TNT Downsizes Originals Department
By Multi Channel News Staff -- Multichannel News, 12/10/2001 4:00:00 AM
Turner Network Television is closing its stand-alone production unit as part of a downsizing of the TNT Originals group.
The move, announced on Dec. 7, means layoffs for 23 staffers, including president of original programming Bob DeBitetto and original programming executive vice president Julie Weitz.
In turn, the department is being folded into TNT, and will be headed by network executive vice president and general manager Steve Koonin.
DeBitetto will oversee a transition period.
'TNT's original-programming group will no longer operate as a stand-alone unit, but will become a department within TNT, reporting directly to the network,' a Turner Entertainment Network spokeswoman said.
'This new streamlined TNT Originals department will be able to more effectively leverage the network's resources and will operate much more efficiently,' she added.
While the TNT Originals division had several successes with original movies including 2002's Mists of Avalon, Crossfire Trail and, most recently, Call Me Claus, the division has failed to develop a signature original series for TNT.
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