Bunim/Murray chair stands down in shake up

Jonathan Murray is stepping back from Bunim/Murray Productions, the pioneering US reality prodco he co-created nearly 30 years ago.

A management shake-up sees BMP president Gil Goldschein (pictured, right) promoted to CEO and chairman, with Murray relinquishing his chairman role and seguing to an executive consultant post.

BMP is behind ground-breaking MTV reality series Real World, and has gone on to produce various scripted shows after that format’s launch in 1992.

Murray (pictured, left) will remain a board member in a creative capacity at the Real World producer, and his new consultancy post will allow him “him more time to develop series and documentary passion projects, and oversee some of the company’s longest running series”, according to BMP parent Banijay Group.

“I am confident that Gil is the one person who can ensure the company that Mary-Ellis Bunim and I founded 28 years ago continues to grow and thrive,” he said.

Goldschein played a key role in BMP’s 2010 sale to Banijay, and will now report to Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti, who said: “An icon in this industry, Jon Murray is not only one of its leading creative forces, but someone who has always understood the importance of building a strong team. We are confident that under Gil’s new leadership BMP is extremely well positioned for the future.”

The news comes as part of a wider restructure that sees executive VP, entertainment and programming Jeff Jenkins add development duties to his role, and EVP, original programming and development Scott Freeman take on the new post of EVP, international.

Furthermore, BMP has struck a pod deal with PB&J Television (Revesal of Fortune, America’s Prom Queen), whose co-president, Julie Pizzi, is rejoining BMP as EVP, development and programming.

“We are using pod deals to increase BMP’s volume of production and to expand into new areas of programming while also ‘doubling down’ on key areas of strength,” said Goldschein, who has held management posts at BMP for the past 14 years.

Pizzi’s production partner, Patty Ivins, will now run PB&J.

He will oversee a company comprising an LA head office, BMP Digital, BMP Latin, a documentary unit and a new New York office.