Latest in Development

EXCLUSIVE: Seasoned drama writer-producers Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts have inked an overall deal with ABC Studios. Under the two-year pact, the two are joining the studio's new ABC drama series Off the Map as executive producers and will also develop new projects. Berg and Harberts will serve as senior level writ…

1492 Pictures and South Korea-based CJ Entertainment unveiled their first slate this morning since signing a three-year development deal late last year to create family-friendly films with global appeal. 1492 partners Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe pick the projects, and CJ funds development and…

Charlotte Thorp is leaving the London-based sales agent today to become E1's new London-based head of TV sales and business development for film, UK and Ireland. Thorp will begin work at E1, whose recent releases include The Twilight Saga: New Moon, on July 1. She joined Hanway from MTV Networks in March…

The broadcaster is jointly developing a feature film version of Channel 4 TV series Skins with series producer Company Pictures and Stormdog Films. CinemaNX, the Isle of Man-based financier and distributor, is also on board. Skins, which has finished its 4th season on digital entertainment channel E4, follows a group…

Simon Andreae has been named SVP of development and production for Discovery Channel. Andreae, who will start on June 1 and will be based in Los Angeles, will head Discovery’s West Coast development and production of series and specials, working closely with Clark Bunting, president and GM of Discovery Channel and…

Heather Olander has been named VP programming and development for CBS Television Distribution where she will be involved in developing new syndicated shows as well as overseeing current first-run strips. Olander joins CTD from MTV, where she was VP of original series development and current programming. Previously…

EXCLUSIVE: While gearing up for the upfronts over the past few weeks, ABC also opened a second, slower track for projects it wanted to spend more time on off-cycle. I hear five hourlong scripts are on the so-called spring development list, which is expected to yield two pilot orders this summer. The list includes Charl…

Lauren Dolgen has been promoted to SVP of MTV Series Development, West Coast for MTV. She will oversee west coast reality programming for the network and be responsible for managing west coast slate and staff, including the pending hire of several new executives. Dolgen created MTV's hit reality series 16 & Pregnant…

At their upfront presentation, TNT and TBS unveiled a slew of projects in development. TBS also announced a premiere date for the Conan O'Brien late-night talks show: November 8. TNT The network will air seven original series this summer, The Closer, the final installment of Saving Grace, Dark Blue, Leverage, Hawthorne…

LOS ANGELES – May 19, 2010 – CMT has expanded the role of recently-added SVP Brad Johnson, to include the oversight of all series development for the network, it was announced today by Bob Kusbit, head of development, CMT. Johnson joined CMT last November, focusing exclusively on comedy development for the channel. In…

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – May 7, 2010 – Four executives have been named to program posts in NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, including Lourdes Diaz, who joins the company as VP, Drama Programming.  In addition, Rebecca McGill is elevated to Director, Drama Programming; Joey Chavez is promoted to Manager…

Spike TV has promoted Sharon Levy to EVP original series and animation, it was announced by Kevin Kay, president of the network, to whom she reports.  Based in Spike's Los Angeles offices, Levy was formerly SVP original series. Levy will continue to oversee production and development for all of Spike's expanding…