MUMBAI: MTV US has announced a re-organisation of its programming department. The aim is to concentrate on developing online content for the Overdrive site and other Web initiatives.
There will be two divisions. One group will focus on normal TV programming and the other on short-form content that will be available to various platforms. No jobs have been cut in the restructuring.
MTV president Christina Norman said, "When I returned to MTV last year, we had entered the broadband era with MTV Overdrive to great critical and user acclaim and were developing unique new wireless entertainment while our linear channel was performing better than ever. In order to continue strengthening our connection to young people in today's digital age, it became clear that we needed to adapt our organisational structure in the same way we have always adapted our programming to meet our audiences' ever-changing tastes."
One group, led by former MTV executive VP news and production Dave Sirulnick, will be charged with creating short-form content for the various platforms under the MTV brand, including the broadband property MTV Overdrive. Reporting to Sirulnick in his new role as executive VP, MTV multiplatform production, news and music are: former VP of music programming Amy Doyle, who will lead MTVN's music strategy as senior VP of music and talent; Tony DiBari, who was bumped up to executive VP of production; and MTV News VP Ocean MacAdams.
Sirulnick's group will concentrate on developing short-form video, music and news content for the linear networks, as well as exclusive, platform-specific fare tailored for so-called 'third screen' outlets, including broadband and wireless.
The second group will concentrate on developing long-form franchises for MTVN's linear networks. Lois Curren heads that effort in her new role as MTV series entertainment and programming executive VP. Sje will work closely with MTV executive VP, series development and animation Tony DiSanto, who will also lead programming at MTV2.
Straddling both worlds is MTV executive VP, multiplatform programming, content strategy and scheduling Paul DeBenedittis. He will program both short- and long-form content on the appropriate platform. Executive VP of marketing and multiplatform creative Tina Exarhos will continue to manage all marketing and branding efforts for long-form programming, as well as marketing music and series to multiplatform environments.