Company Town : MGM / UA Reorganizing Publicity, Distribution Units

MGM / UA Distribution Co. announced the restructuring of its publicity and distribution arms as a result of increased feature film production at MGM and United Artists.

Amorette Jones has been promoted to vice president, national field operations. Ira Miller will now serve as vice president, East Coast exhibitor relations. Michelle Billingsley has been hired as senior manager, East Coast field operations. LeAnne Lorentzen has been named manager, West Coast field operations and Tami Wineberg will continue as director of field operations for Canada.

* New Line Cinema announced the appointment of Diane J. Keating to executive vice president of New Line Television International.

In this newly created, New York-based position, Keating will be responsible for negotiating international distribution rights for New Line Television’s programming and will serve as the company’s liaison with Turner International regarding feature sales for television.

Keating has served as president of Orion Pictures International for the past three years.

* Ventura Entertainment Group Ltd. has named Carleton D. Burtt chief operating officer.

* Clark Spencer has been promoted to vice president of finance and planning analysis for Walt Disney Feature Animation.

* Joseph Lucas is the new senior vice president of sales and administration for Paramount International Television.

* United Paramount Network named Richard Iazzetta and Sandra Pastoor vice presidents of network distribution, responsible for the western and eastern regions, respectively.

* Paramount Pictures has named David Theodosopoulos vice president of legal and Lynn Fero vice president, business affairs administration, for Paramount Domestic Television.

* Welk Music Group has announced several key promotions. Bernie Grossman has been appointed vice president, director of sales and marketing; Kevin Welk has been named national sales and marketing manager; Georgette Cartwright has been promoted to director of creative services; Michelle Krupkin has been appointed promotion manager, and Meg MacDonald has been named publicity coordinator.

* Joyce Webster has been promoted to director of business affairs for Columbia TriStar Home Video.

* Virgin Records promoted Carol Burnham to senior director, publicity, Tony Johnson to national director, R&B; publicity, and Ann Pryor to manager, publicity.

* Century Communications announced the promotion of Margaret A. Bellville to the post of senior vice president, Southwest Group.

* Phil Wild has been appointed senior vice president of business and legal affairs for Atlantic Group.

* Disney Music Publishing announced the promotion of Brian Rawlings to creative director.

* Amy Henkels has been named vice president, East Coast production and development for New Line Productions.

* Jerry Goldman, senior vice president of finance and long-form production for Paramount Network Television, is now playing a broader role as senior vice president, finance and production.

* Castle Rock Entertainment has established a New York publicity office to accommodate the company’s increased motion picture and television production activities. Laura Danford will head the office as East Coast publicity manager; Kim Griffinger will serve as staff publicist; Elizabeth Clark will coordinate the day-to-day activities of the New York and Los Angeles operations.

* Eric P. Brown has joined Century Cable as marketing director.

* Kendall Lockhart was named to the newly created post of creative development vice president for the Disney Interactive Entertainment Group.

* Joan Hyler, who served for 15 years as the senior female agent at the William Morris agency, has departed to form Hyler Management.

* DIC Entertainment has promoted Brad Kreisberg to vice president, live action.