Studios USA Domestic Television has expanded its affil relations and promo departments in order to accommodate the syndie studio’s largest-ever fall slate, which comprises nine firstrun shows.
Under the new structure overseen by Jim Wagner, VP of ad/promo, Donna Cacciatori will add affil relations for relationship strip “Lover or Loser” to her plate. Cacciatori is director of affil relations for “Maury.”
“Lover or Loser” will have a dual platform run on USA Network and in broadcast syndication, starting Monday, with different episodes airing on each outlet.
Jewel Cobb joins SUDT as director of affil relations and promo for “Sally Jessy Raphael” from WWOR-TV in New York, where she was a writer-producer in the creative services department.
New position
Wendy Abas has been upped to the newly created position of manager of affil relations and promo for “Arrest & Trial,” which debuts Oct. 2, and “The Jerry Springer Show.” Abas, who will report to exec director of affil relations and promo Betsy Bergman, had been exec assistant to senior veep of programming and development Lonnie Burstein.
Nancy Bocchino joins SUDT from Eyemark (now King World), where she was national sales coordinator for domestic syndie TV. Bocchino will serve as manager of affil relations and promo for “Xena: Warrior Princess,” “Back 2 Back Action” and “The Invisible Man,” which started a dual platform run in syndication and on USA Network in June.
Mostly in Gotham
All members of the expanded department will work out of New York, except for Abas, who remains in Los Angeles.
In announcing the appointments, Susan Kantor, exec VP of marketing, added that Laura Harris has been named to replace Jeff Mielke as manager of finance and operations in New York. Mielke was promoted to account exec recently. Harris joins from Island Records’ Black Music division, where she was manager of operations.
