Chris McCarthy, president of VH1 and Logo, will also head up MTV, it was announced on Monday, hours after MTV President Sean Atkins’s revealed in a staff memo that he will step down after just one year.
McCarthy will continue to report to Doug Herzog, president of Viacom Music and Entertainment Group, which owns all three networks.
“Chris has infused every brand he’s led with creativity, strategic clarity and distinctive talent — driving results that defy this extraordinarily competitive landscape,” Herzog said in a statement. “MTV is an iconic brand full of opportunity, and Chris has demonstrated the vision and ability to grow its expansive reach and powerful cultural impact.”
Atkins was hired in September 2015 to lead MTV, MTV2 and mtvU to replace Stephen Friedman, who decided not to renew his contract after serving as president of MTV since 2011, and having been with the company since 1998.
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In April 2016, Atkins unveiled a brand turnaround to “put the ‘M’ back in MTV,” and introduced an ambitious upfront slate that introduced 14 new series inspired by music and youth culture, including the return of Unplugged and Cribs, as part of an ultimately unsuccessful strategy to reverse declining ratings.
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During the transition, Atkins will stay on as a consultant through January.
“This was in no way an easy decision for me,” he said in the memo. “You will all be in very good hands as I move on, I assure you.”
McCarthy became general manager of MTV2 in 2010, and Logo in 2014, where he oversaw 10 consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth with shows like Emmy-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race. Logo and MTV2 saw their highest-rated years ever in 2015.
He became GM at VH1 in July, 2015, and was promoted to president of VH1 and Logo in June 2016. Under his leadership, in 2016 VH1 has seen its largest year-over-year ratings growth in nearly 15 years, becoming one of the fastest growing top 25 entertainment networks on cable.
McCarthy has revitalized the brand with new series and programming, including the revival of America’s Next Top Model and the Hip-Hop Honors franchise, as well as the upcoming Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party.
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“I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead MTV, the place where I grew up and learned from some of the most gifted, creative and genuine leaders,” McCarthy said in a statement. “The power of the MTV brand is its ability to let go everything it knows and reinvent for the next generation of youth, and I’m excited to push the boundaries of what it can be in this transformative time.”
Meanwhile, Atkin’s resignation follows the 2015 departure of MTV’s president of programming Susanne Daniels, who joined YouTube; MTV Networks Music and Logo Group President Van Toffler’s exit in February after 28 years at the company; and MTV reality head Lauren Dolgen’s exit four months ago after 19 years at the network.
In boardroom drama over shareholders, Viacom also ousted CEO Philippe Dauman, with his interim replacement Tom Dooley announcing last month that he plans to step down in November, and Jeff Lucas, former sales chief, leaving for a position at Snap Inc.
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Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman to Depart Sept. 13
Viacom Interim CEO Tom Dooley to Depart on Nov. 15
Viacom and CBS are also in the process of exploring a possible merger.
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READ MORE: Adweek, Wall Street Journal
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