or


[05/23/06 - 12:00 AM]
TNT and TBS Originals Team Announces New Execs, Promotions & Restructuring

[via press release from TNT]

TNT and TBS Originals Team Announces New Execs, Promotions & Restructuring

Lillah McCarthy Joins TBS and TNT as Vice President of Series Programming

Nina Howie Hired as Vice President of Comedy for TBS; Sam Linsky Promoted to Vice President of Drama for TNT

Sharon Byrens Named Vice President of Development, Sponsored Programming; David Hudson Named Vice President of Production, Sponsored Programming

The TNT and TBS original programming group is welcoming two new additions to its roster of executives while also giving three current execs new duties to better serve the needs of the networks, it was announced today by department heads Michael Wright, senior vice president of original programming for TBS and TNT, and Sandra Dewey, senior vice president of business affairs and original production for TBS and TNT original programming. The two recent hires include Lillah McCarthy as vice president of series programming for TBS and TNT and Nina Howie as vice president of comedy for TBS. Sam Linsky has been promoted to vice president of drama for TNT, while Sharon Byrens is taking the new role of vice president of development and David Hudson the new role of vice president of production, both working on sponsored programming, for TBS and TNT. All five execs are based in Los Angeles, with McCarthy, Howie, Linsky and Byrens reporting to Wright and Hudson reporting to Dewey.

�As TBS and TNT continue to grow their original programming portfolios, including new comedies on TBS and ventures in sponsor-related programming on both networks, these new hires, promotions and responsibilities reflect the changing needs of the networks,� said Wright. �We�re very fortunate to have such an incredibly talented and respected group of executives working with us, and we look forward to working together as we continue to make TBS and TNT key destinations for viewers seeking high-quality original programming.�

�This new executive structure will help the TBS and TNT originals team continue to build dynamic relationships with the best talent in the industry,� said Dewey. �It will also allow us to put increased focus on working with the network ad sales departments in creating groundbreaking partnerships that link to our original programming. David Hudson has been at the forefront of this initiative and brings a track record of experience and success to this newly reorganized venture.�

As vice president of series programming for TBS and TNT, McCarthy will focus on the development and production of new comedy series for TBS and new drama series for TNT. McCarthy most recently served the networks as an original series consultant and was instrumental in the development of TNT�s hit drama The Closer and new series Saved, as well as TBS�s upcoming comedy series My Boys. Prior to joining TBS and TNT, McCarthy was the executive producer of the series Early Edition and Charlie Hoover, as well as numerous television pilots, both comedies and dramas. She began her career in the entertainment business as an actress before moving to the other side of the camera. Beginning as a current-programming executive at ABC, she eventually worked her way to a position as senior vice president of series programming for FOX, where she was instrumental in the development and production of both comedy and drama series during the network�s formative years. Some of the series under her auspices included The Simpsons, Married�With Children, Get A Life, Herman�s Head, True Colors, Parker Lewis Can�t Lose, Alien Nation and 21 Jump Street. She has also directed half-hour multi-camera television comedies, run her own literary and talent management company and served as executive vice president for Kopelson Productions, where she supervised television development for the company.

Howie�s duties as vice president of comedy for TBS include overseeing all original programming for the network. She came to TBS from Touchstone Television, where she served as vice president, comedy series, responsible for overseeing new comedy development, as well as current series. During her tenure at Touchstone, she was responsible for such shows as Hope & Faith, My Wife and Kids, Life with Bonnie, Less Than Perfect, Rodney and the new comedy series Let�s Rob... Prior to joining Touchstone Television, Howie was a development assistant at The Cloudland Company, producers of The Job. She was also a production coordinator for The Cosby Show and a development assistant at Ogiens & Kane, as well as a development assistant at MTV for the series Remote Control. Howie earned a bachelor of science in communications from Syracuse University.

As vice president of drama for TNT, Linsky will be responsible for supervising all original movies and series for the network. Linsky most recently served as director of development for TNT and helped supervise the development and production of last summer�s TNT hit Into the West and the upcoming Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. He joined the network in 1997, first serving as assistant to the vice president of original programming, and then working his way up to manager and then director. Linsky came to TNT from Castle Rock Entertainment, where he served as assistant to the vice president of production, providing story notes on projects in development and coordinating incoming and outgoing submissions.

Byrens� duties as vice president of development, sponsored programming, and Hudson�s duties as vice president of production, sponsored programming, will be to oversee the development and production sides of the originals team�s interaction with ad sales. This interaction is tied to such initiatives as client-sponsored original movies, like TNT�s Johnson & Johnson Spotlight PresentationsSM; product integration in original series and movies; TBS�s movie showcases, like the popular Dinner & a Movie; and digital extensions of both networks� original programming.

Among the many projects Byrens has shepherded at the network are the highly acclaimed Johnson & Johnson Spotlight PresentationSM The Wool Cap and this summer�s much-anticipated The Ron Clark Story, starring Matthew Perry. Byrens came to the company from Showtime Networks, Inc., where she was vice president of original programming, supervising the development and production of some of the network�s most notable original films. During her tenure, she oversaw production for such films as the Emmy� and Golden Globe�-winning The Passion of Ayn Rand, Twilight of the Golds, the Oscar�-winning Gods and Monsters, The Day Reagan Was Shot and Stealing Sinatra, among dozens of others.

5/23/2006 - Hudson most recently served as vice president of production & production finance for TBS and TNT original programming. The list of assets includes both licensed programming and in-house programming, such as 10 Items or Less, The Comedy Festival, 2005 Black Movie Awards, TBS Movie Extra, Dinner & A Movie, Movie and A Makeover. Prior to joining TBS and TNT, Hudson has served as a co-series producer of the highly touted Earth�s Fury for TLC, producer of Final Report for Multimedia Television and War Games for TBS and numerous credits as executive in charge of production and line producer. His other credits include Hard Copy, A Current Affair, HBO�s Entertainment News, Trial Watch, History of Christianity, I Survived a Disaster, Inspector Gadget�s Field Trip, Trashed, Last One Standing II, Look, Prince�s Interactive Birthday Party and World Gone Wild, to name a few. In 1998, he created his own production company with the aim of fostering and developing highly informative and entertaining reality-based programming at a manageable price. Under the banner of David Hudson Productions, he has developed numerous �reality-based� programs and has served as a budgetary consultant on many network, cable and syndicated programs. Hudson recently graduated from 2005/2006 Executive Leadership Development Program at UCLA�s prestigious Anderson School of Leadership.

Turner Network Television (TNT), a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television�s destination for drama and one of cable�s top-rated networks. It offers original movies and series, including the detective drama series The Closer, starring Golden Globe� and Screen Actors Guild Awards� nominee Kyra Sedgwick; Saved, a new character-driven drama starring Tom Everett Scott; and this summer�s eagerly anticipated anthology series Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, Without a Trace, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, NYPD Blue, Charmed and Judging Amy; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards�; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.

TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television�s �very funny� network. It serves as home to such hot contemporary comedies as Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, Seinfeld and Friends; original comedy series, like the upcoming scripted comedies My Boys and 10 Items or Less; specials and special events, like The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas, for which TBS serves as title sponsor; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.





  [may 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· 10 ITEMS OR LESS (TBS)
· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· CURRENT AFFAIR, A (SYNDICATION)
· DAY REAGAN WAS SHOT, THE (SHOWTIME)
· EARLY EDITION (CBS)
· HOPE & FAITH (ABC)
· INTO THE WEST (TNT)
· KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY, THE (ABC)
· LESS THAN PERFECT (ABC)
· LIFE WITH BONNIE (ABC)
· MY BOYS (TBS)
· MY WIFE & KIDS (ABC)
· NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES: FROM THE STORIES OF STEPHEN KING (TNT)
· RODNEY (ABC)
· RON CLARK STORY, THE (TNT)
· SAVED (TNT)
· SIMPSONS, THE (FOX)
· STEALING SINATRA (SHOWTIME)
· WOOL CAP, THE (TNT)





[11/22/24 - 01:31 PM]
Video: "Suits LA" Arrives February 2025 - NBC
The all-new spinoff of the beloved legal drama, starring Stephen Amell, Lex Scott Davis, Josh McDermitt, and Bryan Greenberg, lands on the West Coast.

[11/22/24 - 12:11 PM]
Video: Peacock Releases First Look at the Third Season of Emmy Award-Winning Reality Competition Series "The Traitors" Returning January 9 with Alan Cumming as Host
Last season, "The Traitors" became the #1 unscripted series in the U.S. across all streaming platforms during launch week, according to Nielsen.

[11/22/24 - 10:15 AM]
Apple's Drama "Your Friends & Neighbors" Lands Early Season Two Renewal
Starring and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Jon Hamm, "Your Friends & Neighbors" will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 11 with two episodes, followed by one new episode weekly through Friday, May 30.

[11/22/24 - 09:01 AM]
Apple Original Films' "Fly Me to the Moon" to Premiere December 6, 2024
Since its debut in theaters worldwide, the film has received the Verified Hot certification on Rotten Tomatoes by fans.

[11/22/24 - 08:03 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Blumhouse's "Speak No Evil" Beginning December 6
The psychological horror thriller stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Scoot McNairy, and more!

[11/22/24 - 07:35 AM]
2024 "Emirates NBA Cup" Championship Game Exclusively on ABC and ESPN+ December 17
In addition, ESPN platforms will exclusively present a semifinal game and a quarterfinal game as part of its 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round coverage.

[11/22/24 - 07:12 AM]
Peacock and Sky's Original Hit Drama Series "The Day of the Jackal" Scores Second Season Renewal
In the US it ranked #1 on Peacock's Top 10 TV Shows on its platform and was a Top 5 streaming original in the US for its opening weekend (according to preliminary Nielsen data).

[11/22/24 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Chef's Table" Volume 7 - Official Teaser - Netflix
Meet five world-class chefs who redefine culinary boundaries with delicious, innovative dishes honoring their diverse cultures and personal philosophies.

[11/22/24 - 05:41 AM]
"They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" Set for January 2025 on ESPN
Airing on Friday nights/early Saturday mornings, the new personality-driven, one-hour program will take its inspiration from traditional late-night television, emphasizing a comedic approach throughout all five scheduled episodes which run in conjunction with the finale of the NFL regular season and playoffs.

[11/22/24 - 03:01 AM]
Video: "Ad Vitam" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After escaping an attempted murder, Franck Lazarev (Guillaume Canet) must find his wife Léo, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious group of armed men.

[11/21/24 - 04:01 PM]
"Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die" Premieres December 10: A Battle for Supremacy Begins
In the shadows of Korea's rugby world, seven teams engage in a fierce battle of strength, strategy, and teamwork - all vying to be crowned champion.

[11/21/24 - 04:00 PM]
ABC Presents a Two-Night Special Event To Commemorate the Diamond Anniversary of "Mary Poppins"
First, "The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20," a two-hour special from ABC News Studios chock full of rarely seen footage, photos and stories from the film's living legends, airs Wednesday, November 27 on ABC and streams next day on Hulu and Disney+.

[11/21/24 - 01:32 PM]
2024 International Emmy Nominees on Hulu
Check out these Emmy-worthy international series streaming on Hulu.

[11/21/24 - 01:12 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Semifinals Is Top Program of the Night in Adults 18-49 and All Key Women Demographics
The spectacular season 33 penultimate episode grew over the previous week's 500th episode celebration in both Total Viewers (5.19 million vs. 5.13 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.75 rating vs. 0.71 rating), hitting a season high in Total Viewers.

[11/21/24 - 01:05 PM]
NBC Orders Five Additional Episodes of Its Friday Night Comedy Hit "Happy's Place"
The "Happy's Place" premiere has hit 14 million viewers across all platforms.