Core Media picks Jennifer O’Connell for top programming post

Production and management company Core Media Group has tapped a new head of U.S. television.

Jennifer O’Connell, a former NBC executive who most recently was an executive vice president at reality programming producer ShedMedia, will oversee programming delvelopment and production for Core, which is being overhauled under new chief executive Marc Graboff.

Formerly known as CKX, Core Media Group is the parent of 19 Entertainment, a TV producer whose credits include Fox’s “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” Core also owns the licensing rights to the names and images of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali and operates Graceland.

Graboff, a former top executive at NBC, joined Core earlier this year after private equity firm Apollo Global Management bought the company from entrepreneur Robert FX Sillerman for $509 million. Core was also in the running to acquire Dick Clark Productions, which was ultimately sold to Guggenheim Partners.

Since then, Graboff has been building the staff and making deals. In July, Core bought reality producer Sharp Entertainment, whose programs include TLC’s “Extreme Couponing,” Animal Planet’s “Call of the Wildman” and Travel Channel’s “Man V. Food.”

On the executive front, Graboff brought in former NFL executive Kim Williams as chief financial officer and former NBC executive Cameron Death as chief revenue officer.

ALSO:

Core taps Kim Williams for CFO

Core Media buys Sharp Entertainment

Apollo to buy ‘American Idol’ owner CKX

Follow Joe Flint on Twitter @JBFlint.