A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM INSTITUTE FOR MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Cynopsis: Classified Advantage

09.29.09

Good morning – it’s Tuesday, September 29, 2009, and this is your weekly issue of Cyn opsis: Classified Advantage!  This edition includes the top job listings in the Television, Media and Ad Agency markets, professional development advice from national experts, your Q & A’s with our experts, and a summary of executive moves among top companies.

The Phone Interview

Prep…

• Wake up at least one hour prior to interview, shake all the cobwebs out.
• Get into a positive state of mind. The interviewer creates a mental picture of you, make sure it’s a good one.
• Make cheat sheets for questions you think will be asked, and for questions you want to ask the interviewer, but never read directly from them. Put your notes into outline form to ensure you cover all the crucial points.
• Have your resume and cover letter in front of you. The interviewer will.
• Record yourself in a practice call. Most people have no idea how many times they say, “um”, “ah”, “like,” and other distracting sounds.
• Find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted by family, friends or pets. If possible, make sure the interview happens over a landline to avoid a call being dropped or otherwise marred by a cell phone connection.
• Research the company.
• Treat this as seriously as you would treat a face to face interview.
• Make sure your voice mail/answering machine has a brief and professional greeting.
• Make sure everyone in the house/apartment knows the call is coming so if they answer the phone, they will do so respectfully.
• Have pen and paper ready.
• Turn off call waiting.

When the Phone Rings…

• No gum, food, or cigarettes but it is a good idea to have a glass of water handy in case your mouth runs dry.
• Stand when you are talking to the interviewer. You will be more animated and enthusiastic while standing. An old radio announcer’s trick: Smile while you are talking, you will sound friendlier on the phone.
• Keep your answers brief and avoid tangents.
• Write down the interviewers name and repeat it a few times during the conversation. Everyone likes to hear their own name.
• If asked a tough question, it’s okay to think about an answer for a moment. Don’t hurry yourself into saying something you’ll regret.
• Ask questions that show your interest in the company and its culture. Do not ask questions that benefit you, such as salary or perks, it’s too early for those.
• Answer questions in a positive, enthusiastic and professional manner.
• Be a good listener, never interrupt.
• Demonstrate your passion for the job and the company by asking good questions that display your knowledge of the company.
• Towards the end of the call, express interest in the position and company, and then ask the interviewer three questions:
  •      what the next steps will be
  •      your goal is to get a face to face interview, ask for one
  •      the interviewer’s contact info so you can follow up.
• Then thank the interviewer for their time.

After the Call…

• Write or email a thank you letter stating your continued interest in the job and the desire to discuss it further in a face to face interview.
• Write down what you think you did well and what you fell short on during the phone call. If you get another interview, address the items you want to improve and reinforce the positive points.

Next week: Keeping Your Job

Cyn opsis: Classified Advantage is a work in progress, designed with our readers in mind. We welcome your feedback and will try to incorporate any suggestions into our weekly coverage.  And if you have any specific questions or topics of particular interest you’d like our Experts to address, please let me know!  You can reach me – John Cox – directly at [email protected].

We are always on the look out for more Experts to advise our readers – if you’re a headhunter, job coach, career advisor, etc., and may be interested in contributing to this edition from time to time, please contact me at [email protected].

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A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM CYNOPSIS MEDIA EVENTS

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Practicing Your Elevator Pitch
by Fred Silverman

How do you prepare for a job interview? Especially, if you haven’t been looking for work in a long time?  It’s no secret that you should do your homework about any companies of interest.  But, there is something, perhaps even more important, that could change the dynamic between you and a potential employer.  It’s your elevator pitch – the statement that describes who you are and what you do in 30 seconds or less, so it will peak the curiosity of a potential employer.

Many of us have a difficult time talking ourselves up.  But, I contend the sooner you learn to do it, the sooner it becomes part of you.  The sooner you start speaking with conviction about what you have to offer, the sooner you can get in front of an employer with confidence, knowing that you have what it takes to do the job.

One of the best ways to practice your pitch is to role-play with other people.  To start with, it’s probably safer to practice with a colleague or friend until you’re confident about what you have to say.  Ultimately, you want to get to the point where you feel good about your pitch.  It should reflect who you are.

Test your pitch is by talking to people no matter where you might encounter them – the grocery store, your child’s ball game, the coffee shop.  Get used to finding out about people, so you can then tell them about yourself.

Here are three good ways of getting into the habit of practicing your pitch. 

• Before you leave the house, look into a mirror and practice your pitch. You’ll feel stupid at first, but the more you practice, the sooner it becomes part of who you are.
• Role-playing is a good way to hone your skills with people you know and trust.  Once you are confident about what you have to say, then you can move to the next step.
• Get in the game.  The next time you go to a party, set a goal that you’ll strike up a conversation and learn something about another person you’ve never met before.  In return, give that person your elevator pitch.

At first, you may feel very uncomfortable in these kinds of situations, but the more you get out there and actually do it, the less intimidated you’ll be and the better you’ll get at delivering your elevator pitch with conviction.

Fred Silverman is CEO of Silverman Media Group and honed his elevator pitch skills by pitching ideas for episodic TV shows. If you’d like to improve your elevator pitch, he can be reached at (305) 302-4642, [email protected] or take a look at www.silvermanmediagroup.com . He works with individuals, practice groups and entire firms.

Next week: Knitting a Safety Net

If you have any specific questions you’d like our Experts to address, please email them to me, John Cox at [email protected].

Where do you draw the line between being assertive and showing an interest in a position and being a “pest” when calling/returning phone calls? I have a situation where HR contacted me within hours of submitting my resume. The call came right at 5:30p, which I had missed and returned early the next morning. My call was returned late morning and I missed it as I was at an interview. I promptly returned the call and politely allowed as I would be near the phone the rest of the day (since there was a good game of telephone tag going on). There was no call returned on the company’s part that day. So I tried again mid-day the next day leaving a message. No return call that day either. It was now the end of the week and no further return calls from the company. I realize that HR departments are overloaded and that unexpected things happen.

I am very interested in the position and have indicated that in all messages left. There are several options – calling again? Going through main number to a) ask for this person’s email (could come off as being invasive) or b) trying to get through to contact with this method. And how many times should you call back without a return call back?

There are no iron clad rules about how often to call back. Every situation is different. In yours it sounds like they were interested in filling a position or a candidate pool right away, and after not being able to connect with you, moved on. I know that’s not what you want to hear. You were unlucky to miss their calls twice. You’ve let them know you’re interested in the position. If their current candidates don’t pan out they might call you back, but your pushing further will only insure you lose even that slim chance. It just wasn’t meant to be.

Hi. I am a television producer with myriad of job experience in scripted talk for 10 years. I have experience on both the creative & production side. My problem has been that I’ve had to take four years off, a personal hiatus, if you will, to care for my parents whom both have passed away. I’ve interviewed at a number of production companies and have been passed over. When I’ve asked why, I’ve been told it is because of the gap in my work history. This is something that I can’t get around or can I?. I love the industry and am trying to reengage. I’ve offered to take lower scale positions to get a “foot in” and not even that has helped. Your thoughts?

First, you did the right thing so don’t second guess taking care of your parents. It sounds like you’re approaching companies on a speculative basis, rather than in response to a particular opening. In that situation in this environment you’d need to blow a company away to land a spot. They see your hiatus as an easy excuse for saying no. The answer is to lower, widen, and target your efforts. Look for specific openings at a level beneath where you were when you left. Look for jobs in other geographic areas. And broaden your horizons to include jobs in other industries where your hiatus won’t matter.

Stephen M. Pollan ( stephenpollan.com ) is one of America’s most trusted and admired career and financial advisors and Mark Levine ( gostryter.com ) has been Pollan’s collaborator for more than 20 years.

Have a question for our experts? Send it to [email protected]

JOB OF THE WEEK …

OTHER INDUSTRY JOBS OF INTEREST …

liaison for the Agency to the Client and the Employees
Group Director, Strategy
OMD
NYC, NY
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

senior media management representative for his/her respective businesses
Group Director, Digital
OMD
NYC, NY
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

day-to-day liaison between the client and the media community
Strategy Supervisor, Digital
OMD
NYC, NY
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

the champion of thought leadership and you will own the client relationship
Group Account Director
OMD
NYC, NY
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

work with strategists to define campaign key performance indicators and develops reporting templates accordingly
Digital Analyst
OMD
NYC, NY
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

work in partnership with advertising sales staff to understand strategic needs of ad sales department
Director of Ad Sales Research
Ion Media
NYC, NY
http://www.ionmedia.tv/careers/employment.cfm?id=1159

helps create, produce and manage ground breaking, innovative, engaging television programs
Executive Producer   9122
Discovery Communications, Animal Planet/Kids Division
NYC, NY
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

sell commercial time for the Discovery Networks US Hispanic Group
Ad Sales Account Manager   9225
Discovery Communications
NYC, NY
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

coordinates the day-to-day rights and investment activity for TV sales teams covering the USA, Canadian and Latin American markets
Coordinator – Rights & Clearances
BBC America
NYC, NY
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

oversee a consolidated brand group
Senior Director, Strategic Integration, News Sales Integrated Branding   114705BR
Turner Broadcasting
NYC, NY
http://www.turner.com/careers/

oversee and manage sales from the US and Canada as well as support business dealings with US corporate for the teams based outside the US
Ad Sales Director
BBC America
NYC, NY
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

strong knowledge required of stock footage licensing and video production procedures
Freelance Account Executive
BBC America
NYC, NY
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

support the development of WW’s overall US strategy through analysis, project management, and use of strategic frameworks
Manager, Strategy and Research
BBC America
NYC, NY
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

managing the launches and sales success of all digital horizontal (cross-site) media products
Director of Product Management
MTV Networks
NYC, NY
http://www.mtvnetworkscareers.com /

work with a team of product developers, engineers and project managers to develop and produce a crucial platform for MTV’s future
Director, Product – Scenic
MTV Networks
NYC, NY
http://www.mtvnetworkscareers.com /

work with Production, Product Development, Design, and Technology to optimize existing products and templates
Director Information Architecture
MTV Networks
NYC, NY
http://www.mtvnetworkscareers.com /

planning, tracking; managing and helping to define the project they are assigned
Senior Project Manager
MTV Networks
NYC, NY
http://www.mtvnetworkscareers.com /

work closely with product development, technology and project management teams to deliver and maintain high quality products
Manager, Social Media Quality Assurance and Release Management
MTV Networks
NYC, NY
http://www.mtvnetworkscareers.com /

responsible for providing accurate and timely reporting and analysis of Natural Search Reports for multiple MTV Networks websites, and Ad Hoc Reports
Director, SEO Analytics & Feed Optimization
MTV Networks
NYC, NY
http://www.mtvnetworkscareers.com /

growing revenue across NBC Local Media’s digital platforms through the development and sale of creative advertising solutions to clients
Account Executive   1079960
NBC Universal
NYC, NY
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

make Syfy known as an innovative and client-focused partner
Vice President, Strategic Marketing, Syfy Channel   1085368
NBC Universal
NYC, NY
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

expand distribution of UPIE products into new, emerging and non traditional channels across retail and business to business
Business Development Manager   1081570
NBC Universal
London England
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

sell the current output and library of the Warner Bros. Studio and any acquired programming, to operators of SVOD/Pay TV/Free TV/Basic TV across the region
Sales Executive  Central & Eastern Europe & Sub-Saharan Africa   112716BR
Warner Bros. Entertainment Group
London England
http://www.turner.com/careers/

act as an ambassador and spokesperson for BBC.com to the Canadian advertising and media community
Digital Account Executive
BBC America
Toronto Canada
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

identify and develop new domestic and international partnership opportunities and target emerging businesses new to WWE’s existing portfolio, leveraging our wide range of assets
Vice President, Business Development
WWE
Stamford CT
http://www.wwe-careers.com/wwe/JobBoard/SearchJobs.aspx

direct contact with publisher clients to communicate information regarding new and existing programs
Account Manager, Publisher Relations   114716BR
Time Inc
Stamford CT
http://www.turner.com/careers/

provide support in reporting and maintaining accurate and timely financial data, assist in controlling cash management
Finance Director
BBC America
North Kingstown RI
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

develop, manage and implement 360 advertising and marketing campaigns for a variety of clients within the Discovery portfolio
Account Executive   9233
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

develop, manage and implement 360 advertising and marketing campaigns for a variety of clients within the Discovery portfolio
Account Executive   9214
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

conduct analysis to identify, prioritize and help execute approach to align MTP&O goals and processes with wider DCI business
Business Analyst   8848
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

coordinate the overall development process for the network and function to meet business initiatives, standards for quality, value, and innovation
Development Coordinator   9163
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

responsible for contributing to generating program ratings that drive revenue, while building and maintaining the quality of the network brand
Director – Marketing Strategy   8924
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

strategic development and flawless execution of all media activities supporting marketing’s key consumer-targeted initiatives for his/her allocated networks
Director – Media Marketing   9115
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

responsible for analysis and recommendations for corporate marketing strategies across the Discovery family of brands
Director – Strategic Marketing   8606
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

leading special projects relating to new business development and new revenue generation from ancillary exploitation
Director – Strategy & Operations   8836
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

responsible for the management of the financial planning and analysis function of the Emerging Networks Group
Director, FP&A – Emerging Networks   9177
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

responsible for working with public officials, high level educational administrators and senior business executives identifying areas to increase revenue by supporting strategic educational programs aligned to national, state and local STEM and/or policy initiatives
Director, STEM Education & Strategic Initiatives   9229
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

managing consumer marketing for TLC initiatives, with overall goal of increasing viewership, generating revenue and reinforcing brand presence
Marketing Manager   9195
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

implementation and execution of marketing strategies, campaigns and partnerships to help meet the team’s goal of increasing viewership and reinforcing brand presence
Marketing Specialist   9194
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

responsible for inside sales special projects for Discovery Education
National Sales Specialist   9118
Discovery Communications
Silver Spring MD
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

develop strategy and comprehensive marketing plans that creatively leverage available resources
Sr Marketing Manager   114285BR
AOL
Dulles VA
http://www.turner.com/careers/

oversee the daily activities and priorities of either/or the incoming production process or the daily video editing process
Senior Media Producer, Media Operations – In Session   114744BR
Turner Broadcasting
Atlanta GA
http://www.turner.com/careers/

providing support to the Marketing Director in the areas of website content development
Marketing Specialist   114806BR
Turner Broadcasting
Atlanta GA
http://www.turner.com/careers/

track revenue on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to ensure forecast provided to senior management is accurate
Ad Sales Strategist   9188
Discovery Communications
Miami FL
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

participate in all aspects of project lifecycle with a primary focus on business analysis, business design, and quality assurance testing
Business Analyst II   9117
Discovery Communications
Miami FL
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

lead the strategy and execution of marketing plans for WTVJ/NBC 6
Director, Local Brand Marketing   1083373
NBC Universal
Miramar FL
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

acts as the relationship and account manager for all financially related client matters
Budget Project Manager
OMD
Chicago IL
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

the champion of thought leadership and you will own the client relationship
Group Account Manager
OMD
Chicago IL
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

day-to-day liaison between the client and the media community
Strategy Supervisor, Digital
OMD
Chicago IL
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

provides the client with the most effective media plan recommendation to insure that the client’s goals are met
Strategist
OMD
Los Angeles CA
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

provides the client with the most effective media plan recommendation to insure that the client’s goals are met
Media Planner/Strategist
OMD
Los Angeles CA
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

develop strategic insights for media fired by hard science (e.g. Market mix or other modeling, quantitative research) for an assigned client or group of clients
Business Intelligence Director
OMD
Los Angeles CA
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

day-to-day liaison between the client and the media community
Strategy Supervisor
OMD
Los Angeles CA
http://www.omd.com/careers/youandOMD.html

responsible for researching and vetting new program ideas and genres for TLC
Director – Development   8863
Discovery Communications
Los Angeles CA
http://careers.discovery.com/north-america

oversees selected creative audio visual assignments assigned by the various marketing areas within Universal’s Motion Picture Group
VP Creative Theatrical   1091336
NBC Universal
Universal City CA
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

online rich media advertising, promotional & marketing materials, and interactive media for NBC lineup of shows
Digital Designer   1080601
NBC Universal
Universal City CA
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

administer its post production storage area network and nonlinear editing facilities
Digital Systems Specialist   1091323
NBC Universal
Burbank CA
http://www.nbcunicareers.com /

prepare and facilitate internal marketing reports, film status reports and special presentations by working with internal departments to secure information
Creative Marketing Administrator   114378BR
Warner Bros. Entertainment Group
Burbank CA
http://www.turner.com/careers/

finance responsibility for BBC Worldwide’s Content and Production activities in the US
SVP Finance – Content & Production
BBC America
North Hollywood CA
https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/Canviewjobs.cfm

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A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM NY WICT

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Cynopsis CLASSIFIEDS – For More classifieds, visit the Cynopsis.com classifieds page here – also check out our Facebook page where our classifieds are listed the night before the editions are published!

JOB OPENING: SVP, AD SALES/Sirius XM Radio Inc/NYC: Seeking a Sr Exec to lead and manage a nat’l advertising sales team. 10 yrs sales mgmt exp. Apply at: https://careers-siriusxm.icims.com/jobs/4555/job (10/3)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES & DIGITAL MEDIA COORD/Sony Pictures TV Intl Div/Culver City, CA: Digital media background 1+ years, multi-task oriented in fast paced entertainment environment. Pls email: [email protected] (10/3)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/ABC/Burbank: Min 1 yrs exp in TV research, apt at Nielsen, strong written & analytical skills, college degree pref. Apply at: www.disneyabcjobs.com (ID 207697 & 207744) (10/3)

JOB OPENING: DIGITAL DESIGN DIRECTOR/Nickelodeon/NYC: 7+ yrs exp. managing/leading design dept of Ent-based site, Adv Exp in Use Issues, Stng Digi Design knowldge, Kids Audience Exp A+ EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (10/2)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR CONTENT & PROGRAMMING/Nickelodeon Digital/NYC: 7+ yrs exp w/Digi Prog & Editorial, Strng Knwlg w/Online Prod/Trends, Digi Marketing/Childrens media exp. A+ EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (10/2)

JOB OPENING: DIRECTOR, CONTENT & PROGRAMMING/VERTICALS/Nickelodeon Digital/NYC: 7+yrs exp w/Digi Prog & Edit, Strng Knwlg w/Online Prod/Trends, Digi Marketing/Childrens media exp. A+ EOE/M/F/D/AAP. Apply www.mtvnetworkscareers.com (10/2)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES RESEARCH DIRECTOR/ION/NY: 8+ yrs ad sales nat’l resch exp, expert in Galaxy/N Power/MRI/TNS req’d, strong quantitative analytic skills & strat. thinking a must. www.ionmedia.tv/careers/employment.cfm?id=1159 (10/2)

JOB OPENING: MANAGER OF DEV. – ALTA LOMA PROD./Playboy Entertainment/LA: 5+ yrs. exp., 2 yrs. in feature film dev.; studio, production co. and or agency exp. a must. Apply to: http://playboy.net-apply.com/16179; EOE (10/2)

JOB OPENING: SUPPORT SPECIALIST/Invision Inc/NY: 2+ yrs Media Ad Sales, initial contact for clients, problem determination & resolution, track & identify software fixes, good communication& writing skills Apply: [email protected] (10/2)

JOB OPENING: PRODUCER/ SpikeTV/NY: 3 yrs nat’l cable/network exp as writer/producer; related degree pref. Short-form exper reqd. Strong creative/communic sk: writing, design, music direction. Apply: www.mtvnetworkscareers.com EOE (10/2)

JOB OPENING: FREELANCE SPECIALIST, MUSIC SERVICES/AETN/NY:Oversee tracking of music cue sheets.Familiarity with ASCAP/BMI/SESAC. Analyze music agreements. 2-3 yrs exp in TV Music Pub Admin. Apply: www.aetn.com/careers.html (10/2)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST, INT’L TV DIST/Warner Bros/Burbank: 2 yrs TV Research exp. BA in related field. Nielsen Galaxy Explorer a must; ITVR a plus. Strong computer skills. Email: [email protected] RE: UCTC/114268BR (10/2)

JOB OPENING:  RESRCH ANALYST/DIRECTV Latin America/LA: Monitor DTV branded channels and provide insight in the dev of business strategies. Analytical skills. Contractor w/ growth opps. Resume: [email protected] (10/1)

JOB OPENING;  SCHEDULING & ACQUISITIONS/Qubo Children’s Channel/ION/NY: Manages scheduling and oversees all program acquisitions for 24/7 Qubo kids channel.Must have Kids TV experience.EOE. [email protected].  (10/1)

JOB OPENING:  VP, STRATEGIC MARKETING (Syfy)/NBCU/NY: Lead team to strategically expand Syfy client & rev base. BS, 10 yrs sales marktng or business to business marktng exp. Entertainment industry exp. www.nbcjobs.com job#1085368. (10/1)

JOB OPENING: DIR, PRGRMNG/KSBI/OKC: Mng all areas of prgrmng. Prgrmng acquisition, plan’g, Nielsen overnight. Strong knwlg of news media & brdcst sports. BA & 3+yrs exp TV prgmng &/or mktg req’d. [email protected] or fax 405-631-7367 (9/30)

JOB OPENING: RESEARCH ANALYST/NFL/NY: Resourceful, self-starter needed to support league-wide research (Mktg, Media/Sales, & Broadcast); Strong analytical/data interpretation/writing sk. 2-3 yrs exp. Apply @ www.nfl.apply2jobs.com (9/30)

JOB OPENING: SALES MKTG/DAILYMOTION/NYC: Create sales/mktg materials, proposals & responses to RFPs. Dynamic start up envir. 3-5+ yrs relevant experience at a digital publisher or agency a must. Res/cover: [email protected] (9/30)

JOB OPENING: AD SALES TRAFFICKER/DAILYMOTION/NYC: Help monetize the strong growth in the US for world’s largest ind. video site. Must have 3-5 years relevant experience at a digital publisher. Res/cover: [email protected] (9/30)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/Oakland NJ: Seeks AE for local ad sales.3-5 yrs ad sales exp. pref cable TV, radio, e-media adv. Valid NJ DL. See full posting and apply to www.cablevision.jobs req 9446BR (9/30)

JOB OPENING: ACCOUNT MANAGER/SNL Kagan/NY or CA: Conduct onsite/online training, grow the client base and provide best-in-class customer service. Strong comm skills, BA pref plus exp in media industry. Full posting www.snl.com EOE (9/30)

JOB OPENING: EXP’D POST PROD: (exclnt creative creds) to lead editors & GFX artists for a multi-ep doc series. Must relocate to Knoxville for 6-7 month assignment. Res: [email protected] (9/29)

Jane Smith was named GM of ibtikar commercial, a division of twofour54 ibtikar. Jane will concentrate on setting up a commercial structure to contain all content and IP created within the twofour54 business units in addition to multi-platform rights exploitation. Her position will also be in charge of generating distribution for content created by twofour54 at both regional and international levels as well as forging relationships with partners worldwide in broadcast television, digital platforms, publishing, gaming and consumer products.

Katz Advantage, the sales and marketing division of the Katz Media Group, promoted Lauren McHale as VP/Director of Sales, Katz Advantage Sports Marketing. Lauren will now manage all sports sales, offices and personnel within this division. She reports directly to Bonnie Press, President.

Donna Ebbs was named SVP/Programming for the upcoming new television network from the Hasbro-Discovery Communications Joint Venture. The yet-to-be-titled network is due to launch in late 2010 and will reach nearly 60 million US households on what is the present-day Discovery Kids channel. Donna reports to Margaret Loesch, President/CEO and will take charge of planning, directing and implementing the network’s programming strategy. Most recently, Donna was the VP/Original Programming at ABC Family.

Glam Media promoted Jack Rotolo to the newly created position of President/GM, North America. Jack will have oversight of North American sales and operations while reporting to Samir Arora, Chairman/CEO.

Machinima Inc. tapped Andy Shapiro as VP/Creative Development where he will concentrate on developing, packaging and producing episodic series in collaboration with game developers and publishers. In addition, Andy will zero in on the development of original series for the company. Previously, Andy was the Creative Executive at Wonderland Sound and Vision.

The British Academy of Film and Television East Coast (BAFTA East Coast) reupped Gillian Rose as Chairman and Harlene Freezer as Vice Chairman for another two year term each. Gillian is also Head/Distribution with WNET.org, parent company of PBS stations WNET Thirteen and WLIW 21. Harlene is the President of Capstone Entertainment.

Maggie Murphy was named SVP/Development at Cookie Jar Entertainment. Maggie will be involved with developing and increasing the company’s tween-targeted and primetime programming roster. She will report to Tom Mazza, EVP/Head of Worldwide TV.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) advanced Stuart Baxter to SEVP/European Distribution. Stuart will be located at SPT’s European headquarters in London where he will supervise the distribution of all Sony Pictures Entertainment’s feature films and television content to media outlets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Stuart will report directly to Keith Le Goy, President/International Distribution, SPT.

Sundance Channel welcomes Shari Weisenberg as SVP/Marketing, effective immediately. Shari comes to Sundance Channel from SyFy where she served as VP/Strategic Marketing. In her new role, Shari will supervise all strategic marketing efforts for Sundance Channel in addition to its online and on-demand components. Shari will also create and execute brand messaging for different target audiences including consumers, affiliates and sponsors. She will report to Sarah Barnett, EVP/GM.

AmercianLife Network (ALN) hired three new executives: Ed Frazier as Managing Director/Network Operations; John Goldhamer as EVP/Production; and Jon Lunsford as EVP/Business Affairs. All three will work directly with Chris Wyatt, CEO at the company headquarters in Dallas, to expand the network in various directions following its acquisition by Wyatt and Dr. Robert A. Schuller’s ComStar Media in May.

Joe Lagani is making a move from Glam Media to iVillage Networks as the new SVP/Ad Sales, effective October 1. Joe will head all sales activity for iVillage Networks, reporting jointly to Jodi Kahn, EVP, iVillage and Peter Naylor, SVP, NBC Universal Digital Ad Sales.

Barry Chamberlain advanced to EVP/Sales with CBS Studios International where he will continue to manage the sales offices in Latin America, Asia and Australia, working to develop and execute sales strategies in these regions. Barry will also provide oversight for the company’s format business that licenses rights and coordinates the production of localized content based on CBS-owned programming. Barry reports to Armando Nunez, President, CBS Studios International.

Washington, D.C.-headquartered production and post-production company, Interface Media Group, Inc. (IMG) purchased Virginia-based Alexandria Productions, Inc. In so doing, Joel Westbrook, Founder/President of Alexandria Productions will join IMG as Executive Producer to manage original production, co-production and multi-platform projects.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) promoted Todd Miller as EVP/Networks, Asia-Pacific. Todd will provide supervision for SPT’s television networks in the Asia-Pacific region as well as its investments in networks in Australia. Todd will also join the board of directors of SPT’s India joint venture, Multi Screen Media Private Limited (Multi Screen). Based in Hong Kong, Todd reports to Andy Kaplan, President/Networks.

Rentrak Corporation named Steven Walsh as SVP/Sales and Jeremy Gabor as Director/Sales. Based at Rentrak’s New York office, Steven and Jeremy are charged with selling and marketing the company’s current measurement and research tools as well as any new products developed in the future. 

Susie Fitzgerald was hired to the newly created position as SVP/Scripted Development and Current Programming for AMC. Susie will manage the daily operations of AMC’s current original scripted programming and new projects in development. Susie joins AMC from Josephson Entertainment where she was President/Television. For AMC, Susie will be based in Los Angeles and will report to Joel Stillerman, SVP/Original Programming, Production and Digital Content, AMC.

Former Sundance Channel Director/Marketing, Laura Giacalone was appointed VP/Marketing for Discovery Communications’ Planet Green. In her new role, Laura will report to Rob Jacobson, SVP/Marketing, Planet Green.

Actor Ken Howard was elected to the position of national President of the Screen Actors Guild for a two-year term. Howard won the election to become SAG’s 25th president with 47% of the vote after a contentious race. According to Howard, one of his first jobs will be to communicate with the presidents of DGA, WGA and AFTRA to begin bargaining strategies as the contracts for all four unions end in 2011. “Despite the sharp differences that those of us active in guild affairs sometimes have over strategy and tactics, we need to continually remind ourselves that we’re all on the same team, fighting for the same thing — and by pulling together, we’ll only grow stronger,” Howard said.

Mediaedge:cia (MEC) named Ed Ling as Managing Director/Global Solutions. Most recently, Ed was with AnalogFolk, a full-service digital agency founded by Ed and five other partners in early 2008. At MEC, Ed will be based in London and will head the company’s multinational business group and spur strategic direction among its worldwide client base. He will report to Caroline Foster Kenny, Global CCO, MEC.

Later — John
   John Cox for Cynopsis: Classified Advantage
[email protected]
09.29.09

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