Cable net Great American Country (GAC) is moving from the home of cable--Denver--to the home of country music--Nashville.
The announcement was made at the Country Music Hall of Fame by happy pols Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and Mayor Bill Purcell. GAC made them even happier with a $25,000 donation to the museum as a sign of its "commitment to Nashville.
The governor was equally pleased with the new jobs and facilities the move would mean. A Scripps spokesperson had not returned a call on how many Denver GAC staffers would be making the move.
The move is a natural for the channel's new owner since November 2004, Scripps Networks, which is based just a hoot and a holler away in Knoxville, Tenn.
The channel will temporarily take up residence in office space at One Music Square--beginning in late October--while a permanent location is scouted.
GAC has moved a half dozen marketing, online and finance senior executives to Nashville, as well as President Ed Hardy.
It has also hired another 15-plus, including Sarah Trahern, VP, programming and production. Twentysomething Denver employees were not moved, generally in centralized functions like affiliate sales and finance that are being handled out of Knoxville, according toCindy McConkey, senior VP, corporate communications, who says she expects the staff to number about 30 by early next year.
