Peacock, Lion Split Up

NBC and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. have pulled the plug on their joint sales/distribution venture, with both companies naming new heads of media sales.

Chris Kager, who was MGM/NBC Media Sales Group President, becomes executive vice president of media sales for NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, while Michael Daraio becomes executive vice president of MGM Media Sales.

Kager reports to Barry Wallach, president of NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution and Daraio reports to Jim Packer, MGM's executive vice president of television distribution for North America.

Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, who had been executive vice president of advertiser sales for Universal Television Distribution, is leaving NBC Universal to pursue new opportunities.

Herbst-Brady had been with Universal since November 1996. MGM will continue to handle international distribution for several shows produced by NBC Studios, including Will & Grace, Las Vegas, Happy Family and Crossing Jordan.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.