New Management Structure Set for MTV Group

After building MTV: Music Television into one of the nation’s five most profitable television networks, Judy McGrath is being promoted to the No. 2 position at Viacom Inc.’s MTV Group and is taking charge of its fledgling Internet group.

The change is part of a broad MTV Group management reshuffling after Viacom’s merger with CBS Corp. As part of the merger, the MTV Group added two CBS cable channels, CMT: Country Music Television and TNN, which have struggled to carve out an identity.

The new structure should free Tom Freston, who as chairman of MTV Group has built one of the most successful stables of cable channels, to concentrate on overhauling TNN, which he calls MTV’s biggest priority.

MTV Group includes Nickelodeon, MTV, VH1 and TV Land.

Van Toffler, who launched the group’s successful movie business, MTV Productions, becomes president of MTV and MTV2, reporting to McGrath.

John Sykes, VH1 president, takes on the additional responsibilities of CMT.

David Hall, who had been president of both CMT and TNN, will concentrate his efforts on TNN alone, which had focused on country lifestyles but is being redefined.

Freston said the new structure would also give MTVi more attention. Nicholas Butterworth, president and chief executive of MTVi will report to McGrath.