Imagine Entertainment named veteran executive Rich Battista as CEO.

Imagine, headed by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, said they are counting on Battista to build upon the company’s growth and expansion strategy.

Before joining Imagine, Battista was CEO of Time Inc. as it was sold to Meredith.

Before Time Inc., Battista was CEO of Mandalay Sports.

Earlier in his career Battista held a number of management jobs at Fox, including president of Fox’s national cable networks. He was also CEO of Gemstar-TV Guide.

Melinda Benedek, executive VP, business affairs and production at Showtime, will retire after 22 years with the company.

Benedek, who is responsible for negotiating and managing the business and legal aspects of the development and physical production of all Showtime original productions and licensed original programming, will remain at Showtime through the end of the year.  

“Melinda has touched so much of what we do at Showtime for so long, it’s difficult to imagine our team without her,” said David Nevins, president and CEO, Showtime Networks, to whom she reports. “I have long valued her sharp mind, her integrity and her cool under pressure.”

Prior to joining Showtime in 1995, Benedek spent four years as head of business affairs of the feature film division of Twentieth Century Fox. Before that, she was executive VP of Imagine Entertainment, which she had joined at its inception, under the leadership of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

“I have loved being a part of Showtime’s evolution and growth over the last 22 years," Benedek said.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.