MTV Executives to Oversee Content and Scripted at Showtime Paramount+ The Hollywood Reporter

Chris McCarthy has outlined Showtime’s new executive leadership ahead of its formal integration with Paramount+.

After parting ways with co-president of entertainment Jana Winograde and shifting two-decade Showtime veteran Gary Levine to an advisory role, McCarthy has turned to his top lieutenants at MTV Studios, Nina L. Diaz and Keith Cox, to take on more prominent leadership roles at the premium cable network. The moves are part of a greater integration between McCarthy’s MTV Entertainment Studios with Showtime and come ahead of the cabler’s rebranding and consolidation with Paramount+.

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As part of McCarthy’s new structure, outlined in detail via a memo to staff (read it below), COO and CFO Michael Crotty, exec vp nonfiction Vinnie Malhotra, exec vp and general counsel Rob Rosenberg, and vp and entertainment counsel Kent Sevener have joined Jana Winograde in leaving the network. Additional layoffs are expected to come following the major restructuring.

“As we continue to integrate Showtime across the organization partnering with Tom Ryan and his team in streaming, I’m excited to share that we’re combining Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios into one unified leadership team,” wrote McCarthy, who serves as CEO of Showtime, MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. “Together, these creative powerhouses make some of the biggest hits in TV: From Yellowstone to Yellowjackets, Dexter to The Daily Show, Billions to Beavis, The Chi to The Challenge, Jersey Shore to Tulsa King, Drag Race to The Department, Love and Hip Hop to Your Honor, plus Emily in Paris, South Park and Mayor of Kingstown,to name just a few.”

Diaz will expand her role as chief creative officer and president of content at Showtime. Diaz, who started out as an unscripted exec working under McCarthy at MTV, has been a rising star as the latter exec has transcended to the top creative role on Paramount Global’s linear side.

Cox, the former president of TV Land who has been a rising star at Viacom-turned-Paramount Global under former Paramount Network president Kevin Kay, will expand his role as president of scripted, reporting to Diaz. Cox, who added oversight of development and production at Paramount Network in 2017, has been the creative in charge of Taylor Sheridan and the showrunner’s wildly popular Yellowstone franchise dating back to when former Spike TV president Kay turned to him for the role.  

Amy Israel will stay on at Showtime and continue as exec vp scripted, now reporting to Diaz as McCarthy looks to keep some of the bones of Showtime’s former structure with Levine remaining on board in an advisory role.

Here’s McCarthy’s memo outlining Showtime’s new leadership structure:

Hello everyone,

As we continue to integrate SHOWTIME across the organization partnering with Tom Ryan and his team in streaming, I’m excited to share that we’re combining SHOWTIME and MTV Entertainment Studios into one unified leadership team. Together, these creative powerhouses make some of the biggest hits in TV: From Yellowstone to Yellowjackets, Dexter to The Daily Show, Billions to Beavis, The Chi to The Challenge, Jersey Shore to Tulsa King, Drag Race to The Department, Love and Hip Hop to Your Honor, plus Emily in Paris, South Park and Mayor of Kingstown, to name just a few.

Additionally, below you will also find the leadership team for our new unified group as well as the key SHOWTIME executives. 

Everyone listed reports to me except where noted.

Please join me in congratulating these seasoned and exceptional leaders with whom I’m privileged to work alongside as we maximize our full creative potential and harness our creative strengths.

Creative Leadership – SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios

• Nina L. Diaz – Nina will expand her role as Chief Creative Officer & President of Content
• Keith Cox – Keith will expand his role as President of Scripted, reporting to Nina
• Amy Israel – Amy will continue in her role as EVP for SHOWTIME Original Scripted, reporting to Nina
• Trevor Rose – Trevor will expand his role as EVP/Head of Talent and Casting, reporting to Nina
• Keri Flint – Keri will expand her role as EVP/Head of Production, reporting to Nina and Keyes
• Michael Elias – Michael will take on a new role as EVP/Head of Scripted Production, reporting to Keri

Please note, Unscripted content will be managed by the existing Unscripted leadership team under Nina. 

SHOWTIME – Executives 

• Gary Levine – As announced earlier, Gary will be Senior Creative Advisor for SHOWTIME
• Virginia Lazalde McPherson – Virginia will be taking on a new role as EVP/Head of Strategy & Business Operations, serving as my deputy for all things SHOWTIME
• Amy Britt – Amy will continue her role as EVP Talent & Casting for SHOWTIME reporting to Gary and Trevor
• Tracey Wolfson – Tracey will continue in her role as SVP, Program Operations and Global Distribution, reporting to Keyes
• Ken Kay – Ken will continue in his role as EVP of Distribution for SHOWTIME, reporting to Ray Hopkins 
• Stephen Espinoza – Stephen will continue in his role as President of Sports, moving over to CBS Sports reporting to David Berson, President of CBS Sports
• Michael Engleman – Michael will continue in his role as Chief Marketing Officer
• Kim Lemon – Kim will continue in his role as EVP/Head of Insights & Prog., reporting to Colleen and me 

Group Leadership – Paramount Media Networks and SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios 

• Keyes Hill-Edgar – Keyes will expand his role as Chief Operating Officer 
• Barbara Zaneri – Barb will expand her role as Chief Programming Acquisitions Officer for Paramount Global, taking on day to day responsibilities for SHOWTIME 
• Laurel Weir – Laurel will continue in her role as EVP/Head of Prog. & Insights, reporting to Colleen and me
• Ericka Wright-Tomlinson – Ericka will expand her role as SVP/Head of HR, reporting to Whitney Delich, EVP HR
• Jeannie Scalzo – Jeannie will expand her role as EVP of Brand Partnerships across the Group
• Lance McPherson – Lance will expand his role as EVP, Deputy GC and Business & Legal Affairs, reporting to Seth Levin, EVP and Deputy GC for Paramount Media Networks and will continue to partner with Keyes
• Liza Burnett Fefferman – Liza will expand her role as EVP/Head of Comms. & Co-Head, MTV Doc Films w/Nina
• Amy Campbell – Amy will continue in her role as Chief Marketing Officer
• Candice Brancazio – Candice will expand her role as CFO, partnering w/Keyes & reporting to Bryon Rubin, CFO of TV Media
• Kelly Bradshaw – Kelly will continue in her role as SVP/Head of International Markets, reporting to Pam and me

Additionally, Bruce Gillmer will continue to oversee all music across the company inclusive of Showtime in his role as President of Music and Tentpole Events continuing to report to Bob. No changes to Nickelodeon Networks and, as previously announced, Erin Calhoun has expanded her role as EVP Comms. for Paramount/Showtime Streaming & Cross-Co. Publicity, reporting to Tom Ryan & Justin Dini, Head of Comms. Erin will continue to partner with Liza and me on the content we create for streaming.

With this new structure, we will be saying goodbye to several colleagues and friends who have been vital in making SHOWTIME what is today including from the executive team: Michael Crotty, Vinnie Malhotra, Rob Rosenberg, Kent Sevener and, as announced earlier today, Jana Winograde. Please join me in thanking them for their invaluable contributions and wishing them the best in their next endeavors. 

Many thanks,

Chris 

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