Julie McNamara Joins CBS All Access As Head Of Original Content

As CBS All Access is mounting a push in original programming, the SVOD and live-streaming service is bringing in a top development executive to spearhead the efforts. Julie McNamara, who has led drama development at CBS Television Studios for the past 10 years, has been named to the newly created position of EVP Original Content for CBS All Access. She will continue to report to CBS TV Studios president David Stapf. She now will also report to Marc DeBevoise, EVP and General Manager of CBS Digital Media, CBS Interactive. There is no official word, but at CBS Studios, McNamara is expected to be succeeded by CBS drama executive Bryan Seabury. An announcement of his promotion will likely come later today.

This marks the latest top-level CBS position filled by the company’s executive bench. In her previous role as head of drama for CBS TV Studios, McNamara oversaw the development of CBS All Access’ first original scripted series, an all-new Star Trek, set to premiere in January 2017, and a spinoff of The Good Wife, targeted for spring 2017. The plan is to introduce three or four new series in the next year. McNamara will oversee all current and future original series for the service.

“Julie has been one of the industry’s pre-eminent drama development executives for more than a decade,” said Stapf. “Her taste, business savvy and deep relationships with the creative community will serve her and CBS All Access well as we move forward with more marquee premium content for subscribers. As a studio, we’re very excited to expand into this space, and even more excited to do so with a dedicated executive of Julie’s caliber.”

McNamara spending the past 10 years at CBS Television Studios, most recently as EVP Drama Development, overseeing development for all primetime drama series for broadcast television. In that role, McNamara shepherded The Good Wife, Elementary, Scorpion, Jane The Virgin, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, Madam Secretary, Under The Dome and NCIS: Los Angeles, among others.

Prior to that, she served as VP Drama Development at ABC Network, where she developed Alias, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy.