ICM is creating an international television and media division, and has tapped Greg Lipstone and Steve Wohl to run it.
Lipstone and Wohl will jointly oversee the tenpercentery’s reality TV packaging and format business. They’ll also work to adapt new media properties for television and transform international suppliers into U.S.-based producers.
Pippa Lambert, an ICM agent based in London, will manage the unit’s European business.
ICM co-prexy Chris Silbermann announced the promotions of Lipstone and Wohl Wednesday, explaining that the old title of “alternative” TV was too narrow a description for their department.
“I don’t think alternative is the right name anymore for what this department does,” Silbermann told Daily Variety.
He said that, together, Wohl and Lipstone are involved in setting up firstrun syndie fare, traditional reality shows, adapting reality formats and bringing international scripted formats to the States.
What’s more, while international suppliers such as BBC or Granada once were happy to simply sell their ideas to U.S. broadcasters, such companies now are looking to produce programming themselves. “Dancing With the Stars,” for example, is produced by British producers now living in Los Angeles.
“There’s a business in building these producers in the United States,” Silbermann said.
Wohl had served as head of alternative programming, with Lipstone a senior VP.
“They complement each other well and have interlocking skills,” Silbermann said. “We look at this as an expansion of their jobs and a promotion for both of them.”
Lipstone and Wohl have put together a slew of unscripted skeins, including “Dancing With the Stars” and “America’s Next Top Model.” Tenpercentery’s alternative client list includes LMNO Prods., Nash Entertainment, Rocket Science, 12 Yard Prods., Granada America, Nippon Television, BBC Worldwide and 10 X 10 Prods.
Wohl has been at ICM since 1987, most recently serving as senior VP. Lipstone came to the agency in June 2005 as senior VP, having previously spent two decades at William Morris.
