E! Networks forms dedicated prod'n arm

Shore upped to senior VP of production

By MELISSA GREGO

Shore

E! Networks has formed E! Studios, a production unit dedicated to serving the programming needs of its cable nets E! Entertainment Television and Style.

The company has upped development VP Jeff Shore to senior VP of production to oversee the new unit. He reports to E! Networks exec VP of entertainment Mark Sonnenberg, who will head up the studio.

Also as part of the company's restructuring, G.M.s for E! and Style will be hired.

The new E! Studios will be devoted to E!'s and Style's growing original programming slate, which includes projects generated inhouse as well as with outside collaborators.

Shore will continue to work closely with development head Kary McHoul, who is charged with leading the nets' collaboration with the entertainment industry to create programming that enhances the E! and Style brand names.

"The move consolidates all of our production and talent resources under one banner," Sonnenberg told Daily Variety. "When Style was set up we created two different production entities. This allows for cross-pollination between E! and Style, and creates certain efficiencies."

Shore is part of the creative team that developed and launched E! Entertainment Television's "The Anna Nicole Show." He joined E! Networks in 1994 and has served as exec producer of "The E! True Hollywood Story" since 1998.