Viacom UK hands MTV reins to Offman

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has rejigged its UK operations after adding MTV to the remit of Comedy Central chief Jill Offman.

Jill Offman

She takes over from Kerry Taylor, who becomes VIMN UK’s first chief marketing officer and will oversee Channel 5, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Channel, Spike and BET in more than 30 countries managed from the UK.

Offman will oversee both of VIMN’s young-adult pay TV brands as MD, leading programming teams and being responsible for all original commissions and acquisitions, as well as research, marketing, communications and creative.

She will work closely with Ben Frow, Channel 5’s director of programmes, to increase the amount of content that can be shared between the network and MTV or Comedy Central. C5 and Comedy Central recently revealed plans to collaborate on commissioning comedy with a UK version of the US prank show Impractical Jokers.

Offman will also oversee Comedy Central and MTV in more than 30 countries including Australia, Hungary and Russia, reporting to James Currell, VIMN UK’s chief operating officer.

Both Offman and Taylor retain international management roles with VIMN. Offman is brand and content lead for Comedy Central International in her role as senior VP of comedy for VIMN, while Taylor is senior VP of youth and music for VIMN, overseeing the MTV brand and its non-music programming outside the US.

MTV UK is fully owned and operated by VIMN UK, as is C5 following last year’s deal for the free-to-air network. Viacom majority-owns and operates Comedy Central in the UK as a joint venture with European satcaster Sky.