New content chief for TVGN

TVGN, the US cable network formerly known as TV Guide, has appointed a former Fuse and MTV executive as its president of entertainment and media.

Brad Schwartz will oversee programming, scheduling, marketing and creative operations for the channel and will report to TVGN’s board of directors. TVGN is being revamped as part of a new partnership between owners CBS Corp and Lionsgate.

“This partnership is all about improving a property that has tremendous potential it has yet to realise,” said Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Corp. “The key to that improvement will be growing the quality of the programming offered to the more than 80 million viewers who have access to TVGN.”

Schwartz most recently was senior VP of programming and operations for the Fuse network at MSG Media. He was previously general manager of a suite of eight CTV-owned music and pop culture cable networks in Canada, including MTV Canada, MuchMusic, MTV2 and MuchMore. Prior to that, Schwartz was director of global marketing partnerships at MTV and began his career working for Lorne Michaels on Saturday Night Live.

Last month, TVGN became a 50/50 joint venture between CBS and Lionsgate, after the Eye network acquired the TV Guide shares owned by One Equity Partners (OEP), the investment arm of JPMorgan Chase. Lionsgate bought TV Guide from US-based Macrovision in 2009 and later sold 49% to OEP.