BET Taps Brie Miranda Bryant for Executive Programming Role

BET Networks has tapped former Oxygen programming executive Brie Miranda Bryant as it senior vice president of unscripted, original programming, the network said Tuesday. 

Bryant will be responsible for overseeing all unscripted development and production for the network, reporting to Zola Mashariki, the network’s executive vice president and head of original programming.

Most recently, Bryant was the vice president of development & production at Oxygen Media where she was responsible for developing such hits as The Preachers Franchise (LA Detroit and Atlanta editions), The Prancing Elites Project and Sisterhood of Hip Hop.

“Brie is a talented creative executive with a knack for identifying complex, real life experiences and transforming them into rich and nuanced stories that audiences can’t get enough of,” says Mashariki in a statement. “Her ability to stay ahead of pop culture trends makes her the perfect person to lead our unscripted team.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.