Lionsgate promotes as O’Connell exits

Alice Dickens-Koblin

Lionsgate has reshuffled its senior unscripted team following the departure of exec VP of alternative Jennifer O’Connell.

Alice Dickens-Koblin has been named senior VP and head of unscripted programming for Lionsgate and its US network Starz, having joined the latter earlier this year from US-based Alevy Productions.

She previously worked as VP of series development at MTV and before that had stints at Warner Horizon Television and NBCUniversal.

Her remit includes overseeing development and production of reality and docuseries fare for Lionsgate Television and Starz, which it acquired in 2016. Shows on the slate include Chasing the Cure, produced by Lionsgate for TNT, Grant, produced by the studio for History, and America to Me, which airs on Starz.

Jennifer O’Connell

O’Connell’s next move has not been confirmed but numerous reports suggest she is joining a yet-to-launch streamer.

She had worked across Lionsgate’s unscripted business globally, with credits on shows such as Facebook Watch’s You Kiddin’ Me and Kevin Hart: What the Fit for YouTube.

Lionsgate TV Group chairman Kevin Beggs described Dickens-Koblin as “a talented executive with great programming skills and strong talent relationships who has already energised Starz’s unscripted slate.”

He added that she was “ideally qualified to move our unscripted business company-wide to the next level.”