Fates & Fortunes | April 2024

Rachel Bendavid

Rachel Bendavid (Image credit: BBC Studios)

AXS TV
Andy Schuon was named president of Anthem Sports & Entertainment-owned networks AXS TV and HDNet Movies. Schuon is the former president of Revolt Media and has managed such music brands as Viacom’s MTV Networks, Warner Bros. Records and CBS Radio. 

BBC STUDIOS
Rachel Bendavid was named executive VP, scripted programming at BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions. She had been head of scripted programming for the co-production partnership between Lions­gate and BBC Studios that launched the CBS series Ghosts.

Angie Stephenson

Angie Stephenson (Image credit: BBC Studios)

BBC STUDIOS
Angie Stephenson
was elevated to executive VP, scripted programming at BBC Studios Los Angeles, working jointly with Rachel Bendavid. She had been senior VP of scripted development at BBC Studios and was its executive producer for Ghosts.

FREMANTLE
Jimmy Fox
has joined Fremantle as executive VP of unscripted development and sales for its U.S. operations. The three-time Emmy winner comes from Religion of Sports (ROS) and will continue to be executive producer on Main Event Media’s slate of ROS events. 

Lise Heidal

Lise Heidal (Image credit: NEP)

NEP
NEP Group has named Lise Heidal president, NEP Europe, for NEP Broadcast Services, based in Norway and responsible for nine countries in Northern, Central and Southern Europe. She had been VP, of production, at TV2, Norway’s largest commercial broadcaster. 

NETFLIX
Jeff Gaspin has joined Netflix as VP of unscripted series, charged with bolstering its roster of unscripted shows. The former NBCUniversal Television Entertainment chair ran Gaspin Media, the studio that made The Tinder Swindler and Rhythm & Flow.

Nicolina Marzicola

Nicolina Marzicola (Image credit: Nielsen)

NIELSEN
Nielsen has named Nicolina Marzicola as chief people officer, leading the audience measurement firm’s global human resources function. She comes from HP, where she had been global head of HR, commercial head and global head of HR operations.  

PARAMOUNT
Lee Sears
was appointed as president of international market advertising sales at Paramount Global, a new post that unifies pay TV, streaming and broadcast ad sales teams. He had been executive VP, head of international sales and integrated marketing. 

Kate O'Brian

Kate O'Brian (Image credit: Scripps)

SCRIPPS
The E.W. Scripps Co. has named Kate O’Brian as president of news, a new post overseeing the company’s local and national news operations. O’Brian had been in charge of the company’s national news outlets, Scripps News and Court TV.

SHOWSEEKER
ShowSeeker, creator of the cloud-based Pilot advertising order-management system, has named Joni Claerbout as VP of sales and client engagement. She comes from Cox Media Group, where she was director of sales for Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

Jim Doty

Jim Doty (Image credit: Sinclair)

SINCLAIR
Sinclair named Jim Doty VP and general manager of its stations in the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia, NBC-The CW affiliate WCYB and ABC affiliate WEMT. He had been VP and GM of Tegna-owned KERO Bakersfield, California.  

TEGNA
Tegna has elevated Tom Cox to chief growth officer, a new post at the station group reporting to president and CEO Dave Lougee. Cox had been president of the Premion over-the-top advertising unit as well as senior VP, business development at Tegna. 

Daniel Spinosa

Daniel Spinosa (Image credit: Tegna)

TEGNA
Daniel Spinosa
has been elevated to president of Tegna’s Premion, succeeding Tom Cox. The 20-year media and finance veteran had been Premion’s chief financial officer, following finance, product and digital leadership roles at Comcast and a senior finance role at AOL. 

TELEMUNDO
Gemma Garcia was named executive VP of Noticias Telemundo, with oversight of the network’s news programming, editorial units, digital news properties, newsgathering and bureaus in the United States and Latin America. She was head of news at Spanish OTT platform RTVE Play. 

Jeff Lucas

Jeff Lucas (Image credit: Tubi)

TUBI
Fox-owned ad-supported streaming service Tubi has tapped Jeff Lucas as chief revenue officer. Most recently chief revenue officer of video commerce platform Firework, Lucas was formerly head of North American sales and global client solutions at Verizon Media.

UP 
UP Entertainment has added Ryan Randall as creative director, responsible for leading the creative direction across all of the company’s brands. He comes from The Walt Disney Co., where he was creative director for Freeform. 

Angela An

Angela An (Image credit: WBNS)

WABC
WABC New York has added Joelle Garguilo as an entertainment reporter. She comes from WNBC New York, where she was an entertainment and feature reporter for New York Live, an E! News correspondent and a contributor to NBC’s Today With Hoda & Jenna. 

WBNS
Tegna-owned WBNS Columbus, Ohio, has elevated Angela An to co-anchor of 10TV News at Four and 10TV News at Five-Thirty. With the CBS affiliate since 2000, she most recently was a co-anchor on early morning newscast Wake Up CBUS.

Briefly Noted

Brian Hurley, chief regulatory counsel at ACA Connects, was named to the Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer Advisory Committee. …  Chanley Painter has joined Fox News Channel as an overnight anchor. She had been a legal correspondent and field anchor for Court TV. … Liberty Latin America has named Eduardo Diaz Corona as senior VP, general manager, Liberty Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Also, Rocio Lorenzo was elevated to senior VP and general manager, Cable and Wireless Panama. She had been senior VP, chief customer officer. … Dr. Lakeisha Maddrey-Lashley was named to the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, Maryland Public Television’s 11-member governing body. She is the principal of Fairland Elementary School in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Michael Demenchuk

Mike Demenchuk has served as content manager of Broadcasting+Cable and Multichannel News since 2016. After stints as reporter and editor at Adweek, The Bond Buyer and local papers in New Jersey, he joined the staff of Multichannel News in 1999 as assistant managing editor and has served as the cable trade publication's managing editor since 2005. He edits copy and writes headlines for both the print magazine and website, wrangles the occasional e-newsletter and reviews TV shows from time to time. He's also the guy to bother with your guest blog, Fates & Fortunes and Freeze Frame submissions.