TVGN Names Schwartz President

Now under the new CBS and Lionsgate partnership, TVGN -- which had been known by the name TV Guide Network -- has a new president, former Fuse network executive Brad Schwartz.

Schwartz will be president of entertainment and media -- the first executive appointment made as part the new CBS and Lionsgate co-ownership of the network. He was senior vice president of programming and operations for MSG Media's Fuse network, a cable channel focusing on music.

Previously, Schwartz was general manager of a number of music and pop culture cable networks in Canada -- part of Bell Media’s CTV, which includes MTV Canada, MuchMusic, MTV2 and MuchMore. Before that, he was director of global marketing partnerships at MTV, as well as having a TV executive position at "Saturday Night Live."

In speaking about the hire, Leslie Moonves, president and chief executive officer of CBS Corp., stated: “This partnership is all about improving a property that has tremendous potential it has yet to realize. The key to that improvement will be growing the quality of the programming offered to the more than 80 million viewers who have access to TVGN. I can think of no better person to manage that process than Brad."

Recently, CBS bought an equity position in the TVGN last month, making it co-owners with TV production and distribution company, Lionsgate. One estimate is that the CBS deal -- a stake bought from JP Morgan Chase -- was valued for around $130 million. The agreement also gives CBS a stake in TVGuide.com. The current tagline of the networks is "TVGN: "Hollywood Starts Here."

TVGN currently focuses on on a mix of reality-style entertainment programming, off-network shows, and movies. Shows include content on celebrity lifestyles and entertainment news. Some shows include "Designing Women," "Ugly Betty" and "Who's The Boss?" in daytime and older theatrical movies in prime time.

Jon Feltheimer, CEO of Lionsgate, said of Schwartz:  “He has his finger on the pulse of pop culture.”

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1 comment about "TVGN Names Schwartz President".
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  1. Edmund Singleton from Winstion Communications, April 17, 2013 at 4:16 a.m.

    Now if only they will kill that annoying on-screen logo...

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