Syfy Names Andie Beckerman VP, Alternative Development

Syfy has named Andie Beckerman to the position of Vice President, Alternative Development and Production, the network said Thursday.

Beckerman, who will report to Heather Olander, Senior Vice President, Alternative Development and Production, Syfy, will be tasked with developing and overseeing unscripted alternative programming, said network officials.

Beckerman was most recently Director of Development, Unscripted Original Programming for AMC, where she developed and oversaw current programming on a wide range of successful unscripted series such as Talking Dead, Comic Book Men and Game of Arms.

“With Andie’s passion for the genre and her keen creative instincts, she’s a tremendous addition to our programming team and to the future growth of the Syfy brand,” Olander said in a statement.

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.