ABC exec to run Showtime business ops unit

ABC’s long serving Jana Winograde is joining US cable channel Showtime as president of business operations for the West Coast.

Her new post will see her overseeing the production, programming operations and business affairs teams, plus lead the financial and business strategies for development and distribution.

In terms of international, she will work closely with CBS Studios International president and CEO Armando Nuñez to monetise Showtime programming outside the US.

Meanwhile, Showtime veteran Steve Rogers has been upped from senior VP to EVP of business affairs, succeeding Melinda Benedek, who retires at the end of the year.

This means Rogers will now be chief negotiator for original productions and manage business ops on the West Coast

He will now report to Winograde, with execs including SVP of programming operations and distribution Tracey Wolfson doing the same.

Winograde has been with ABC for 23 years, most recently as executive VP and head of business operations. She has worked on network operations, development and programming budgets, and business related to development and acquisition for primetime, daytime and late night shows.

At Showtime, which she joins in August, she’ll report to president and CEO David Nevins, who said: “Jana is a tremendous addition to our leadership team, bringing an impeccable reputation as one of the industry’s most thoughtful business executives and dealmakers.

“She is perfectly suited to help broaden the ongoing evolution of Showtime – from its roots in domestic premium cable into a dynamic, global content company, with revenue sources across a broad array of worldwide platforms.”

CBSSI, whose parent CBS Corp. owns premium cable channel Showtime, has been upping its efforts to move Showtime product around the world in the past 18 months.

A series of deals with the likes of Sky in the UK and Stan in Australia have seen the brand debuting in those territories.

CBS last year rejigged its sales operations, with former worldwide distribution chief Nuñez focusing solely on international deals at CBSSI, and ex-Fox exec Paul Franklin drafted in to oversee the US.

CBSSI is currently debuting new series such as drama SEAL Team and family comedy 9JKL to the international market at the LA Screenings.