UP TV has named ex-Discovery Communications executive Amy Winter as its executive vice president and general manager.

In the newly created position, Winter will oversee programming and brand development for the 10-year-old network, inclusive of development and production of series and movies, said network officials. Winter has been consulting at UP (formerly Aspire) since May 2014 and oversaw a new on-air look and branding. She also greenlit two new UP original series, the reality show Bringing Up Bates and Ties that Bind, the network's first scripted series, currently in pre-production, the network said. 

Winter, who will report to Charley Humbard, president and CEO of UP, will also be responsible for scheduling and acquisitions, marketing and public relations, and digital and social media properties.

Winter’s appointment follows the October departure of former UP vice chairman Brad Siegel, who in December was named president of TV One.

Winter formerly served as executive vice president and general manager of TLC, where she led the general entertainment network to a record 32 series averaging one million viewers or more.

"Amy Winter is a one of a kind media executive … she combines an intuitive sensibility for understanding what viewers like to watch and how to communicate with them, with a strategic operational discipline for focusing on what drives ratings and revenue,” said Humbard. “Amy is the right person to lead our content and marketing areas and to further shape our distinct brand identity which promises to always uplift you and your family.”

After a decade at the network, Brad Siegel has stepped down from his role as vice chairman of UP TV.

Siegel, along with Charley Humbard, launched the independent music-oriented service then known as Gospel Music Channel in 2004 to a handful of small distributors. Siegel joined Humbard, a Discovery Communications executive and son of TV preacher Rex Humbard, following his 2003 departure from Turner Broadcasting, where he ultimately served as president of Turner Entertainment Networks.

News of Siegel’s exit was first reported by Variety.

Siegel and UP, which was rebranded from GMC in 2013, also work closely with Magic Johnson’s Aspire cable network, handling programming, advertising and affiliate sales.

Humbard informed the staffs of both networks about Siegel today, noting that “we will move quickly to bring in a senior executive to assume Brad's responsibilities and expect to have an announcement in the very near future. In the meantime I will oversee programming and marketing, as we continue our development and production of original movies and series.”

Humbard levied praise on Siegel in his role is launching the service and spreading its growth to some 70 million subscribers today.

“Building a cable brand into the second-largest independent network in this challenging environment required a person with enormous energy, talent and relational strength," Humbard said is a statement.  "Having Brad as my partner for the last 10 years to develop UP TV into a leading destination for uplifting family entertainment has been enormously rewarding. Brad’s experience and relationships with advertisers and program distributors were invaluable in jump starting our business.  He spearheaded our successful push into original programming, an initiative that we will continue to expand as we move into 2015, and was instrumental in the launch of Aspire.  All of us at UP and Aspire wish Brad great success in his next endeavor.”