COMEDY CENTRAL® Promotes Kent Alterman To President, Content Development & Original Programming

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kent Alterman has been promoted to President, Content Development & Original Programming, COMEDY CENTRAL, it was announced by Doug Herzog, President, Viacom Media Networks Entertainment Group and Michele Ganeless, President, COMEDY CENTRAL.  Alterman will continue to be based in the brand's offices in Santa Monica, CA and report to Ganeless.  He was formerly Head of Original Programming and Production, responsible for the development and day-to-day operations of all original programming on COMEDY CENTRAL's linear channel.

In his new position, Alterman will oversee the development and production of original content across all platforms produced by the #1 brand in comedy.  With COMEDY CENTRAL's move to consolidate all content creation under Alterman, regardless of platform, fans will receive more extensions of existing franchises, which will see deeper social and digital integrations, as well as a rededicated push to incubate new voices, concepts and future franchises, all with social strategies integrated into every stage of development (more on these initiatives will be announced shortly).

Alterman will also continue to oversee COMEDY CENTRAL's Talent and Specials team, which is responsible for identifying and developing the next generation of comedy stars and producing the brand's stand-up series and specials, as well as special event programming such as the Emmy^®-nominated "COMEDY CENTRAL Roast" franchise and the star-studded "Night of Too Many Stars" autism benefit.

Additionally, Alterman and the Talent team will be more closely aligned with COMEDY CENTRAL's Enterprises division, headed by Mitch Fried, to maximize the brand's talent partnerships and initiatives across the category-leading brand extensions, including Consumer Products, Home Entertainment, Records, Live Entertainment and Publishing.  Under this new alignment, Fried will report to both Ganeless and Alterman.

"Kent's relationships with the creative community run deep and his track record in working with and developing strong, unique comedic voices is unparalleled in the comedy world," said Herzog.

"In consolidating all content development under Kent's direction, COMEDY CENTRAL is breaking the wall between linear, digital and social development, with a strategic vision that great content is great content, no matter what platform," said Ganeless.

Said Alterman, "I couldn't be more excited to continue my relationship with COMEDY CENTRAL.  I couldn't be less excited either.  I really feel I have the perfect level of excitement for this job."

Since returning to COMEDY CENTRAL in 2010, Alterman and his development team, led by Jim Sharp, Gary Mann, Jonas Larsen and Brooke Posch, have launched numerous new franchises for COMEDY CENTRAL, including "Workaholics," "Key & Peele," "Brickleberry," "The Burn with Jeff Ross" and the brand's newest hit, "Kroll Show" starring Nick Kroll, the first of an unprecedented number of new series launching during the first half of 2013 (which will see a +55% increase in original programming vs. 2012), including premieres from Anthony Jeselnik ("The Jeselnik Offensive"), Ben Hoffman ("The Ben Show"), Nathan Fielder ("Nathan for You"), Amy Schumer ("Inside Amy Schumer"), Andy Daly ("Review") and Derek Waters ("Drunk History").

Prior to rejoining COMEDY CENTRAL in January 2010, Alterman had an overall feature film producing and directing deal with Fox Film Studios, and also produced and directed projects in development at New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., Lionsgate Films and 20^th Television Studio.  Before that, Alterman directed and executive produced New Line's feature film, "Semi-Pro," starring Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson and Andre Benjamin.  He was with New Line from 2001 to 2006, as Executive Vice President overseeing a diverse slate of films including "Elf," "A History of Violence" and "Little Children."

Alterman enjoyed a previous stint at COMEDY CENTRAL, when he served as head of the brand's New York development office before departing in 2001, during which time he oversaw development and production on such series as "Strangers with Candy" with Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris; "Upright Citizens Brigade" with Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Matt Besser and Matt Walsh; and "Viva Variety" starring Thomas Lennon, Michael Ian Black and Kerri Kenney-Silver.  Early in his career, he worked with Michael Moore as a Writer, Director and Executive Producer on the Emmy^® Award-winning series, "TV Nation."

SOURCE COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications