Jerry Leo has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Program Strategy, Lifestyle Networks, & Production, Bravo Media, it was announced today by Frances Berwick, President, Lifestyle Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. In his expanded role, Leo will add responsibility for E! Entertainment and Esquire Network to his current duties at Bravo and Oxygen Media. He will oversee the strategic planning and programming across all four networks in order to maximize brand value for the lifestyle portfolio. Leo will work closely with research, marketing and creative to set series goals that best support and elevate each network. In addition, he will continue to supervise Bravo’s production team from the creative to operations and management. Based in New York, Leo will continue to report to Berwick on Bravo and Oxygen, and now Adam Stotsky, General Manager E! Entertainment and President, Esquire, for those networks.
“Jerry is a strong leader with extensive industry knowledge, keen programming instincts and his finger on the competitive pulse,” said Berwick. “His expanded role over all four brands enables us to align an overarching programming strategy and create impactful growth across all platforms.”
In his previous role, Leo diversified Bravo’s slate with its foray into the scripted space with the network’s first drama “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce,” which will soon be followed by the half-hour comedy, “Odd Mom Out.” With over 500 hours of year round original content, Leo spearheaded the strategic planning and production behind Bravo’s high-quality programming including the “Million Dollar Listing” franchise, “Vanderpump Rules,” “Below Deck,” “Watch What Happens Live” and “Shahs of Sunset.” He also heads up the network’s pop culture and entertainment trend tracking. During his tenure at Bravo, the network has maintained the most affluent, educated and engaged audience across cable entertainment and is now a Top 10 network in P18-49 and P25-54.
In 2013, Leo added Oxygen to his purview where he led the scheduling strategy behind the network’s rebrand, which debuted a new look and programming filter targeting young, multicultural women. He increased the network’s programming slate with 20 new original series. Oxygen remains the youngest women’s network in prime.
Leo joined Bravo in 2005 as Vice President, Strategic Program Planning & Scheduling where he scheduled tentpole series including the Emmy winning “Top Chef” franchise, Emmy winning “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” “Project Runway” and “The Real Housewives” franchise. He increased Bravo’s programming slate by more than 250 percent and expanded from two nights to five nights of seamless originals.
Prior to Bravo, Leo held a number of positions at MTV Networks most recently as Vice President, Program Planning for VH1 where he managed the program strategy for “Behind The Music,” “Divas Live,” “Storytellers,” “Pop Up Video” and popular franchises such as the “100 Greatest,” “I Love the 80s” and “Celebreality.” Leo began his television career at NBC in the Corporate Communications, Prime Time Sales and Entertainment Programming departments.
Leo was inducted into CableFAX’s “Program Hall of Fame” in 2014 and was featured on Variety’s “Reality TV Impact Report” in 2013. He is currently a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS), British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Paley Center for Media. In addition, Leo frequently lectures on media studies at major universities including NYU, Carnegie Mellon University, the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and the Wharton School of Business.
About Bravo Media
Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.
About E! Entertainment
E! is the only global, multiplatform brand for all things pop culture. The network is currently available to 98 million cable and satellite subscribers in the U.S. Eonline delivers breaking entertainment news and in-depth coverage on television, movies, music, celebrities, fashion, beauty and lifestyle. One of the fastest-growing, most influential digital properties, Eonline is a leader in online video and mobile and a leading entertainment brand across social. E! programming includes core franchises “E! News,” “The Soup” and “Fashion Police, popular series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “Total Divas,” “#RichKids of Beverly Hills,” “Botched” and “House of DVF,” as well as the network’s upcoming first original scripted series “The Royals.” Additionally, E!’s “Live from the Red Carpet” signature events keep fans connected to their favorite stars on pop culture’s biggest nights. E! is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.
About Esquire Network
Esquire Network champions the pursuit of a well-played life. The lifestyle and entertainment network features programming that speaks to classic and contemporary passions and interests, from fashion and style to food and drink, travel, family and relationships. Building on Esquire magazine’s 80 years of insight into what makes men tick, Esquire Network is available wherever viewers are watching: in 70 million homes nationwide, online at http://esquiretv.com, On Demand, via mobile with the Esquire TV Now app and other platforms. Esquire Network is a unit of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. To find Esquire Network, visit: http://esquiretv.com/channelfinder.
About Oxygen Media
Oxygen Media is a multiplatform entertainment brand that targets young, multicultural women. Available in 80 million homes, Oxygen Media is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. For more information visit www.oxygen.com and to follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OxygenPR.
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BRAVO & OXYGEN MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Geisser
212-664-4864
E! ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA CONTACT:
Sarah Goldstein
323-692-4552
[email protected]
ESQUIRE MEDIA CONTACT
Nidia Caceros
818-777-1458
[email protected]
SOURCE: NBCUniversal
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