MTV President Norman To Depart
Norman Leaves Music Video Network At A Ratings High
By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 2/7/2008 8:09:00 AM MT
After nearly three years at the helm of MTV: Music Television, network president Christina Norman will leave the company at the end of the month.
MTV Networks Music & Logo Group president Van Toffler will oversee the network until a replacement is named, according to sources close to the network.
In an internal MTV e-mail distributed Thursday to MTV employees, Toffler said Norman wants to take time to “explore something new” and lauded her 17 year-career with MTV Networks.
“Christina has led with incredible integrity, creativity, business savvy, perspective, spirit and humor, and she has championed so many important initiatives at our company and in our culture,” said Toffler. “It has been my great honor to work with Christina and she will always be part of the legend and success of our company.”
Norman, who in 2005 became the first African-American woman to head up the 95-million subscriber service, leaves the network on a high note. MTV averaged 983,000 viewers in primetime in 2007, up 2% from 2006. She also continued MTV's 16-year run as the top ad-supported cable network among the 12-to-24-year-old demo.
Prior to leading MTV, Norman – who began her MTVN career as a freelance production manager in 1991 – headed up VH1 and was responsible for resurrecting the brand with the introduction of its “celebreality” genre, as well as the launch of the Hip Hop Honors awards show. She was named a Multichannel News "Wonder Woman" in 2006.
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