MTVN Calls Calderone VH1 President
Executive’s Oversight Extends Across Brand’s On-Air, Digital Properties
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 10/16/2008 7:22:00 AM
In what may be his best week ever, Tom Calderone has been elevated to president of VH1.
Calderone, who had been serving as executive vice president and general manager of VH1 since 2005, has oversight for the brand’s portfolio, including VH1, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1.com, and all of their extensions. His responsibilities encompass day-to-day leadership, strategy and management of VH1’s entire on-air and digital businesses. He will continue to be based in New York and report directly to MTV Networks Music and Logo Group president Van Toffler.
“Tom has an encyclopedic knowledge of music, great instincts in identifying the next cultural phenomenon for the VH1 audience, a sharp business sense and an inexplicable love of the Buffalo Bills,” said Toffler in a statement. “Those characteristics not only make him a unique and thoughtful leader, but just an all around good person to have on your team and driving one of your key brands.”
Under Calderone’s tutelage, VHI has posted 23 consecutive quarters of total-viewership growth, with the first period of 2008 the network’s best-ever among the Madison Avenue-coveted 18-to-49 group, according to the network. This year alone, VHI has notched what MTVN called “Millionaire’s Club” status 13 times -- series specials and live events premiered to a minimum of 1 million or more viewers.
Calderone and his team have also launched the Rock Honors annual tentpole franchise, which saluted The Who this July and televised huge music global events including “The Concert for Diana” in 2007 and the 90th birthday concert for Nelson Mandela this past summer.
Over the last three years, Calderone has focused on building all of VH1’s platforms and businesses. VH1 Classic celebrates legendary rock icons and moments on TV, as well as on VH1Classic.com. Original programming has grown on VH1 Soul for passionate fans of R&B. He has also forged digital businesses with VH1.com, and BestWeekEver.tv, which complements the network’s weekly pop culture series spoof, as well as through VH1 Mobile.
In addition to his VH1 duties, Calderone will continue to shepherd the growth of Palladia, MTV Networks’ 12-million subscriber high-definition music network.
Calderone, who began his MTVN career in 1998 as senior vice president of music and talent programming at MTV, is also the chairman of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which has donated more than $40 million worth of music instruments to restore music education programs to public schools across the country. He also directs VH1 Classic’s Rock Autism initiative.
