Viacom Merges Ad Staff To Sell Across Platforms

Viacom said it has merged the television, digital and mobile ad sales teams at its music and entertainment networks.

"The lines among television, online and mobile aren't just blurring — they've been erased in terms of how our audiences consume and experience content," Jeff Lucas (pictured), Head of Sales for Music and Entertainment, said in a statement.   "For a client-centric organization like ours, a convergent structure will keep us on the leading edge of marketing innovation and ensure that we continue to create value for advertisers and audiences alike."

The new convergent team will cover sales and integrated marketing for MTV, Comedy Central, CMT, Logo, Spike TV, TVLand and VH1.

Under the new structure, three executives who had been senior VP’s of digital ad sales will have new roles.

Melanie Dimemmo will be senior VP of digital video sales focusing on video deals across the music and entertainment portfolio. Dimemmo reports to Neil Holt and Sean Moran, executive VPs of ad sales.

Sarah Iooss will be senior VP of partnerships and client strategy, responsible for indentifying partnerships with content and platform technology companies. She reports to Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, executive VP of ad sales strategy.

Sharon Silverstein will serve as senior VP of Multiplatform Studio Ad Sales out of Los Angeles. She will continue to report to Steve Agase, senior VP of ad sales, West Coast.

Other senior VP and VPs will assume responsibility for linear and digital business. Linear and digital account execs report into the same converged supervisors.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.