Hearst Media Production Group appoints Jessica Mathies as development VP

Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG) in the US has appointed Jessica Mathies as VP of development with a focus on unscripted programming.

Jessica Mathies

Mathies will develop unscripted shows for TV and streaming services while supervising creative production on new projects and series at the fledgling HMPG.

She was previously an executive producer working across the development and production of special projects for Hearst Television.

HMPG was formed in September 2021 to expand Hearst Television’s original programme production and distribution pipeline.

Its current slate includes more than 30 series and hundreds of hours of content annually on broadcast station groups and networks around the world, on top of a library of more than 4,000 hours of programming.

Earlier this year it merged with Hearst-owned Litton Entertainment and made two promotions within its senior team.

At HMPG, Mathies will work alongside Jeffrey Wank, the former VP of development at Litton Entertainment.

Mathies joined Hearst Television in 2018 from New York City-based production company Park Slope Productions, where she was executive VP of development. Prior to that, she was the East Coast director of development for Entertainment One (eOne), where she developed shows for OWN, Investigation Discovery and UP TV.

Before joining eOne, Mathies held various production positions at companies including Original Media, Metal Flowers Media and Johlt Productions.

Angelica Rosas McDaniel, HMPG executive VP and general manager of entertainment, said: “Jessica has strong creative instincts for finding unique and compelling talent and stories. As we bring together our new team, including VP of development Jeffrey Wank, we’re excited about upcoming projects that will engage the creative community and our national partners.”