NBCUniversal has placed Style Network under the watch of Bravo Media president Frances Berwick.
Berwick has been elevated to president of Bravo and Style Media, which entered the NBCU camp following Comcast's finalization of the joint venture with General Electric in January.
Salaam Coleman Smith, president of Style Network, will continue in her current position, but will now report to Berwick.
In her new role, Berwick will continue to spearhead Bravo Media's day-to-day operations, but she now will partner with Coleman Smith to help drive Style's overall growth, focusing on cross-platform opportunities.
"Frances' tenure at Bravo has been marked by industry-leading ratings and revenue growth," said Lauren Zalaznick, Chairman, NBCU Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media, in announcing the promotion. "She has been enormously successful in leading a team to create an immersive brand experience for the consumer. I know that she will bring that same vision for cultural zeitgeist and keen sensibility to Style as we evolve and grow this network in the months and years to come."
In the past year since Berwick was elevated from general manager to president of Bravo Media, she presided over the network's double-digit growth across every platform, delivering record ratings and financial growth. She increased overall programming by 21% in 2010 - with an additional 10% increase slated for 2011; received the network's first Primetime Emmy Award in the outstanding reality competition category for Top Chef; and garnered five Emmy-nominations for 2011, including four for the aforementioned cooking competition series. She has also continued the network's partnerships with FourSquare, Groupon, Twitter and Facebook.
Berwick joined Bravo Networks in 1996 from Britain's Channel 4 Television, where she headed international TV distribution and licensing. Prior to that, she was in the sponsorship division at London Theater Sadler's Wells, where she raised funds for stage productions.
Berwick has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including two Peabody Awards, three Primetime Emmys and a National Association of Multi-Ethnicity in Communications Award. In 2007 Berwick was named a Multichannel News Wonder Woman. Berwick is a member of New York Women in Film & Television, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Women in Cable and Telecommunications, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
