Viacom’s Paramount Pictures has named Powell to the new title as the company ramps up its efforts to develop programming for smaller screens. She will continue to serve as head of Paramount’s digital entertainment and Insurge Pictures unit, Paramount said in a statement. For the last two years, Powell has led Paramount’s digital arm, which finds and develops original online content that can be used on other media platforms. The label has released Ben Stiller’s “Burning Love,” which premiered on Yahoo! and will make the leap to E! Entertainment Television.
“Amy has proven herself to be a highly talented, innovative and creative executive,” said Paramount CEO Brad Grey in a statement. “Her skill and experience working across all platforms, at engaging audiences, and, most recently her work at Insurge, will be instrumental as we build a versatile television operation.”
Paramount expects to spend at least five years reassembling a television production studio after handing off its profitable TV production studio six years ago to CBS in the wake of Viacom’s corporate split. CBS claimed the Paramount Television studio and its valuable library that included such gems as “Frasier” and “Star Trek,” and syndicated programming including “Entertainment Tonight,” notes The LA Times.
“I look forward to integrating the television group’s capabilities with what we are already doing to provide great content for our audiences on every screen,” Powell said.
Powell, who began her career at CNN, joined Paramount in 2004 after working in interactive marketing at Sony Pictures. She will report to Grey on her television duties.
