Ovitz Moves Into TV, Hires Columbia Exec

Michael Ovitz, the super-agent who was formerly president of Walt Disney Co., is moving his talent management firm into television production.

Eric Tannenbaum, the president of Sony Corp.’s Columbia TriStar Television, is joining Ovitz’s new agency, AMG Entertainment, as a partner and will be president of Artists Television Group, a newly formed TV studio.

Ovitz, who formed AMG last year, said that unlike other production companies tied to management firms such as Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, his clients will not help drive the television group. He said Tannenbaum would focus on prime time, as well as Internet, cable and children’s programming.

AMG has signed such stars as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Martin Scorsese.

Tannenbaum, who has been in Sony’s television group since 1991, had a successful development season, placing eight new shows on the networks’ fall prime-time schedule.

Helene Michaels, an executive vice president at Columbia TriStar Television since 1996, has moved up to president of network production for the group. Ted Harbert, a DreamWorks producer and former ABC Entertainment president, is expected to replace Tannenbaum.

In exchange for releasing Tannenbaum from his contract, Columbia will distribute Artists Television Group’s prime-time programs.