As expected, Greg Meidel has been named president of Twentieth Television, announced Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox TV Stations on Aug. 3. Meidel, who replaces the outgoing Bob Cook, will report to Abernethy and be responsible for overseeing all first-run, network and off-network programming and distribution for both Twentieth TV and MyNetwork TV.
Meidel returned to News Corp.-owned Twentieth as president of MyNetwork TV in January 2007. He previously was president of Twentieth from 1992-95. After that, he went to Universal Television Group to serve as chairman and CEO from 1996-98. From there, he was president, COO and partner of Massive Media Group before moving on to become president of programming at CBS Paramount Domestic Television. At CBS Paramount, Meidel oversaw such first-run syndicated programming as Entertainment Tonight, Dr. Phil and Judge Judy.
Between 1979-92, Meidel was at Paramount, where he rose through the sales ranks to become executive vice president and general sales manager at Paramount Domestic Television. There he was responsible for the distribution of off-net and first-run syndicated series such as Cheers, The Arsenio Hall Show, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Entertainment Tonight.
Meidel graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in motion pictures and television. He is a member of the Paley Center for Media's board of governors and volunteers as a guest speaker at his alma mater's School of Motion Picture & Television and School of Law as well as USC's School of Communications. Meidel is a former Chairman of NATPE, past board member of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society and a former member of the board of advisors for the School of Communications at the University of Texas.
