• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 16, 2007

Struggling MyNetworkTV, with its decentralized leadership structure, has tapped a dedicated chief. The News Corp.-owned, first-year venture has named syndication veteran Greg Meidel to serve as president.

Meidel--who previously worked at Twentieth Television, which supplies the telenovela programming to MNTV--will report to Jack Abernethy, the CEO of the Fox station group. Fox Television Stations and Twentieth co-run the network.

Meidel said he hopes to "ensure that (MNTV) reaches its full potential."

But what Meidel's role in heading the network will ultimately be is unclear, since no one has yet been slated to report directly to him.

For example, ad sales will continue to be handled by Twentieth, with MNTV ad sales chief Dave Barrington reporting to Bob Cesa, executive vice president-ad sales at Twentieth. And newly appointed affiliate relations head Mary Beth McAdaragh will report to another executive.

Twentieth programming chief Paul Buccieri will continue in that role, and his unit has so far developed what has aired on the all-telenovela network. However, MNTV, whose ratings have been microscopic, has given signals it may look elsewhere for programming options beyond the Twentieth telenovelas--which air five nights a week and require dedicated viewing patterns.

And that's where Meidel's role might ultimately end up: Finding and overseeing a programming format that can make the network a viable, profitable operation. Meidel most recently was president of programming at CBS Paramount Domestic Television, where he had oversight of syndicated shows such as "Dr. Phil" and "Entertainment Tonight."

From 1992-1995, he served as President-COO at Twentieth, where his oversight included "America's Most Wanted," "Cops" and "A Current Affair." (MNTV has mentioned before that it may look at airing some reality series.)

"Greg is a proven leader and one of the most respected television executives in the business," Abernethy said. "These qualities, along with his unique ability to translate a vision into a business of scale, make him the ideal person for this position."

News Corp. President-COO Peter Chernin said last week that MNTV's low ratings are hurting the finances of Fox's 10 owned-and-operated MNTV stations (the network was formed to provide those outlets with programming after UPN was folded into CW).

"We are not happy with the way MyNetworkTV is going ... a little bit rougher than we expected, and the ratings are a little bit softer," Chernin said.

Chernin said MNTV would become a heightened priority within the company, and Meidel's hire is likely a signal along those lines.

MNTV may have suffered from a multi-part, far-from-streamlined leadership structure with the Fox station group and Twentieth as co-operators. Chernin from News Corp.'s top rung, who has said he now intends to become more involved, Abernethy, Fox stations chairman Roger Ailes, and Twentieth President-COO Bob Cook have all played a role in running the venture. And all four are expected to continue doing so.