CMT today announced that Frank Tanki has been named General Manager of the brand, expanding his duties as General Manager of TV Land to include oversight of both iconic brands. A 12-year veteran of Viacom, most recently as the EVP of marketing and creative for Spike TV, Tanki will be responsible for the day-to-day operations at CMT, including Programming, Marketing & Creative and Communications, and will work closely with CMT's development team to set the overall strategy for the brand. He will continue to report directly to Kevin Kay, President of Spike (soon to be Paramount Network), TV Land and CMT. He will retain his current position as General Manager of TV Land and will work from both the New York and NASHVILLE offices.
The appointment comes on the heels of strong growth for the brand.
CMT just notched its highest-rated fiscal 3rd quarter since 2014 with 14% year-over-year growth among Adults 18-49. Furthermore,
CMT has posted 29 consecutive weeks of year-over-year growth with Adults 18-49. Competitively,
CMT ranks as the fastest growing Top 50 (non-news) channel with Women 18-49.
"As a fan of
CMT and country music, I'm thrilled to join the team and remain committed to ensuring this iconic brand continues its upward trajectory as the leading destination for country music and culture," said Tanki. "My focus is to successfully navigate
CMT through the changing media landscape and extend the power of the brand's voice."
"CMT is one of the most distinct brands in all of media and Frank is the perfect leader to guide the team to new summits of success," said Kevin Kay, President of Spike,
TV Land and CMT. "I am confident that Frank will apply the same ingenuity that has been the hallmark of his career at Viacom to ensure that
CMT continues to thrive, while keeping the network true to its brand."
In his new role, Tanki will be supported by CMT's executive team, including Suzanne Norman (SVP of Programming & Operations), Anthony Barton (SVP of Consumer Marketing and Creative), Kurt Patat (SVP of Corporate Communications) and Margaret Comeaux (VP of Production - Music & Events). Leslie Fram (SVP Music Strategy & Talent) will dual report into Tanki and Bruce Gillmer, the Head of Music and Music Talent for the Global Entertainment Group.
To centralize development, Jayson Dinsmore (EVP of Development & Production) will now report into Keith Cox, President of Production & Development for the Paramount Network and TV Land.
During his 12 years at Viacom, Tanki has contributed to many of Viacom's most successful properties, including Spike's "Lip Sync Battle" and Nickelodeon's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Prior to being named General Manager of TV Land, he served as Executive Vice President, Brand Marketing and Creative, Spike TV, where he oversaw all consumer marketing and creative development for the brand. Before that, he held a number of roles at Nickelodeon, including most recently Senior Vice President,
Nickelodeon Strategic Property Planning & Marketing.
