social media and consumer marketing campaigns as it sets out to promote new tentpole releases like “Godzilla,” “Mass Effect” and “Seventh Son,” among other films developed internally.

VARIETY

IRA RUBENSTEIN

Former Fox, Marvel/Disney Exec Ira Rubenstein Named CEO MeeMee Media

Ira Rubenstein was named CEO of new digital company MeeMee Media effective immediately, the company announced today. He also was appointed to MeeMee’s board of directors. Rubenstein, along with executive chairman Martin Doane, will set the strategy and vision for the company and will oversee all company operations based in MeeMee’s Los Angeles office.

DEADLINE

RENATE RADFORD

Jason Winer Expands TV Production Company, Taps Renate Radford To Run It

NBC development executive Renate Radford has joined director-producer Jason Winer‘s Small Dog Picture Co. Starting on Monday, she will oversee development for the company, which is based at 20th Century Fox TV with an overall deal. “Jason is the premiere single camera comedy director working in this business right now, and we are all excited about building the ‘Jason Winer brand,’” 20th TV chairman Dana Walden said.

DEADLINE

MICHELE FINO

The Collective Hires Top Fremantle Ad Sales Exec Michele Fino

The Collective has hired Michele Fino to head up advertising sales and branded entertainment for its digital studio, the company announced on Wednesday. The Collective Digital Studio represents YouTube talent like Freddie Wong and Dane Boedigheimer (“The Annoying Orange”), producing shows and handling the distribution of their channels on YouTube. Fino, a former executive at “American Idol” and “X Factor” producer FremantleMedia, will sell ads against more than 150 channels from the company’s New York office.

THE WRAP

JANET SCARDINO

Saban Brands

Janet Scardino has been named Chief Operating Officer at Saban Brands. She will oversee the company’s media operations across television, digital, and games, as well as content distribution and ad sales for all properties worldwide. Scardino’s resume includes executive stops at companies like Disney, MTV, AOL, and Reuters.

CYNOPSIS

AMY OZOLS

Ozols Named Producer of Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’

Amy Ozols will be a producer for The Tonight Show beginning in February when Late Night host Jimmy Fallon takes over for Jay Leno, the network announced Tuesday. Ozols has been a writer for Late Night since Fallon took over the franchise in 2009, and has produced some of his more popular bits including Real Housewives of Late Night and Game of Desks. She also produced his 2010 Emmy opener.

BROADCASTING CABLE

6-12-13

RENATE RADFORD

NBC’s Renate Radford Moves to Jason Winer’s Shingle

NBC development exec Renate Radford is leaving the Peacock after more than a decade to oversee development for Jason Winer’s 20th Century Fox TV-based Small Dog Picture Co. Winer is among the most sought-after TV helmer-producers. Radford’s hire underscores his intent to field his own projects through his overall deal with 20th TV. Winer made his name as a helmer with the “Modern Family” pilot, which earned him an Emmy nom and Directors Guild Award win. Winer has since directed the pilots for ABC’s “Don’t Trust the B in Apt. 23,” NBC’s “1600 Penn” and the upcoming CBS laffer “The Crazy Ones.” He also directed the 2011 feature redo of “Arthur” starring Russell Brand.

VARIETY

WARD PLATT

Fox International Channels Boosts Asia Exec to No. 2 Spot

Fox Intl. Channels topper Hernan Lopez has tapped company vet Ward Platt to  serve as his Los Angeles-based No. 2 in the fast-growing division. Platt, formerly FIC’s prexy of Asia Pacific and the Middle East, will serve as chief operating officer of FIC and CEO of its National Geographic Channels Intl. unit. He’ll relocate from Hong Kong to L.A. to help Lopez oversee the continued expansion of the unit that now houses more than 300 channels across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Platt “has built our business in Asia from the ground up, turning it into a model in the region,” Lopez said. “I am delighted to have him step up to this new and expanded role.”

VARIETY

LINDA GIAMBRONE

Shine America Promotes Linda Giambrone to Exec Vice President

Shine America has upped Linda Giambrone to exec vice president and head of production, it was announced today. The executive, who has been with the reality shingle since 2011, will continue to oversee all unscripted production for Shine America, including “MasterChef,” “The Biggest Loser,” “The Face” and Fox’s forthcoming “MasterChef Junior.” Before joining Shine America, Giambrone served as senior v.p. of BBC Worldwide Prods., launching unscripted programs including “Dancing with the Stars.”

VARIETY

RON SCHWARTZ

Lionsgate Promotes Ron Schwartz for Helping Build $1 Billion Home Entertainment Business

Lionsgate has promoted Ron Schwartz to president and general manager of Lionsgate home entertainment sales and distribution. The move underlines Schwartz’ contribution to the Lionsgate library of 15,000 titles producing a $1 billion-a-year home entertainment business, the mini-studio said Wednesday. “Ron is a gifted and experienced executive who has helped guide our home entertainment business to several years of sustained and profitable growth,” said Lionsgate co-COO and motion picture group president Steve Beeks. The promotion also comes as the mini-studio looks to distribute its product across a growing range of global digital platforms.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

DAVE BROWN

ZADOC ANGELL

Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell Join Echo Lake Management

Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell have joined Echo Lake Management, the management division of Echo Lake Entertainment, founder Doug Mankof announced Tuesday. Brown and Angell were formerly at Artist International, where Brown was the president of motion picture and television and Angell served as head of television. Former Artist International managers Matt Horwitz and James Engle are also joining Echo Lake. At Artist International, Brown and Angell represented writers and directors working on such series as Sons of Anarchy, Justified, Grimm, NCIS: LA, Dallas, House of Lies, Last Man Standing, Rizzoli & Isles, Community and Arrow.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

WARD PLATT

Fox International Channels Promotes Ward Platt to COO Role

News Corp.’s Fox International Channels said Wednesday that it has promoted Ward Platt to the role of COO. He will also serve as CEO of the unit’s National Geographic Channels International. Platt will continue to report to Hernan Lopez, president and CEO of Fox International Channels. Platt previously served as president, Asia Pacific and the Middle East for Fox International Channels. He will relocate from Hong Kong to LA and focus on executing the division’s growth plans around the world. He will also oversee international programming, marketing, operations, syndication and finance for the National Geographic Channels outside of the U.S.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

WHITNEY HOLLAND

ABC Taps Whitney Holland for Key Scheduling Post

ABC has filled its vacant scheduling position, tapping OWN’s Whitney Holland to replace Steve Kern. Holland will serve as vp program planning and scheduling, ABC announced Tuesday. She’ll report to Andy Kubitz, executive vp program planning and scheduling. In her new role, Holland will contribute to develop the overall programming and scheduling analysis and strategy recommendations for the network to maximize viewership on all platforms. She’ll have oversight of program planning and scheduling for original and acquired television content.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

JIM GRAY

BBC Appoints Jim Gray as Head of TV Current Affairs

Jim Gray has been appointed BBC head of TV current affairs and deputy to the head of news programs, a freshly created post from the ongoing changes being rung by director general Tony Hall. Gray, a former Channel 4 news editor and most recently editor of the ITN-produced news bulletins for the last 14 years, comes in to oversee the news operations in the wake of the public broadcaster’s decision earlier this year to rename BBC News Group to BBC News and Current Affairs. Gray will begin work in the summer, reporting to the BBC News head of programs Ceri Thomas, under the recently hired news director and former Times of London editor James Harding.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

PATRICK PAOLINI

Paolini Named Fox’s Washington GM

Patrick Paolini has been named VP and general manager of Fox-owned WTTG-WDCA Washington. He succeeds Duffy Dyer, who is retiring. Paolini was senior VP of Fox Stations Sales (FSS). Prior to that, he was VP and general manager for WTXF Philadelphia, and was previously vice president and director of sales at WNYW-WWOR New York. “Patrick has done a stellar job in leading our FSS sales team,” said Jack Abernethy, president of Fox Television Stations. “His past success as a general manager makes him the ideal choice as we look to grow WTTG’s position in the D.C. market.” Earlier in his career, Paolini spent six years as vice president and general sales manager for WTTG-WDCA.

BROADCASTING CABLE

KIMBERLY DAVIS

LIN Taps Kimberly Davis for HR Chief

Kimberly Davis has been named vice president of human resources at LIN Media. She succeeds Daniel Donohue, who retires July 5. Davis will be responsible for “developing and executing strategic employee initiatives that support the company’s overall business plan and strategy,” said LIN, among her other managerial duties. She’ll work out of LIN Media’s Austin office and will report to Vincent Sadusky, president and CEO. Davis joins LIN after serving as director, human resources business partner for tech company Advanced Micro Devices.

BROADCASTING CABLE

PER BLANKENS

New Executive Producer Named for ‘American Idol’

One of the makers of “American Idol,” FremantleMedia North America, announced a new executive producer on Monday after reports that two longtime producers of the singing competition had been dismissed. The new producer, Per Blankens, spent five years at the helm of the Swedish version of “Idol.” He will be among the people charged with reviving the American version on Fox, which has suffered in the ratings, as shows as old as “Idol” tend to do. The 13th season is scheduled to make its debut in January. Trish Kinane, a FremantleMedia executive, said she was “very excited about his ideas and vision for keeping ‘Idol’ creatively vibrant.”

NEW YORK TIMES

AMY WALDMAN

CHRISTIAN TAUSSIG

WPIX Makes Two News Executive Appointments

Tribune Broadcasting’s WPIX New York (CW) has elevated Amy Waldman to managing editor and Christian Taussig to news operations manager.  These promotions are effective June 17. Waldman, in her new position as managing editor, will report directly to Mark Effron, WPIX VP-news director. She will oversee the station’s news coverage, assignment desk and all specialty units. Waldman, who was previously the station’s executive producer, special projects, joined WPIX in 2007 as a senior producer. Less than a year later, she was promoted to executive producer where she led the morning team until March of 2010, when she became executive producer, special projects.

TV NEWSCHECK

LARRY STRUMWASSER

Worldlink Names Strumwasser EVP, Bcst Sales

Multi-platform advertising sales firm WorldLink today named former MMT Sales President Larry Strumwasser as executive VP, broadcast sales and business development. Based out of the company’s New York office, he will report to WorldLink EVP Sales and General Manager Dan Casey. In his newly created role, Strumwasser will oversee WorldLink’s broadcast and digital divisions, representing sales for broadcast station groups and their digital sub-channels. WorldLink currently represents D2 and D3 channels for a growing number of stations and group broadcasters.

TV NEWSCHECK

SUZANNE POWERS

McCann Recruits Suzanne Powers from CP&B For Global Strategy Post

McCann Worldgroup Chairman-CEO Harris Diamond is continuing to make a series of management shifts in an effort to revamp the Interpublic Group of Cos.’ agency network. His latest hire is Suzanne Powers, who joins McCann from MDC Partners’ CP&B, where she served as global chief strategy officer. She takes on the same role at McCann, and succeeds Daryl Lee. He was promoted by Mr. Harris to global CEO at Universal McCann, the network’s media arm. Ms. Powers joined CP&B in 2010 after spending a decade at Omnicom Group’s TBWA, where she worked on Nivea, Mars and GSK.

AD AGE

6-11-13

CHRISTIAN MCLAUGHLIN

Comedy Central Names Christian McLaughlin VP Specials

Christian McLaughlin has been named Vice President of Specials for COMEDY CENTRAL, it was announced by Jonas Larsen, Senior Vice President, Talent and Specials, to whom he reports. McLaughlin is based in the network’s New York offices. McLaughlin works on the current slate of specials, stand-up series and events, as well as spearheading the development efforts for the department in New York.

DEADLINE

KELLY WALLACE

CNN Digital

Award-winning journalist Kelly Wallace will return to CNN in July as a Digital Correspondent and Editor-at-Large for CNN Digital. She will report on issues and interests relevant to modern women, from family and parenting to work/life balance. She will not only write articles and stories for CNN.com’s Living section and serve as a contributor to CNN.com’s upcoming Parents section, but she will also create original web video packages on a weekly basis and appear regularly on CNN and HLN TV. She will report to Meredith Artley, VP and Managing Editor of CNN.com.

CYNOPSIS

DIANE LEWIS

MAUREEN REIDY

MAXIM THORNE

Paley Center Announces Trio of Exec Appointments

The Paley Center for Media has upped Diane Lewis to exec veep of programming, and hired Maureen Reidy as chief marketing officer, and Maxim Thorne as exec vice prez of development. “I am very pleased to welcome Maureen Reidy and Maxim Thorne to The Paley Center for Media and to recognize the role Diane Lewis has played in bringing our programming to international prominence,” said Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of the Paley Center.

VARIETY

ALAN PERRIS

Alan Perris to Retire from Academy of TV Arts and Sciences

Alan Perris, chief operating officer of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, will retire at the end of the year after logging eight years with the Academy and its Foundation. Perris announced his retirement to the Academy’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors in February. The group has yet to tap a successor.

VARIETY

LIVIA TORTELLA

Livia Tortella Exits Warner Music Group

The changing of the guard is continuing at Warner Music Group, as Warner Bros. Records prexy-COO Livia Tortella is ankling the company. A WMG source confirmed Tortella’s exit, which comes six months after the departure of her onetime WBR co-president and CEO Todd Moscowitz. Moscowitz’s December exit was announced concurrently with Warner/Chappell Music chairman-CEO Cameron Strang’s ascension as head of West Coast operations at No replacement for either Tortella or Moscowitz has yet been announced. WBR chairman Rob Cavallo remains in place.

VARIETY

DUFFY DYER

Dyer Announces Retirement From WTTG-WDCA

Duffy Dyer, VP and general manager of Fox-owned WTTG-WDCA Washington, has announced his retirement. He has been with Fox Television Stations (FTS) for 26 years, including 12 as GM at WTTG/WDCA. He will likely finish out the summer until a replacement has been named. “Duffy has been invaluable to FTS over the last 26 years. We want to thank him for his leadership and unmatched dedication,” said Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations. “He will be truly missed.”

BROADCASTING CABLE

JEREMY CASTRO

Jeremy Castro Named KJZZ Salt Lake City GM

Jeremy Castro, vice president of broadcasting for the NBA’s Utah Jazz, has added general manager of KJZZ Salt Lake City to his oversight. Miller Sports Properties owns the independent station in DMA No. 33. Castro was sports director for KUTV Salt Lake from 1991-2007. He then joined the Larry H. Miller Group to become the KJZZ director of broadcasting until his 2009 promotion to VP of broadcasting and operations for KJZZ and the Utah Jazz. KJZZ airs syndicated shows, movies and sports.

BROADCASTING CABLE

SEAN NICHOLLS

Octagon

Octagon is realigning its regional marketing services management for the Asia-Pacific region. As part of the reorganization, Sean Nicholls will become President, Octagon/Asia-Pacific for Marketing and Events.

CYNOPSIS

NATHAN HART

Echo Bridge Home Entertainment

Echo Bridge Home Entertainment has promoted Nathan Hart to President. Hart, who has been with the company since 2002, last served as Co-President. In his new position, he will oversee financial, sales, operations and acquisitions decisions and work to maximize the future growth of the company.

CYNOPSIS

DIANE PETZKE

COZI TV

COZI TV has named Diane Petzke as Director of Programming and Promotion. Petzke, formerly Manager and Director of Programming for NYC Media, will oversee scheduling for COZI TV and expand awareness of the network through an aggressive marketing and social media strategy.

CYNOPSIS

JOHN SAILER

Sailer Named Internet Broadcasting Sales VP

Internet Broadcasting Systems, a provider of digital publishing technology and services for media companies, announced Monday that John Sailer is joining IB as its new vice president of sales and marketing. He joins IB from TheLaw.TV, where he was a partner and VP of business development, responsible for revenue growth as well as pioneering sales strategy, methodology and process.

TV NEWSCHECK

KATHY SAMUELS

ETHAN NELSON

JOE TERRY

Two More Producers Exit ‘Katie’

Two co-executive producers are exiting Katie Couric’s daytime talk show. Kathy Samuels and Ethan Nelson, who joined the show last February from ABC News, are exiting, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, director Joe Terry, a well-regarded daytime player and Oprah veteran, also is leaving. The latest producer purges come two weeks after ABC named Rachel Miskowiec as the new EP, replacing Michael Morrison, who himself replaced Jeff Zucker last January. And while staff changes are not unusual when a new executive producer comes aboard, the turnover at Katie has been pronounced.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

PER BLANKENS

Per Blankens to Exec Produce ‘American Idol’

After longtime exec producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick were shown the door last week, Fox’s “American Idol” has tapped Per Blankens to executive produce the singing competish for its upcoming 13th season. “Per is a creative and experienced executive who has been the show runner on the blockbuster Swedish Idol for more than 5 seasons,” said Trish Kinane, “Idol” executive producer for FremantleMedia North America.

VARIETY

DAN HARMON

CHRIS MCKENNA

It’s Official: Dan Harmon Returning as ‘Community’ Showrunner

It’s official: Dan Harmon and Chris McKenna are returning to Community. Following weeks of rumor and confirmation from Harmon, producers Sony Pictures Television and NBC confirm that Harmon will return as showrunner for the fifth season of the comedy, with McKenna returning as executive producer. McKenna’s return comes after he exited the series in May 2012 upon signing a two-year overall deal with Universal Television.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

BRIDGET CARPENTER

Bridget Carpenter To Run Sundance Channel’s Drama Series ‘The Descendants’

Bridget Carpenter has boarded Sundance Channel’s recently greenlighted drama series The Descendants as executive producer and showrunner. On the project, which received a straight-to-series six-episode order, Carpenter will work alongside writer/co-executive producer Aaron Guzikowski and executive producer Sarah Condon. The Descendants is Sundance’s second wholly owned original scripted series, joining Rectify.

DEADLINE

6-10-13

DREW LARNER

Rdio CEO Stepping Down

Rdio CEO Drew Larner is leading a search for a new CEO at the streaming service, one who will expand its efforts to sell music and video subscriptions, according to Bloomberg. After his replacement is on board, Larner plans to remain with the company as executive chairman. He told Bloomberg that since a U.S. advertising campaign began at the end of last year, the company’s users have increased eightfold.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

DAVID STERNBERG

Manchester United Hires Veteran U.S. Media Exec David Sternberg As Head Of Media

EPL club Manchester United hired veteran U.S. media exec DAVID STERNBERG as its head of media. Sternberg started with the club last month and is relocating to England. In his new role, Sternberg will oversee all of the club’s media businesses, including the MUTV channel, websites, mobile, social and print. Sternberg plans to split time between Old Trafford and the club’s commercial office in London. Sternberg left as Universal Sports CEO last month. He was replaced by SCOTT BROWN, who was named President of the Olympic and endurance sports network.

SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY

TEEMU SUILA

Rovio Hires Nokia Executive as COO

Rovio Entertainment Ltd. has tapped a longtime Nokia Corp. executive as its new chief operating officer at a time when the maker of Angry Birds looks to pivot from a hot Nordic game developer into a global entertainment powerhouse. The Finnish company on Monday said it has hired Teemu Suila to replace Harri Koponen. Mr. Suila most recently ran startup activities for Nokia, according to a LinkedIn profile with his name, and had worked in a number of roles at the Finnish handset maker since 1995, with responsibilities mostly in the strategy and development departments.

WALL STREET JOURNAL

MIRIAM ELDER

BuzzFeed hires Guardian bureau chief in latest push for influence

BuzzFeed continues to signal its aspirations to be a major player in the news business. Two weeks after announcing a video partnership with CNN, the viral site said it has hired the Guardian‘s Moscow bureau chief, Miriam Elder, to be its Foreign Editor. “Foreign coverage is one of the last spheres where new media haven’t competed aggressively with newspapers and television networks,” said editor-in-chief Ben Smith, in a release issued Monday morning.

PAID CONTENT

BOB MORFORD

KRIV Ups Bob Morford to News Director

Bob Morford today was promoted to vice president and news director of Fox O&O KRIV Houston (DMA 10). He succeeds Tom Doerr who left to join Fox O&O WFLD Chicago in February. Morford has been KRIV’s assistant news director since he joined the station in 2012. Prior to that, he was news director of WCPO Cincinnati. Prior to that, he held news director positions at several stations, including KNXV Phoenix, WPXI Pittsburgh and WLWT Cincinnati. Morford began his career in news at KBIA-FM in Columbia, Mo., as an anchor.

TV NEWSCHECK

SHELBY HUSTON HARO

Shelby Huston Haro Joins GetGlue

GetGlue, a social TV company, has hired Shelby Huston Haro as executive vp sales. Haro joins GetGlue from Penske Media Corporation, where as vp entertainment sales and product strategy she worked on consumer entertainment marketing partnerships and sales and product strategies for all of PMC’s digital platforms.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

NIGEL LYTHGOE

KEN WARWICK

‘American Idol’ Executive Producers Nigel Lythgoe & Ken Warwick Officially Out

Veteran American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe tweeted the news of his dismissal today. He’s departing Fox’s long-running competition show, heading into its 13th season, but will stay aboard the network’s dance program So You Think You Can Dance, which he co-created, exec produces and serves as judge on. ” Just had 10 days in the Bahamas, rain everyday,” he Tweeted. ”

DEADLINE

JOHN ALTSCHULER

DAVE KRINSKY

‘Silicon Valley’ Co-Creators John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky Step Back From Day-To-Day Involvement On HBO Series

John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, who created/executive produce recently picked up HBO comedy series Silicon Valley with King Of The Hill co-creator Mike Judge, won’t be involved with the show on a daily basis going forward. Judge will be the primary showrunner on the single-camera comedy, set in the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley. Search is under way for senior level writer(s) to join him.

DEADLINE

ROD GRAVES

MATT BAZIRGAN

Jets bolster front office with hiring of Rod Graves, promotion of Matt Bazirgan

So far this offseason, the Jets have lost their assistant director of player personnel, JoJo Wooden, to the Chargers. They let go of director of football administration Ari Nissim and assistant general manager Scott Cohen. Assistant director of college scouting Mike Davis and college scout Joe Bommarito were fired. Change was expected under new general manager John Idzik, who presumably wanted some of his own people in place. Today, those names were made official.

NJ.COM

Cristina Schwarz To Head Univision Cable Networks

Cristina Schwarz has been appointed VP of Univision Cable Networks, effective immediately. In her role, Schwarz will develop and implement the strategy for Univision’s nine cable channels, which include Galavisión and tlnovelas as well as music channels Bandamax, Ritmoson and Telehit. Schwarz was previously VP of Programming and Production for Univision Cable Networks. Prior to joining the company, she led CSLR, her own media consultancy company.

BILLBOARD

DAVID DEVOE

JOHN NALLEN

News Corp. CFO to Step Down After Company Splits

News Corp. CFO David DeVoe will retire at the end of the current fiscal year, shortly after the media conglomerate splits itself into two separate companies. DeVoe will become a senior advisor to the 21st Century Fox, which will become a publicly traded company unto itself after the June 28 split. He’ll also have a board seat on the company. News Corp. said that John Nallen will become CFO of 21st Century Fox effective July 1. He’ll report to Rupert Murdoch, who will be chairman and CEO of the newly named company.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

JASON WEISS

Myriad Pictures Hires Jason Weiss As SVP Production

Jason Weiss has joined Myriad Pictures as Senior Vice President, Production, it was announced today by Myriad CEO Kirk D’Amico. In this role, Weiss will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Myriad’s growing production and development activities. Myriad’s current production projects include the recently announced Weightless starring Jessica Alba, written and to be directed by Academy Award nominee Milo Addica, the action thriller Caught Stealing starring Patrick Wilson and Alec Baldwin, and the comedy Guidance starring Seann William Scott and Leslie Bibb.

DEADLINE

CAROLYN KREMINS

Conde Nast Shifts Traveler Publisher Carolyn Kremins to Run Epicurious

Conde Nast has promoted Carolyn Kremins from VP-publisher at Conde Nast Traveler to senior VP-general manager at food website Epicurious, the company said today. Conde said it will name a successor to Ms. Kremins at a later date. At Epicurious, Ms. Kremins succeeds Beth-Ann Eason, who is taking a new role as senior VP-digital development as well as general manager at ZipList, the website and app for shopping lists and recipes that was acquired by the company last year.

AD AGE

By BEN FRITZ

Two teenage boys sit by the airport here, competing to use their phones to take the best “selfie,” or self-portrait, with planes landing in the background.

Trevis and Ray write about the experience on Twitter, post pictures on Instagram and put short videos on Vine. It might be an average day for any American teenager in 2013.

Hollywood producer Peter Chernin is betting it is the future of the entertainment industry.

On June 17, his Chernin Group takes its first step into distributing its own programming with “Summer Break,” a reality show of sorts that will exist exclusively on social-media sites like Twitter and Tumblr, and is intended to be viewed on the mobile devices that dominate the lives of its target audience.

“Summer Break” will follow nine L.A.-area teenagers in the final days before most of them head off to college. But unlike traditional reality shows that complete shooting and are then edited into drama-fraught narratives, “Summer Break” will offer tweets, pictures and videos within minutes after cast members create them.

“This is on a level so much further than anything anybody has ever done—it is real life in real time on multiple platforms,” said Mr. Chernin, a former president of News Corp NWSA +2.38% . “I love the riskiness of it.”

By Hollywood standards, the financial risk is actually quite low. The entire eight-week season of “Summer Break” is said by several people involved to cost under $5 million to produce. Mr. Chernin said “the lion’s share” of that amount was paid for by sponsor AT&T Inc., T +1.88% which has been involved throughout the development process. Roughly half the total budget is going toward marketing—all on social media, just like the show itself.

Though a risk, the experimental format also highlights the opportunity independent players like Mr. Chernin have to challenge broadcast networks and film studios as their old monopolies on distribution have been supplanted by smartphones, tablets and game consoles.

In addition to being asked to tweet his or her daily activities as frequently as possible, each “Summer Break” participant has an application from Dropbox Inc. on his or her phone that lets producers see every photo they take and video they record.

“If you’re at a party and you take 50 photos you wouldn’t Instagram until the next day, we’re going to post them for you,” said Lauren Dubinsky, a social-media consultant who is helping with the show, speaking about the participants. “And if you tweet you’re at a party, we send a text asking, ‘Where are the pictures?’”

Read the full article at the Wall Street Journal.

By PAUL BOND

If there were any doubts that Amazon is a serious streaming-media competitor, they likely were erased June 4 when the company struck its largest licensing deal to date, gaining access to thousands of TV episodes from Viacom.

Before then, some might have been dismissive of Amazon’s subscription service, which is not even a stand-alone offering but a free bonus for subscribers to Amazon Prime, the online retailer’s premium shipping service. Plus, when it comes to streaming TV shows, NPD Group says Amazon has about a 2 percent market share, compared with 10 percent for Hulu and 89 percent for Netflix.

Terms of the Viacom deal weren’t disclosed, but analysts believe Amazon will pay hundreds of millions of dollars over several years to boost its library to 40,000 movies and TV episodes. Hulu has 70,000 TV episodes, and Netflix doesn’t disclose how many movies or TV shows it offers.

Amazon’s deal was possible because Netflix allowed its agreement with Viacom to expire, which suggests Jeff Bezos’ company might have outbid the industry leader for such shows as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Jersey Shore and Teen Mom 2. Amazon’s $121.63 billion market capitalization and $7.9 billion in cash give it much more firepower for striking content deals than Netflix, a $12.55 billion firm with $1 billion in cash.

Wedbush Securities’ Michael Pachter, who predicts Amazon eventually will create a dedicated streaming service, estimates the e-tailer will spend more than $1 billion a year on Amazon Prime content. The company inked a deal with TNT in December and also has rights to stream episodes of the upcoming series Under the Dome four days after they air on CBS.

Despite Amazon’s recent efforts, though, Netflix remains tops in terms of number of paying subscribers, with 29.2 million in the U.S. compared with 4 million for Hulu Plus. Amazon won’t disclose its subscriber count, but spokesperson Cat Kelty says there’s plenty of evidence proving its subscription video service is successful.

Read the full article at The Hollywood Reporter.

By BRIAN STELTER

As Intel tries something audacious — the creation of a virtual cable service that would sell a bundle of television channels to subscribers over the Internet — it is running up against a multibillion-dollar barricade.

That barricade is guarded by Time Warner Cable and other cable and satellite distributors, which are trying to make it difficult — if not impossible — for Intel to go through with its plan. The distributors are using a variety of methods to pressure the owners of cable channels, with whom they have lucrative long-term contracts, not to sign contracts with upstarts like Intel, that way preserving the status quo.

Intel, however, is undeterred, and its executives intend to begin its TV service by the end of the year. They are ready and willing to pay more than existing distributors do for channels. But to date the company has not announced any deals with channel owners.

To Intel, and to some analysts, the behavior by the existing distributors — in some cases giving financial incentives to friendly channel owners, in other cases including punitive measures in contracts — has an anticompetitive whiff. The antitrust division of the Justice Department is looking into the issue as part of a broad investigation into cable and satellite company practices, according to people contacted by the department, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. A department spokeswoman declined to comment.

Public attention about the issue, which gained new life this week during the cable industry’s annual conference here, might also spur the Federal Communications Commission to afford would-be Internet distributors like Intel the same legal protections as those that already exist. The commission has been considering such a change for more than a year.

“The government has to step up and protect these companies, or the incumbents are going to kill them in their cradles,” said Gigi B. Sohn, the president of the public interest group Public Knowledge.

Prospective products like Intel TV, delivered through the broadband Internet infrastructure of Comcast, Time Warner Cable or another provider and sometimes called “over the top TV,” have the potential to radically alter the media marketplace in the United States.

Unlike Netflix, which sells a library of TV episodes and mainly supplements cable, a service like Intel’s — with dozens of channels, big and small, streaming through a modern interface — could cause more consumers to cancel their cable subscriptions. (They would have to keep a broadband subscription, however, unless or until wireless capacity improves.)

It could also stir further innovation within the industry. If Intel’s service ever goes on sale, industry executives predict that others will quickly follow — either because they want to, or they feel they have no choice.

Read the full article at The New York Times.

By GREGG KILDAY

Movie marketers increasingly have grown nervous in the past few weeks. Tracking — the prerelease surveys of audience interest in movies — has failed to predict the disappointing opening of After Earth or the surprisingly strong bows of Now You See Me and The Purge.

Amid all the anxiety, Google jumped into the breach June 6, claiming that by measuring search volume and other factors such as franchise status and the time of year, it can predict a movie’s opening weekend. “In the seven-day window prior to a film’s release date, if a film receives 250,000 search queries more than a similar film, the film with more queries is likely to perform up to $4.3 million better during opening weekend,” wrote Andrea Chen, Google’s principal industry analyst. “When looking at search ad click volume, if a film has 20,000 more paid clicks than a similar film, it is expected to bring in up to $7.5 million more during opening weekend.”

So far, Hollywood isn’t floored by that revelation. “It’s kind of a big duh,” says one studio marketing exec. “Still, given the scale of all the data points available to Google, we have to pay attention to whatever they can show us.”

While Google refuses to offer dollar predictions for specific films, it claims it can make predictions with 92 percent accuracy. It further reported that four weeks before a movie opens — before the main ad buys kick in — measuring searches for a film’s trailer can result in a box-office prediction that is 94 percent accurate.

Google doesn’t plan, however, to start charging studios for such information the way other tracking services such as NGR and MarketCast do. “We’re going to offer this as a courtesy to our clients,” says Reggie Panaligan, Google’s senior analytic lead. That doesn’t mean that if a film is underperforming, Google will use its findings to encourage clients to buy more search ads. “We are not suggesting causation,” he adds. “You can’t really buy search query volume. That’s organic; it comes from things like trailers, billboards. If a studio is unhappy about what we are predicting, we won’t say search is the missing element.”

Read the full article at The Hollywood Reporter.

By PAUL BOND

Steven Spielberg on Wednesday predicted an “implosion” in the film industry is inevitable, whereby a half dozen or so $250 million movies flop at the box office and alter the industry forever. What comes next — or even before then — will be price variances at movie theaters, where “you’re gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man, you’re probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln.” He also said that Lincoln came “this close” to being an HBO movie instead of a theatrical release.

George Lucas agreed that massive changes are afoot, including film exhibition morphing somewhat into a Broadway play model, whereby fewer movies are released, they stay in theaters for a year and ticket prices are much higher. His prediction prompted Spielberg to recall that his 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial stayed in theaters for a year and four months.

The two legendary filmmakers, along with CNBC anchor Julia Boorstin and Microsoft president of interactive entertainment business Don Mattrick, were speaking at the University of Southern California as part of the festivities surrounding the official opening of the Interactive Media Building, three stories high and part of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Lucas and Spielberg told USC students that they are learning about the industry at an extraordinary time of upheaval, where even proven talents find it difficult to get movies into theaters. Some ideas from young filmmakers “are too fringe-y for the movies,” Spielberg said. “That’s the big danger, and there’s eventually going to be an implosion — or a big meltdown. There’s going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen megabudget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that’s going to change the paradigm.”

Lucas lamented the high cost of marketing movies and the urge to make them for the masses while ignoring niche audiences. He called cable television “much more adventurous” than film nowadays.

“I think eventually the Lincolns will go away and they’re going to be on television,” Lucas said. “As mine almost was,” Spielberg interjected. “This close — ask HBO — this close.”

Read the full article at The Hollywood Reporter.

By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

When it became apparent that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson’s The Internship was in trouble, director Shawn Levy and Vaughn — the film’s star, co-writer and producer — began complaining internally about how the comedy was being marketed by 20th Century Fox. After Internship opened June 7 to a tepid $17.3 million and a fourth-place domestic finish, Levy went public, tweeting: “big thx 4all yr nice twts this wknd on The Internship. Ultimately, all I can determine is the film; marktng/B.O. r byond my control.”

The criticism stung some at Fox because Levy has long enjoyed favored status at the studio thanks to the Night at the Museum franchise and hits like Date Night. And Internship is one of several risky summer films — including Johnny Depp’s The Lone Ranger at Disney and Adam Sandler’s Grown Ups 2 at Sony — that will test long-standing relationships between Hollywood studios and key talent. These marriages can enjoy long periods of prosperity, but they also are perilous because studios often entrust such talent with more authority over their movies. As with any union, tensions can run high when the going gets tough.

From the outset, Levy and Vaughn (who brought the $58 million project to Levy) were insistent that Internship pay homage to tech giant Google, even though that meant making a PG-13 film, not an R-rated romp like Vaughn and Wilson’s Wedding Crashers ($285.2 million worldwide in 2005). Google did not want to participate in an R-rated film, say insiders, and the company also demanded and got a say in some of the marketing materials. The film’s trailers and TV spots ended up being criticized as seeming more like ads for Google than a ribald Vince Vaughn comedy.

One Fox executive says Internship was in no way a favor to Levy, whose first two Night at the Museum movies combined to gross nearly $990 million globally. “When you get Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson to reteam for the first time since Wedding Crashers for a director who has made you millions of dollars, you’re not helping the talent, you’ve hit the jackpot,” notes the exec. Another exec involved in the film says no one anticipated the Google backlash. The financial fate of Internship, co-financed by Fox and New Regency, ultimately will depend on how it performs overseas. Sources say Vaughn was paid $15 million, while Levy received $8 million. And Levy and Fox won’t be filing divorce papers anytime soon: The director is shooting the Tina Fey-Jason Bateman comedy This Is Where I Leave You for Warner Bros., but he next directs Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum 3 for Fox.

Over at Warner Bros., studio chief Jeff Robinov’s fierce loyalty to director Zack Snyder is being tested June 14 with the $225 million Man of Steel. The relationship dates to the 2007 hit 300, even though Snyder’s three subsequent Warners films — Watchmen, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole and Sucker Punch — disappointed. However, while giving him Man of Steel (over the other finalist, Darren Aronofsky), Robinov took out insurance with producer Christopher Nolan, the studio’s most important filmmaker (Batman, Inception). “Chris had the confidence in Zack, and based on the movie I’ve seen, Chris was spot-on,” says Warners president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman.

Read the full article at The Hollywood Reporter.

By STUART KEMP

The number of pay TV households around the world will reach nearly one billion by 2018, up from 772 million in 2012 and 814 million in 2013, according to a report from the U.K. based analyst Digital TV Research. The Asia Pacific region will contribute 59 percent, or 587 million of the global tally by 2018, the firm said.

Based on forecasts for 97 countries by Digital TV Research, China will have the most pay TV subscribers at 313 million by the end of 2018.

Digital TV Research chief Simon Murray said China had 232.8 million pay TV households at the end of 2012.

India will be the second-biggest global market for pay TV with158 million households by 2018 compared to 116.7 million at the end of 2012.

And the U.S. is projected to hit 107 million by 2018, up from the 100 million in 2012.

Germany will reach 23.1 million in five years time, up from 2012′s tally of 21.8 million, while the U.K., with 14.4 million in 2012 is predicted to rise to 16.3 million, according to the research report.

Other big players emerging will be Russia with 32.3 million pay-TV households up and running by 2018, from 23.6 million in 2012. And Brazil’s total is expected to hit 30.5 million, up from 2012′s 16.2 million.

Japan is also expected to make a modest gain, reaching 27 million by 2018 from 25.1 million in 2012.

The research indicated that pay TV penetration (analog and digital combined) reached 53.6 percent of TV households in 2012, and will rise to 55.7 percent by the end of 2013, and 63.1 percent by 2018.

Penetration across the globe in 2018 is forecast to range from 86 percent in North America to 29 percent in the Middle East and Africa.

Pay TV penetration will remain highest in the Netherlands, at 99.5 percent in 2018, the report indicates.

The rises will come on the back of an increase in the number of digital TV homes globally, which is set to add 667 million between 2012 and 2018 to 1.45 billion. The digital TV total will climb by 127 million in 2013 alone.

By TODD SPANGLER

American cable programmers are eyeing growth opportunities abroad as economies in Europe and elsewhere recover.

Discovery Communications has grown its international business very aggressively, president and CEO David Zaslav said on a panel Tuesday at the Cable Show.

“This past year we made more money internationally than we did as a whole company than seven years ago,” he said.

Even with the financial turmoil in Western Europe, Discovery has grown its business 20% in last two years in the region, he said. Two-thirds of the countries where the cabler has a presence are flat or in recession, according to Zaslav: “If those turn around we can really see substantial growth.”

Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman said that while the U.S. economy has been improving, other countries — especially in Europe — have been lagging. However, he said, that’s an opportunity “establish a bigger beachfront” by launching new networks and expanding distribution of existing ones.

Nickeloeon franchises like “SpongeBob” and “Dora the Explorer” work around the world, Dauman said, and Viacom has spinoffs of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” in the U.K. and Spain.

Viacom spends $3 billion annually on television content, Dauman said. “It’s the lifeblood of our industry. We are creating content for all different screens,” he said.

Michael Fries, president and CEO of international cable operator Liberty Global, said demand for cable TV across Europe has been strong despite the economic woes. The company last week closed the $24 billion acquisition of the U.K.’s Virgin Media, giving it 25 million customers principally in 12 European countries.

Liberty Global has better partnerships with European broadcasters and U.S. cablers in terms of the willingness to grant more usage rights, Fries said. “Free-to-air broadcasters in Europe are our best partners for catch-up (television) and VOD,” he said.

Read the full article at Variety.

Bravo Media

Ellen Stone has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Marketing, at Bravo Media. Stone, who previously served as Senior Vice President of Marketing, has been instrumental in shaping the network’s overall strategy and brand identity. She oversees and directs marketing initiatives for consumer advertising, ad sales, digital and social media and the on-air and off-air creative to ensure consistency of Bravo’s brand across all platforms.

CYNOPSIS

ANDREW DAVIS

Andrew Davis Named President of Production for Columbia

Andrew Z. Davis has been named president of production administration for Columbia Pictures. He will report to Col prexy Doug Belgrad, who made the announcement Wednesday. An industry vet himself, Davis takes over for predecessor, Gary Martin, who has been working in the industry for 51 years, of which 32 were spent at Columbia overseeing more than 600 films.

VARIETY

CHRISTOPHER ERB

Christopher Erb to Head Brand Marketing for Legendary Entertainment

Legendary Entertainment has already generated a following with fanboys. Now it’s turning to former EA Sports executive Christopher Erb to attract everyone else. As executive VP of brand marketing, Erb will focus on growing Legendary’s brand identity. Erb will work closely with the company’s current marketing and communications teams, and oversee all aspects of Legendary’s social media and consumer marketing campaigns as it sets out to promote new tentpole releases like “Godzilla,” “Mass Effect” and “Seventh Son,” among other films developed internally.

VARIETY

IRA RUBENSTEIN

Former Fox, Marvel/Disney Exec Ira Rubenstein Named CEO MeeMee Media

Ira Rubenstein was named CEO of new digital company MeeMee Media effective immediately, the company announced today. He also was appointed to MeeMee’s board of directors. Rubenstein, along with executive chairman Martin Doane, will set the strategy and vision for the company and will oversee all company operations based in MeeMee’s Los Angeles office.

DEADLINE

RENATE RADFORD

Jason Winer Expands TV Production Company, Taps Renate Radford To Run It

NBC development executive Renate Radford has joined director-producer Jason Winer‘s Small Dog Picture Co. Starting on Monday, she will oversee development for the company, which is based at 20th Century Fox TV with an overall deal. “Jason is the premiere single camera comedy director working in this business right now, and we are all excited about building the ‘Jason Winer brand,’” 20th TV chairman Dana Walden said.

DEADLINE

MICHELE FINO

The Collective Hires Top Fremantle Ad Sales Exec Michele Fino

The Collective has hired Michele Fino to head up advertising sales and branded entertainment for its digital studio, the company announced on Wednesday. The Collective Digital Studio represents YouTube talent like Freddie Wong and Dane Boedigheimer (“The Annoying Orange”), producing shows and handling the distribution of their channels on YouTube. Fino, a former executive at “American Idol” and “X Factor” producer FremantleMedia, will sell ads against more than 150 channels from the company’s New York office.

THE WRAP

JANET SCARDINO

Saban Brands

Janet Scardino has been named Chief Operating Officer at Saban Brands. She will oversee the company’s media operations across television, digital, and games, as well as content distribution and ad sales for all properties worldwide. Scardino’s resume includes executive stops at companies like Disney, MTV, AOL, and Reuters.

CYNOPSIS

AMY OZOLS

Ozols Named Producer of Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’

Amy Ozols will be a producer for The Tonight Show beginning in February when Late Night host Jimmy Fallon takes over for Jay Leno, the network announced Tuesday. Ozols has been a writer for Late Night since Fallon took over the franchise in 2009, and has produced some of his more popular bits including Real Housewives of Late Night and Game of Desks. She also produced his 2010 Emmy opener.

BROADCASTING CABLE

NBC’s Renate Radford Moves to Jason Winer’s Shingle

NBC development exec Renate Radford is leaving the Peacock after more than a decade to oversee development for Jason Winer’s 20th Century Fox TV-based Small Dog Picture Co. Winer is among the most sought-after TV helmer-producers. Radford’s hire underscores his intent to field his own projects through his overall deal with 20th TV. Winer made his name as a helmer with the “Modern Family” pilot, which earned him an Emmy nom and Directors Guild Award win. Winer has since directed the pilots for ABC’s “Don’t Trust the B in Apt. 23,” NBC’s “1600 Penn” and the upcoming CBS laffer “The Crazy Ones.” He also directed the 2011 feature redo of “Arthur” starring Russell Brand.

VARIETY

WARD PLATT

Fox International Channels Boosts Asia Exec to No. 2 Spot

Fox Intl. Channels topper Hernan Lopez has tapped company vet Ward Platt to  serve as his Los Angeles-based No. 2 in the fast-growing division. Platt, formerly FIC’s prexy of Asia Pacific and the Middle East, will serve as chief operating officer of FIC and CEO of its National Geographic Channels Intl. unit. He’ll relocate from Hong Kong to L.A. to help Lopez oversee the continued expansion of the unit that now houses more than 300 channels across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Platt “has built our business in Asia from the ground up, turning it into a model in the region,” Lopez said. “I am delighted to have him step up to this new and expanded role.”

VARIETY

LINDA GIAMBRONE

Shine America Promotes Linda Giambrone to Exec Vice President

Shine America has upped Linda Giambrone to exec vice president and head of production, it was announced today. The executive, who has been with the reality shingle since 2011, will continue to oversee all unscripted production for Shine America, including “MasterChef,” “The Biggest Loser,” “The Face” and Fox’s forthcoming “MasterChef Junior.” Before joining Shine America, Giambrone served as senior v.p. of BBC Worldwide Prods., launching unscripted programs including “Dancing with the Stars.”

VARIETY

RON SCHWARTZ

Lionsgate Promotes Ron Schwartz for Helping Build $1 Billion Home Entertainment Business

Lionsgate has promoted Ron Schwartz to president and general manager of Lionsgate home entertainment sales and distribution. The move underlines Schwartz’ contribution to the Lionsgate library of 15,000 titles producing a $1 billion-a-year home entertainment business, the mini-studio said Wednesday. “Ron is a gifted and experienced executive who has helped guide our home entertainment business to several years of sustained and profitable growth,” said Lionsgate co-COO and motion picture group president Steve Beeks. The promotion also comes as the mini-studio looks to distribute its product across a growing range of global digital platforms.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

DAVE BROWN

ZADOC ANGELL

Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell Join Echo Lake Management

Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell have joined Echo Lake Management, the management division of Echo Lake Entertainment, founder Doug Mankof announced Tuesday. Brown and Angell were formerly at Artist International, where Brown was the president of motion picture and television and Angell served as head of television. Former Artist International managers Matt Horwitz and James Engle are also joining Echo Lake. At Artist International, Brown and Angell represented writers and directors working on such series as Sons of Anarchy, Justified, Grimm, NCIS: LA, Dallas, House of Lies, Last Man Standing, Rizzoli & Isles, Community and Arrow.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

WARD PLATT

Fox International Channels Promotes Ward Platt to COO Role

News Corp.’s Fox International Channels said Wednesday that it has promoted Ward Platt to the role of COO. He will also serve as CEO of the unit’s National Geographic Channels International. Platt will continue to report to Hernan Lopez, president and CEO of Fox International Channels. Platt previously served as president, Asia Pacific and the Middle East for Fox International Channels. He will relocate from Hong Kong to LA and focus on executing the division’s growth plans around the world. He will also oversee international programming, marketing, operations, syndication and finance for the National Geographic Channels outside of the U.S.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

WHITNEY HOLLAND

ABC Taps Whitney Holland for Key Scheduling Post

ABC has filled its vacant scheduling position, tapping OWN’s Whitney Holland to replace Steve Kern. Holland will serve as vp program planning and scheduling, ABC announced Tuesday. She’ll report to Andy Kubitz, executive vp program planning and scheduling. In her new role, Holland will contribute to develop the overall programming and scheduling analysis and strategy recommendations for the network to maximize viewership on all platforms. She’ll have oversight of program planning and scheduling for original and acquired television content.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

JIM GRAY

BBC Appoints Jim Gray as Head of TV Current Affairs

Jim Gray has been appointed BBC head of TV current affairs and deputy to the head of news programs, a freshly created post from the ongoing changes being rung by director general Tony Hall. Gray, a former Channel 4 news editor and most recently editor of the ITN-produced news bulletins for the last 14 years, comes in to oversee the news operations in the wake of the public broadcaster’s decision earlier this year to rename BBC News Group to BBC News and Current Affairs. Gray will begin work in the summer, reporting to the BBC News head of programs Ceri Thomas, under the recently hired news director and former Times of London editor James Harding.

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

PATRICK PAOLINI

Paolini Named Fox’s Washington GM

Patrick Paolini has been named VP and general manager of Fox-owned WTTG-WDCA Washington. He succeeds Duffy Dyer, who is retiring. Paolini was senior VP of Fox Stations Sales (FSS). Prior to that, he was VP and general manager for WTXF Philadelphia, and was previously vice president and director of sales at WNYW-WWOR New York. “Patrick has done a stellar job in leading our FSS sales team,” said Jack Abernethy, president of Fox Television Stations. “His past success as a general manager makes him the ideal choice as we look to grow WTTG’s position in the D.C. market.” Earlier in his career, Paolini spent six years as vice president and general sales manager for WTTG-WDCA.

BROADCASTING CABLE

KIMBERLY DAVIS

LIN Taps Kimberly Davis for HR Chief

Kimberly Davis has been named vice president of human resources at LIN Media. She succeeds Daniel Donohue, who retires July 5. Davis will be responsible for “developing and executing strategic employee initiatives that support the company’s overall business plan and strategy,” said LIN, among her other managerial duties. She’ll work out of LIN Media’s Austin office and will report to Vincent Sadusky, president and CEO. Davis joins LIN after serving as director, human resources business partner for tech company Advanced Micro Devices.

BROADCASTING CABLE

PER BLANKENS

New Executive Producer Named for ‘American Idol’

One of the makers of “American Idol,” FremantleMedia North America, announced a new executive producer on Monday after reports that two longtime producers of the singing competition had been dismissed. The new producer, Per Blankens, spent five years at the helm of the Swedish version of “Idol.” He will be among the people charged with reviving the American version on Fox, which has suffered in the ratings, as shows as old as “Idol” tend to do. The 13th season is scheduled to make its debut in January. Trish Kinane, a FremantleMedia executive, said she was “very excited about his ideas and vision for keeping ‘Idol’ creatively vibrant.”

NEW YORK TIMES

AMY WALDMAN

CHRISTIAN TAUSSIG

WPIX Makes Two News Executive Appointments

Tribune Broadcasting’s WPIX New York (CW) has elevated Amy Waldman to managing editor and Christian Taussig to news operations manager.  These promotions are effective June 17. Waldman, in her new position as managing editor, will report directly to Mark Effron, WPIX VP-news director. She will oversee the station’s news coverage, assignment desk and all specialty units. Waldman, who was previously the station’s executive producer, special projects, joined WPIX in 2007 as a senior producer. Less than a year later, she was promoted to executive producer where she led the morning team until March of 2010, when she became executive producer, special projects.

TV NEWSCHECK

LARRY STRUMWASSER

Worldlink Names Strumwasser EVP, Bcst Sales

Multi-platform advertising sales firm WorldLink today named former MMT Sales President Larry Strumwasser as executive VP, broadcast sales and business development. Based out of the company’s New York office, he will report to WorldLink EVP Sales and General Manager Dan Casey. In his newly created role, Strumwasser will oversee WorldLink’s broadcast and digital divisions, representing sales for broadcast station groups and their digital sub-channels. WorldLink currently represents D2 and D3 channels for a growing number of stations and group broadcasters.

TV NEWSCHECK

SUZANNE POWERS

McCann Recruits Suzanne Powers from CP&B For Global Strategy Post

McCann Worldgroup Chairman-CEO Harris Diamond is continuing to make a series of management shifts in an effort to revamp the Interpublic Group of Cos.’ agency network. His latest hire is Suzanne Powers, who joins McCann from MDC Partners’ CP&B, where she served as global chief strategy officer. She takes on the same role at McCann, and succeeds Daryl Lee. He was promoted by Mr. Harris to global CEO at Universal McCann, the network’s media arm. Ms. Powers joined CP&B in 2010 after spending a decade at Omnicom Group’s TBWA, where she worked on Nivea, Mars and GSK.

AD AGE

By TIM BAYSINGER

Pivot, the upcoming millennial skewing network from Participant Media that will launch Aug. 1 in over 40 million homes, released its first annual industry report about millennials’ consumption of TV content on Tuesday.

The report found that 13% of 18-34-year-olds (8.6 million) who already have broadband service are committed to a broadband-only existence, higher than in previous reports.

When it launches, Pivot’s linear feed and on-demand content will be available to pay-TV subscribers on any device, anywhere, through the Pivot app. In a cable first, Pivot will also offer a broadband-only subscription, providing live and on-demand access to its programming without a pay-TV package.

The study, which was led by Karen Ramspacher, senior VP of research and insights for Pivot, and conducted by Miner & Co. Studio, in association with Beagle Insight, profiled two newly-defined consumer-focused categories: broadband only (“broadbanders”) vs. broadband-plus-pay TV (“cross-platformers”).

In addition to the 8.6 million broadbanders, the report found that 17.9 million (27%) cross-platformers are looking to stray from the ecosystem.

However, data indicates that both groups can be attracted to TV through new offerings. 87% of at-risk cross-platformers (“strayers”) would consider keeping their pay-TV subscriptions if offered programming streamed live and on demand anywhere, while 58% of broadbanders would consider subscribing to TV for a bundle of networks from their broadband provider, streamed live and on demand.

The study found that if offered channels that streamed not just VOD content but live programming as well to any device at anytime, 85% of cross-platformers among the 18-34 crowd noted they would feel better about MVPDs, and 51% of broadbanders in that demo say they would consider paying as much as $20 per month for such a bundle.

“Our goal with this study was to start a conversation about attracting a new generation of MVPD customers. The future of our industry isn’t just about staving off decline, but growing the video business by showing the 100 million plus audience under 30 that our products can fit their media lifestyle,” said Evan Shapiro, president, Pivot and Participant Television.

“It is clear from our study that the industry at large could make a substantial dent in the attrition of pay-TV subscribers by offering VOD and live streaming products that would retain and attract this specific group of video customers,” added Ramspacher.

Read the full article at Broadcasting & Cable.