ITV

Tag: Simon & Schuster

  • Glenn Beck’s final show on Fox News on 30 June

    Glenn Beck’s final show on Fox News on 30 June

    MUMBAI: Fox News will air the final episode of Glenn Beck on 30 June, winding up the third highest rated show on cable news in the US.

    Although the contract ends at the end of the year, the 47-year-old anchor will be quitting before that.

    The reason for the closure is said to be Beck’s desire to pursue other projects and a series of ventures he has to take care of.

    Beck, founder and CEO of Mercury Radio Arts, has a popular website, a daily talk-radio show that airs throughout US, and a web TV channel he is working with.

    Also, there is buzz that Beck is having trouble with Fox News because of his controversial views, which have resulted in advertisers refusing to buy time on his show. Another reason for the closure could be the ratings of the show, which are said to have gone down by 40 per cent.

    However, Beck’s association with the Fox doesn’t end. His production house will develop and produce television projects that will air on Fox News Channel and other digital related platforms. Apart from that, he will continue to produce books in partnership with Simon & Schuster.

  • Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products appoints Brian Offutt as SVP entertainment products

    Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products appoints Brian Offutt as SVP entertainment products

    MUMBAI: Brian Offutt, the former head of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products’ (NVCP) Los Angeles office, has relocated to New York to oversee the NVCP home entertainment, publishing, and record business. The announcement was made by NVCP president, Leigh Anne Brodsky, to whom he will continue to report.

    Offutt replaces Stephen Youngwood, who last month became executive vice president, digital media, at Nickelodeon.

    In his new role as senior vice president, entertainment products, Offutt has been charged with managing the home video/DVD, publishing and music businesses for Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Noggin, and The N, as well as the home video/DVD, book publishing and videogame businesses for Comedy Central, Spike TV and TV Land and the book publishing business for Paramount — all networks and the movie studio within the Viacom family that are handled for licensing and merchandising by NVCP.

    Specifically, he will oversee a staff that manages relationships with Paramount Home Entertainment that distributes all NVCP home videos; Nick Records, which has been in partnership with Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group since 2004; and the publishing group, with partners including Simon & Schuster and Random House.

    “Brian Offutt has been an integral part of Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products for the past year, setting up our licensing and merchandising team within Paramount Pictures and bringing to market such successful product as the Godfather videogame. He brings to his new position a keen understanding of both the entertainment and merchandising businesses to further develop our content-driven businesses,” said Brodsky.

    Before joining NVCP in January 2005, Offutt was chief operating officer of Broadway Video Entertainment, a leading independent television and film production company founded by Lorne Michaels. In that position, he was directly responsible for the company’s post-production business unit, whose clients included CBS Sports, Showtime and MTV Networks.

    Prior to Broadway Video, Offutt was president and COO of Interdimensions, an online technology and interactive solutions company. He also served as senior vice president of Golden Books, an executive recruiter at Spencer Stuart and an investment banking analyst at JP Morgan.

    Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products manages the third largest licensing business in the world and such properties as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. The department handles the merchandising for Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, MTVN International, and Spike TV.