Core’s US TV chief exits

Core Media Group’s head of US television has left the American Idol producer as part of a reshuffle of its management team as the company attempts to refinance its estimated US$300m debt.

Jennifer O’Connell

Jennifer O’Connell will leave the company and will be replaced by Matt Sharp, CEO of Core’s Man vs Food prodco Sharp Entertainment, which will oversee the company’s TV production and development slates.

Former NBC and Shed Media exec O’Connell had been at Core since 2012 and worked on Lifetime series Prison Wives Club and Bravo’s Euros of Hollywood.

Her exit, first reported by Variety, follows that of fellow Core execs including Marc Graboff in 2014 and Jenny Ramirez, VP of development and production, who joined Irwin Entertainment earlier this year.

O’Connel’s next move is not yet known and comes after Core, which was majority-owned by private equity group Apollo Global Management along with Endemol, agreed a merger with Shine.

The US-based firm has, however, remained largely separate from the new Endemol Shine megaindie as it seeks to refinance its debt.

Core is best known for Fox duo American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, but the company is preparing for the final season of the former and sold off rights to Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali in 2013 to free cash to focus on TV.

New York-based Sharp, meanwhile, is reportedly expanding by establishing an LA base and has bolstered its ranks with the additions of Lyle Smith from 51 Minds as its senior VP of production and Mike Aho as a development exec.

Core Media could not be reached for comment before publication.