Alyce Myatt to Open Chicago Office and Cheryl Jones to Foster Independent Films
ALEXANDRIA, VA - October 24, 2000 - Two new programming executives will join the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of PBS, announced that MacArthur Foundation executive and public broadcasting veteran Alyce Myatt has been named vice president, programming, for the midwest region and Cheryl A. Jones has been named senior director, program development and independent film. Both are new positions.
"We're delighted to welcome Alyce Myatt back to the PBS family," said Ms. Mitchell. "She completes our new regionally based senior programming team which ensures that member stations and producers have easier access to our programming pipeline. The appointment of Cheryl Jones reflects our commitment to the many voices of independent film. We want to be the first choice of today's most creative filmmakers, and these talented executives will play a vital role in that effort."
Ms. Myatt joins John F. Wilson, PBS's senior vice president, programming East and programming services, Gustavo Sagastume, vice president, programming South, Coby Atlas, vice president, programming West, and Cindy Johanson, senior vice president, Internet and broadband services, on Ms. Mitchell's top content team. While the programming executives are regionally based, their mandate is not limited to proposals from their respective areas or any specific genre.
Ms. Myatt, who will be based in Chicago, joins PBS from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, where she has served as program officer for media since 1998, overseeing the foundation's grantmaking for documentary film and television, community outreach related to media, community media centers, and public radio. She previously served as president of her own consulting firm for six years, providing program development, strategic planning and brand management services to television, radio, and multimedia clients including PBS stations Thirteen/WNET New York and WGBH Boston, Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), Scholastic, Blackside, Inc., Independent Television Service, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Simon & Schuster, and WNYC Radio New York.
She was creative consultant for Sesame Workshop's cable venture and was previously director of children's programming for PBS. Her production credits include work for Sesame Workshop, the Smithsonian Institution, Nickelodeon, and ABC News. Ms. Myatt is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston with a B.S. degree in mass communications. She will begin work at PBS on January 2, 2001.
Ms. Jones will provide management and oversight of the program development process, including supervision and maintenance of the programming pipeline. She will also act as liaison with the independent film community on proposed projects for PBS broadcast. She will be based at PBS's headquarters in Alexandria, VA.
She worked at Discovery Communications, Inc., for 13 years, most recently serving as director, business affairs and development for Discovery Pictures and Themed Entertainment. Her responsibilities included business development, management and strategic planning for the division, including film production, touring exhibits and attractions-based content for television, theatrical release and out-of-home entertainment. Prior to that, she was senior manager, development and co-production for Discovery Productions, providing account management for original and co-produced specials and series airing worldwide. She joined Discovery in 1986 as senior coordinator in program scheduling for the Discovery Channel and was subsequently promoted to manager, program scheduling and planning.
Ms. Jones holds a B.A. in communication studies from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She begins work at PBS this week.
PBS also recently announced the appointment of Discovery executive Lesli Rotenberg to the position of senior vice president of brand management and promotion. She will be based in Alexandria.
PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 347 public television stations. Serving nearly 100 million people each week, PBS enriches the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services on noncommercial television, the Internet and other media. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org.
Contacts
Cathy Lehrfeld
PBS
212/708-3002
Jan McNamara
PBS
703/739-5028