Christina Norman Named CEO of The Oprah Winfrey Network

Oprah Winfrey has named former MTV president Christina Norman chief executive officer of OWN:The Oprah Winfrey Network, effective February 17.

"This is the job I've been working toward my entire career," said Ms. Norman. "To be building a new channel inspired by Oprah Winfrey and backed by Discovery Communications is a challenge I welcome, and I am thrilled to bring their vision for OWN to life. They have already assembled an amazing creative team, and I cannot wait to get to work with Robin, Robert, and the entire OWN staff to launch what will be a distinctive voice in television.

Ms. Norman will be in charge of all areas of the new cable channel and multi-platform media venture designed to entertain, empower, connect, and inspire people to live their best lives. She will work closely with Robin Schwartz, President, OWN Television, in building the new cable network slated to launch in late 2009/early 2010 on what is currently Discovery Health Channel. Likewise, she will work closely with Robert Tercek, President, Digital Media, who oversees Oprah.com, the established web destination, and the OWN website, slated to launch later this year. Both Ms. Schwartz and Mr. Tercek will report directly to Ms. Norman.

"I've always had the utmost admiration and respect for Christina's innovative strategies and management style. She is a proven leader. Her shared values, passion, and enthusiasm make her a natural fit for OWN's emerging platforms. We're thrilled to have her," said Oprah Winfrey, Chairman of OWN.

A veteran of MTV Networks for more than 17 years, Ms. Norman was named President of MTV in 2005 and oversaw all aspects of the network's creative and business endeavors, providing leadership, strategy, and management. Prior to that, she was President of MTV's sister network VH1, where she received wide industry praise for the network's diverse programming slate and for leading the network to its highest viewership levels in 19 years on the air. Beginning in 2002, Ms. Norman was Executive Vice President and General Manager of VH1, and in less than a year after taking this post, the flagging network's fortunes and ratings were completely reversed thanks to her aggressive new production mandate and identity campaign. In 1999, she was named Senior Vice President, Marketing and On-Air Promotions at MTV, adding marketing to the areas she previously oversaw as SVP, On-Air Promotions, the post she held since 1997. She joined the MTV family in 1991 as a Production Manager for the network's in-house promotional spots. An instrumental player behind the hit animated series and pop-culture phenomenon Beavis and Butt-Head, Ms. Norman went on to spearhead promotion for hit series including The Osbournes and 10 Spot, rising through the network's on-air promotions department ranks over the next six years. Ms. Norman began her career in the commercial production business in New York in the 1980s, and was first introduced to MTV when she worked as a freelance Production Coordinator for the network.

One of the highest-ranking African-American women in the entertainment industry, Ms. Norman has been regularly included in The Hollywood Reporter's "Power 100 Women in Entertainment" and Ebony magazine's "Top 10 African-Americans in Television." In 2006, she was named one of Multichannel News' "Wonder Women," and has been profiled in Advertising Age's "Media Mavens" issue. She was named National Public Service winner by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2002 for three on-air spots for MTV's "Fight For Your Rights: Protect Yourself" campaign.

Ms. Norman serves on the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center Advisory Board and the BRIC Arts Media Brooklyn Board.

OWN:The Oprah Winfrey Network, is a joint venture between Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network is a multi-platform media company designed to entertain, inform, and inspire people to live their best lives. OWN will debut in more than 70 million homes, on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel. The venture also will include the award-winning digital platform, Oprah.com.