HBO Restructures Original Programming, West Coast Units

Home Box Office has restructured its original programming and West Coast production units, promoting several people and recruiting others to allow the premium cable service to increase its production of prime-time series, late-night programs, documentaries and specials.

Chris Albrecht, who heads both divisions, said he needed more help in managing the workload since the departures of Michael Fuchs as chairman of HBO and of Bridget Potter as head of original programming.

In the restructuring, three vice presidents have been given specific areas of responsibility, with David Bartis overseeing comedy and animation, Carolyn Strauss in charge of comedy, specials and late-night programming, and Anne Thomopoulos overseeing drama for HBO Original Programming.

Promoted within HBO Independent Productions are Lowell Mate to executive vice president of creative affairs; Russell Schwartz to executive vice president of business and planning; Pamela Baron to vice president of business affairs; and Carmi Zlotnick, who takes on additional duties as vice president of original programming and creative operations.

Joining the West Coast office are Shelly Aronson as director of creative affairs of HBO Independent Productions. Promoted to the HBO Original Programming staff are Lenny Brown as manager of creative affairs; Sarah Condon as director of HBO Original Programming; and Daria Overby and Alex Stein as managers.

* Bill Carroll and Mike Greenfield have formed Carroll, Greenfield & Co., a motion picture advertising company.

* Dennis Handlin has been appointed chairman of Sony Music Entertainment Australia.

* Jan Pasquale has been promoted to vice president of HBO audience research.

* Kennedy Marshall has hired Robin Schorr as senior vice president of development and Wendy Taeuber as vice president of development.

* Kenneth Scherer has been named chief executive of the Motion Picture & Television Fund Foundation, a charity offering services to Southern California’s entertainment community.

* JoAnn Kaeding has been appointed senior director of Elektra/Sire International marketing and Shawn Kilmurray has been appointed international production manager of Elektra Entertainment Group.

* MGM Interactive has named Robb Alvey and Fred Skoler directors of production for multimedia games and related software.

* Worldvision Enterprises has appointed Jacqueline Majers director of publicity and promotion.

* GRB Entertainment has appointed Debby Reid production executive.