Jackson to Assume Helm of Motown

Film entrepreneur George Jackson has been named the new president and chief executive of PolyGram-owned Motown Records, replacing former chief Andre Harrell--who was ousted two months ago after an unsuccessful two-year run.

Jackson, whose Elephant Walk Entertainment produced such films as “New Jack City” and “Jason’s Lyric,” was hired by Mercury Records Chairman Danny Goldberg to resuscitate the floundering New York-based label, which currently has only one album on the nation’s Top 200 pop chart.

Motown, whose storied catalog includes more than 30,000 recordings dating to 1959 by such stars as Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Temptations, was purchased five years ago for $300 million by PolyGram, a subsidiary of Holland’s Philips Electronics, which also owns Island, A&M;, Mercury and half of Def Jam.