Summer of Staff Moves

During a week in which Viacom-owned MTV Networks slashed 20% of Comedy Central’s affiliate sales, marketing and operations staff, or about 80 people, several other programmers announced key personnel appointments. Lifetime created two senior positions, elevating EVP Rick Haskins and EVP of sales Lynn Picard. Haskins, who joined Lifetime in 1999, was promoted to EVP and GM of Lifetime Entertainment Services. Picard was named EVP and GM of Lifetime Television Network, and will oversee day-to-day operations as well as all advertising sales. Showtime Networks named Six Feet Under executive producer Bob Greenblatt its new president, entertainment, reporting to CEO Matthew Blank. Greenblatt, a Fox veteran, comes to Showtime from the Greenblatt Janollari Studio. He succeeds Jerry Offsay. At Turner Broadcasting Sales, Greg D’Alba was promoted to EVP and COO of CNN Advertising Sales and Marketing, where he will oversee all of CNN’s domestic cable and Web sales and marketing. Larry Goodman, former president of CNN’s sales division, is retiring, but will assist D’Alba through a transition period. NBC also boosted personnel, naming Lorey Zlotnick VP, consumer marketing, for Bravo, where she will be responsible for branding, consumer marketing and promotion concepts. Zlotnick comes to her newly created position from Sony Pictures Digital. Also promoted was Mitch Salem, to SVP, business affairs. At NFL Networks, NFL senior director of broadcasting Charles Coplin was elevated to VP of programming, where he will oversee all programming budgets and new content acquisition and development. NFL also tapped YES Network director of programming Daniel Margulis to come on board as the network’s director of program acquisitions. The week was not without other defections. BET said Friday its chief financial officer, Bob Ambrosini, is leaving. And FamilyNet president Dr. David Clark will leave that network to join Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla., as president.