Fates Round Up, Thursday, July 19, 2013

Here is a compilation of the latest executive moves in the industry.

Mike Darnell, who left as Fox’s head of alternative programming last month, was appointed July 18 as president of unscripted and alternative programming for Warner Bros. Television in a newly-created position. The move puts Darnell in charge of reality programming for both Warner Bros.’ Telepictures division and Warner Horizon, which produces The Voice, a rival program for Fox’s American Idol, which Darnell helped launch back in 2002. Telepictures president Hilary Estey McLoughlin will also transition into a producing role at the studio.

Kay Wilson Stallings was promoted July 18 to senior VP, production and development, Nickelodeon Preschool, from VP, development and production. Sarah Landy was promoted to VP, production and development, Nickelodeon Preschool, from executive in charge of shows like Wonder Pets! and The Fresh Beat Band. Both will report to Teri Weiss, executive VP, preschool original programming, Nickelodeon Group.

Nickelodeon promoted Amy Hyland on July 18 to executive VP, ad sales, strategy and planning, from senior VP, ad sales pricing and inventory, and Jeff Imberman to senior VP, ad sales eastern region, from VP of ad sales. Additionally, Justin Nesci has joined the company as senior VP, digital ad sales. All will report to Jim Perry, head of sales, Nickelodeon Group.

David Zinczenko joined ABC News July 18 as nutrition and wellness editor, from consulting editorial director of Men’s Fitness magazine. He will be responsible for delivering news related to healthy living.

Renato Basile, Danette Herman, Louis J. Horvitz and Brian Stonestreet on July 17 joined producer Neil Patrick Harris on the production team for The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. Basile and Herman will serve as co-producers, with Horvitz directing and Brian Stonestreet serving as scenic designer.

Time Warner Inc. shook up management at its Turner Broadcasting System division July 17, naming Time Warner Inc. chief financial officer John Martin CEO of the networks. The appointment is effective Jan. 1, at which time he will replace current CEO Phil Kent, who will be moved up to chairman in a transition period in 2014.

Sunlen Miller, most recently a White House and congressional reporter for ABC News, joined CNN Newsource July 17 as a national correspondent. Miller’s resume also includes weekend reporting for ABC affiliate WJLA Washington and TV and radio production for The Washington Post.

Blaise Labbe was named on July 17 director of news for Sinclair’s WOAI-KABB San Antonio, from KCTV Kansas City news director. Labbe replaces Tom Bell, who left San Antonio to become news director at KOVR Sacramento.

Abby Huntsman was selected July 17 to cohost MSNBC’s The Cycle, from host and producer of the Huffington Post’s HuffPost Live. Huntsman replaces S.E. Cupp, who left the cable news show in June to join the reboot of CNN’s political debate program Crossfire.

ESPN announced July 17 that it will bring back former SportsCenter anchor (also MSNBC and Current TV) Keith Olbermann starting Aug. 26. Titled Olbermann, the daily late-night show will generally air live at 11 p.m. ET from ABC’s Times Square Studios in New York. Olbermann left ESPN in 1997 after numerous clashes with senior level executives.

National Geographic Channel announced July 17 that Heather Moran has been promoted to executive VP, programming and strategy, National Geographic Channel US, from senior VP, global programming and strategic development. She will oversee the network’s programming, strategy and content . The company also promoted Brad Dancer to senior VP, programming planning and research, NGC US and Nat Geo WILD, from senior VP, audience and business development, NGC US and Nat Geo WILD. He will head up distribution of NGC and Nat Geo WILD content and oversee scheduling.

Adrianne Benton Furniss, a veteran media marketing, distribution and management exec at Sesame Workshop and Home Vision Entertainment, was named on July 17 executive director of the Benton Foundation. Furniss is the daughter of foundation chairman Charles Benton and granddaughter of founder William Benton.

ABC has promoted three of its key programming executives to the position of executive VP, the network announced July 17. Patrick Moran, who had been senior VP of development at ABC Studios, will become executive VP of the studio. During his tenure, he helped recruit Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage’s shingle Fake Empire and oversaw development deals with Shonda Rhimes, Anthony Zuiker and others. He replaces Barry Jossen, who has signed a production deal with ABC Studios.

Shanna Winters, former Democratic chief counsel for the House Foreign Relations Committee, joined the Motion Picture Association of America July 16 as senior VP, global policy. In that newly created position, she will oversee MPAA’s global policy team, reporting to Michael O’Leary, senior executive VP global policy and external affairs.

The Consumer Electronics Association on July 16 hailed the late Dr. Amar Bose Tuesday for his pioneering work in the development of revolutionary audio products, including TV and movie home sound systems. According to various reports, Bose died last week at his home in Massachusetts and the Bose website is devoted to a salute to the man who founded the company in 1964.

Former House Communications Subcommittee chair Ed Markey (D-Mass.) was sworn in on July 16 as the new senator from Massachusetts by Vice President Joe Biden. Markey won a special election last month for the seat of Secretary of State John Kerry, defeating Republican Gabriel Gomez.

Oxygen Media on July 16 expanded Cori Abraham’s role to senior VP, development and international, from senior VP, development. She will now oversee international business, while continuing to oversee the development team.

NBCUniversal on July 16 named Kimberley Harris, a former legal counselor to President Barack Obama, as its new executive VP and general counsel, effective Sept. 3. Harris, who reports directly to NBCU CEO Steve Burke, will provide legal advice to senior management, oversee the law department and coordinate the company’s global regulatory and legislative agenda.

Shine America has appointed Jeffrey Schneider on July 16 to the newly created position of executive VP, business and legal affairs and general counsel, from NBCUniversal, where he was executive VP, business affairs, entertainment and digital networks and integrated media. He will head Shine America’s in-house business and legal affairs team, working from the company’s Los Angeles office.

Aaron LaBerge returned to ESPN July 15 as senior VP, technology and product development, from CEO, Fantzer Inc. LaBerge will oversee technology and product development for digital media and mobile platforms, and on-air production software.

USA Network announced July 15 that Tracy St. Pierre has joined as VP, West Coast communications, from senior director for NBC Entertainment Publicity. Additionally, Emily Spitale was promoted to VP, communications. Both report to Hilary Smith, senior VP, communications, USA Network.

Sheila MacVicar joined Al Jazeera America July 15 as a correspondent for America Tonight, from her post as international correspondent for CBS News. She will be based in Washington.

The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications president and CEO Nicol Turner-Lee resigned on July 15, less than a week after being cleared of alleged financial and operational improprieties while running the organization. Turner-Lee, who took over the reins of NAMIC in April 2012, is departing NAMIC “to pursue other opportunities,” according to a statement released by the diversity organization Monday morning.

ABC announced July 15 that Jenny McCarthy has officially been named a new co-host of The View starting this fall. Her first day will be Sept. 9, the first day of the daytime program’s 17th season.

Kelly Goode was appointed July 15 to VP of original programming at ABC Family, from executive producer and head of programming at GSN. Goode will oversee all scripted series for the network and head up the current programming team, reporting to Kate Juergens, executive VP, original programming and development and chief creative officer, ABC Family.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers’ Chapter 15 (SBE 15), which serves the New York City metro area, announced July 15 that Conrad Trautmann, the CTO of Dial Global, will be its first recipient of the “Chapter Engineer of the Year” award. Trautmann oversees Dial Global’s broadcast engineering, program distribution, back-office IT and software development.

Jericka Duncan was hired on July 15 as a correspondent for news services at CBS News, from her position as a reporter for Philadelphia’s KYW-TV. Duncan will begin immediately at the 24-hour CBS newsgathering service.

CBS Television Distribution’s The Arsenio Hall Show announced on July 15 the hiring of Claudia Cagan as senior talent producer, from senior segment producer at E! News, and Makiko Ushiyama as producer, from segment producer for NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live. Both worked on the original Arsenio Hall Show.