Exec Shuffle
Andre Blay, pioneer in home-video business, was named chairman of the board of Action Pay Per View Network, with Rick Blume continuing as president-chief operating officer.
John C. Severino, president-chief executive officer of Prime Ticket Network, resigned. He was succeeded by Roger Werner, former president of ESPN and head of Prime Ventures.
Don Corsini promoted to executive VP at Prime Ticket from VP of programming and production.
Char Beales,VP of program development at Comsat Video Enterprises, named president-chief operating officer of the Cable Television Administration & Marketing Society.
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J.C. Sparkman, executive VP and executive officer of Tele-Communications Inc. , was elected chairman of the cable industry's Cable in the Classroom, a nationwide public project. He succeeded Amos B. Hostetter Jr., chairman-chief executive officer of Continental Cablevision Inc.
Brendan R. Cluston was elevated to chief operating officer at Tele-Communications Inc. from senior VP for strategic planning. He took on the title previously held by J.C. Sparkman, who continues as an executive VP and a member of the office of the chief executive.
David Meister, chairman of Digital Radio Labs Inc., became president-chief executive officer of the company, which changed its name to Digital Planet Inc. Doug Talley, founder and chief executive officer, retained the title of chairman-chief technical officer.
Roger Williams, senior VP of affiliate sales and consumer marketing at ESPN, was named president of the Travel Channel. At the same time, Norman Zeller, in advertising sales for the Weather Channel, was appointed the Travel Channel's VP for national advertising.
Dick Van Dyke was named chairman of Nick at Nite, to advise on new program acquisitions, be involved in developmental projects and appear in advertising and promotional efforts. Van Dyke's "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was added to Nick at Nite's programming lineup earlier in the year.
Barry Kluger was promoted to senior VP of media and network relations at VH-1 , also adding talent relations duties to his responsibilities. Previously, he was VP of public relations for VH-1.
Andy Friendly, VP of prime-time programming at CNBC, was named to the newly created position of network executive producer.
Michael E. Garstin, managing director of Bear, Stearns' investment banking unit in media and entertainment, moved to Daniels & Associates, a broker of cable television systems, along with associate director Laura A. Clifford and associate D. Ryan McNally. Garstin's title at Daniels is executive VP and senior managing director in charge of investment banking.
Alan Mruvka and Larry Namer, co-founders of Movietime, the precursor service to E! Entertainment Television, sold their remaining shares to the company. These remainining shares amounted to about 4% to 5% of E!
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Steve Hewitt was named senior VP of Showtime Networks Inc.'s new production and development unit. Hewitt was VP of original programming at Showtime.
Terry Botwick, VP of original programming at The Family Channel, switched to Hearst Entertainment Distribution and National Programming, where he became president.
J. Partrick Michaels Jr., chairman of Communications Equity Associated, replaced Andy Orgel as acting president-chief executive officer of Video Jukebox Network Inc., with Vincent P. Monsey, the company's managing director for the U.K. as acting chief operating officer. Luann Simpson, former president of The Travel Channel, was hired as chief financinal and administrative officer.
F. Steven Crawford was named senior VP, cable television, of the E.W. Scripps Co. The appointment filled the void left by the death of Gilles R. Champagne.
Al Barber, president of CNBC, said he would leave his position at the end of the year.
Matt Riklin was promoted to the newly created post of senior VP of program enterprises and distribution at Showtime Networks Inc. He also continues as executive VP of the All News Channel, the joint venture of Viacom (Showtime's parent) and Conus.
Deborah Hays Johns, former press secretary of House Majority leader Richard A. Gephard, was hired by MTV Networks to the new post of senior VP of corporate communications. James Shaw was promoted to executive VP from chief financial officer.
Richard B. Cohen was named president-chief executive officer of International Cablecasting Technologies Europe N.V., moving from The Walt Disney Co.'s Buena Vista Home Video Worldwide, where he was executive VP.
Tom Snyder, host of a nightly syndicated radio program since 1987, was hired by CNBC to host a newly created talk and call-in program, effective late January 1993.
Meredith Wagner was promoted to senior VP, public affairs, Hearst/ABC-Viacom Entertain-ment, the umbrella company for Lifetime and Lifetime Medical TV. Jennifer Young, VP, associate director, national broadcast, and international liaison at Foote, Cone & Belding, joined Lifetime TV as senior VP, marketing.
