Chris McCarthy Named VH1 General Manger

Chris McCarthy has been named General Manager of VH1, overseeing all creative and business functions for the Viacom network. He replaces Tom Calderone, who has stepped down as president of VH1 after seven years.

McCarthy most recently led MTV2 and Logo, both of which are riding eight consecutive quarters of year-over-year ratings growth, and each is on track to log its highest-rated and most-watched year ever in 2015. McCarthy will likely be tasked with putting VH1 back on ratings growth path after rocky recent performance that saw numbers for the MTV sister network decline. He will report to Doug Herzog, President of the Viacom Music and Entertainment Group. This marks one of the first major executive moves for Herzog since he took over MTV, VH1, MTV2 and Logo as part of the recent executive restructuring of the Viacom networks.

“Chris is a multi-talented executive with a proven ability to build brands and drive viewership across very different demos,” said Herzog. “He’s a forward-thinking leader for this new era in media and a terrific fit for VH1, a beloved brand with a strong team and a unique place in pop culture.”

McCarthy was named General Manager of MTV2 in 2010 by Stephen Friedman, President of MTV. He moved to reposition it as a male-targeted Millennial brand, launching such series as Guy Code, Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out, Joking Off, and Uncommon Sense With Charlamagne. As a result, McCarthy grew MTV2 into a top three cable network for men 12-24 and has posted three consecutive years of growth.

McCarthy was handed the reins to Logo TV in 2014, driving the network to double-digit gains across viewership, digital, and revenue that year. He also has expanded the brand with new original series, events, and a documentary division.

Previously, McCarthy served as EVP for MTV, overseeing strategy, planning, and tentpole events. He began his career at Viacom in marketing at mtvU before rising to be named General Manager for the college network.