Stephen Brown

Senior VP, Programming and Development, Twentieth Television

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/27/2012 12:01:00 AM

Expect 2012 to be a busy year for Twentieth Television’s Stephen Brown.

First, he is the executive in charge of developing the new and high-profile Ricki Lake Show, with Lake and Good Day L.A.’s Lisa Kridos executive producing. Launching one talk show is usually enough for any sane human, but Brown is also developing Dish Nation—which ran as a test last summer on several Fox-owned stations—for a national launch this fall.

While Ricki Lake will attract more attention, Dish Nation is likely to take up more of Brown’s time. The show features radio deejays from several major markets riffing on the events of the day; when it tested last summer, Brown worked practically around the clock to produce it.

Dish did not draw huge ratings but it had a spark, and execs at the Fox station group ordered up.

Two shows will be tough. But by all accounts—including Lake’s— Brown is equal to the task.