• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, June 6, 2007

MTV Networks yesterday named Dan Hart senior vice president and general manager of MTV Digital. A veteran of the network, Hart most recently served as MTV's vice president of online games strategy and operations.

In his new role, Hart will be responsible for keeping MTV.com on consumers' radar screens during a period of rapid change for media companies.

Hart will report to Christina Norman, president of MTV, and Brian Graden, president of entertainment for MTV Networks' Music Group, and will also work under the oversight of Courtney William Holt, executive vice president of digital music and media for MTV Networks' Music Group.

The top digital seat at MTV has been empty since Ben White left the company in November to follow his comrade and former MTVN digital chief Jason Hirschhorn to form a new entertainment division at time-shifting consumer electronics startup Sling Media.

White had served as vice president of digital media at MTV, where he managed the brand's digital business including programming, production and product development, including the launch of MTV's broadband network, Overdrive.

In addition to Hart, MTV has promoted Paul DeBenedittis to vice president of operations for MTV Digital, and Colin Helms to vice president of programming for MTV Digital.

In his new role, Hart will also work with Dave Sirulnick, executive vice president, MTV multi-platform production, news and music.

"Dan has a keen eye for building digital products and businesses that deliver exceptional user experiences," Christina Norman said in a statement.

Facing criticism for not properly articulating its digital strategy, MTV Networks last month unveiled an expansive plan to build thousands of Web sites where users can watch, contribute and re-edit MTV content. Sites are now being built around everything from personalities to particular aspects of popular shows like "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills."

Still, MTV is attracting viewers online. In the first quarter of this year, the number of unique visitors to MTV.com rose 51% over the same quarter last year. In addition, since January, the site has streamed nearly 146 million music videos.

Since joining MTV Networks in 2004, Hart has led the team that developed game play properties across multiple MTVN sites, and created games based on shows like "The Real World" and "Pimp My Ride."