CNBC Hires Reality Producer Jim Ackerman To Run Primetime Alternative Programming

EXCLUSIVE: Talk about strange bedfellows. CNBC has just hired Jim Ackerman — the creator of VH1 reality series including Love & Hip Hop, Scream Queens, and Celebrity Fit Club— to be the business channel’s SVP for Primetime Alternative Programming reporting to President Mark Hoffman. In the new position Ackerman “will be responsible for CNBC’s strategy, development and production of new formats, including reality for our networks,” Hoffman said in a memo that just went out to staffers. “His work will complement our highly successful long form and documentary content which has been established over the last few years.” Ackerman had been VH1’s SVP of Development and Production. where he forged partnerships with movie studios and helped to develop the weekly comedy show Best Week Ever. But Ackerman started his career in news in 1985 as a producer at NBC’s Today, and also worked at Dateline NBC, Real Life With Jane Pauley, and First Person With Maria Shriver. In 1992 he joined Lifetime to be executive producer of the talk show Jane Pratt on TV before moving to CBS in 1996 to oversee editorial content at CBS This Morning.  Ackerman left in 1999 to develop his own shows but returned to VH1 in 2003 to oversee East Coast development.