COMPANY TOWN : MCA’s Television Chief to Step Down : Studios: Thomas Wertheimer’s departure will clear the way for new owner Seagram to change direction of the money-losing business.

Clearing the way for what could be wholesale changes in the direction of its television business, MCA Inc. announced that Thomas Wertheimer, a longtime executive vice president of the company and chairman of its television group, will step down as soon as a replacement is found, which could take weeks.

Although several top executives have changed their roles with the company since Seagram Co. bought MCA from Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. in June, Wertheimer will be the first to sever his ties.

The resignation follows speculation in Hollywood about possible candidates for the job and an acknowledgment by Seagram that the television group needs resuscitating.

But some entertainment executives were surprised that the announcement was made before MCA’s new president, Ron Meyer, was ready to name a replacement for Wertheimer, who was put in charge of the TV group in 1991, several months after the company was acquired by Matsushita.

“This sends a strong and positive signal that there is not going to be business as usual,” one television executive said. “There’s a little desperation over there because of a lack of real vision of what they want from the business.”

Some entertainment executives said MCA wanted to settle with Wertheimer because a search for his replacement is in full swing.

Meyer has had serious talks with Brad Grey, who is building his own studio as head of Brillstein/Grey Entertainment, a talent management company.

Television is considered one of the weakest performers at MCA, with few new shows on the prime-time schedule and old favorites like “Murder, She Wrote” and “Coach” probably in their final year.

MCA has not been as aggressive in developing distribution in first-run syndication as some of its competitors. The only success, after years of trying, is “Hercules.”

Hollywood sources estimate that the division lost $50 million or more last year.

There is a short list of potential candidates, some of whom have had informal conversations with Meyer, who left Creative Artists Agency to join MCA on Aug. 1. Gregory Meidel, president of News Corp.’s Twentieth Television, home of “The Simpsons,” reportedly is eager to leave Fox Broadcasting because Rupert Murdoch has been unwilling to promote him.

Peter Tortorici, who left as head of CBS Entertainment in June to make room for Leslie Moonves, is back from an extended holiday in Italy and is said to have met briefly with Meyer.

Another possible candidate is thought to be Brandon Tartikoff, chairman of New World Entertainment. Though Tartikoff has a lucrative contract with New World, Hollywood sources said he has not pumped out many programs and doesn’t necessarily fit the first-run syndication bill that is New World’s bread and butter.

Some Hollywood sources say Edgar Bronfman Jr., Seagram’s chief executive, could once again reach for an unorthodox choice as he did in hiring Meyer, who had never worked for a studio.

Wertheimer’s job is considered to be challenging because it is so fragmented. MCA’s television group includes Universal Television, MCA TV, MCA TV International, MCA Television Entertainment, Universal Family Entertainment/Cartoon Studios and USA Network. He also supervises MCA Home Entertainment Group, which includes home video and pay television.

Wertheimer is credited with striking the deal to buy 50% of USA Network, the highly successful cable service half-owned by Viacom Inc. Though he is criticized for not having developed other distribution deals, some in Hollywood say his hands were tied by the former Japanese owners.

The Japanese, however, helped make him a rich man. When Matsushita bought MCA, Wertheimer’s stock was valued at about $24 million.