New York -- Broadcast veteran Robert West has joined USA
Networks Inc. as senior vice president of programming and scheduling, replacing Neil
Hoffman, the latest executive to exit the company.
West most recently served as vice president of programming
at Sinclair Communications, where he negotiated all multiple-station acquisition deals and
developed local marketing strategies for network programming.
Before his tenure at Sinclair, West was group program
director at River City Broadcasting in St. Louis, where he negotiated the acquisition of
syndicated programming and live sporting events across all 10 River City stations, as well
as doing five United Paramount Network affiliation agreements.
Hoffman, a 14-year veteran of USA, will be leaving to
explore other opportunities. He is the latest on a long list of programming officials who
were part of former USA chairman Kay Koplovitz's team, and who have now left the
company.
Koplovitz, her programming chief Rod Perth and a host of
officials -- such as vice president of long-form programming Ian Valentine and vice
president of series development Medora Heilbron -- exited USA following its purchase by
Barry Diller, who brought in Stephen Chao as president of programming and marketing in
spring 1998.
West, who reports to Chao, will oversee all acquisitions
for USA Network, including series, theatricals and specials. The network's program
schedule and programming strategy are also under his purview.
