EPIX Appoints Seasoned Talent Executive Maureen Taran As VP Of Original Programming Live Events
NEW YORK, NY, July 14, 2010 – EPIX, the next generation multiplatform premium entertainment channel, video-on-demand and online service, today announced Maureen Taran has joined the company as Vice President of Original Programming Live Events, effective immediately. Taran will report to Laverne McKinnon, Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Development at EPIX.
“Maureen is known throughout the industry as having a keen eye for identifying fresh and exciting new talent particularly throughout the comedy circuits,” said McKinnon. “Her proven ability to discover the ‘next big thing’ and cultivate and shape talent to help ensure long-term commercial success will be a great value for EPIX.”
Prior to joining EPIX, Taran was the supervising producer for Showtime’s celebrity talk show, The Green Room with Paul Provenza. Previously, she served as Vice President of Programming for The Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and founded The Taran Company Consulting based in New York City where she served as a talent consultant for Warner Brothers and programming consultant for Just for Laughs. She spent close to fifteen years as a talent manager, ten of which were with The Barry Katz Entertainment Group, managing the careers of such celebrity comedians as Dane Cook, Wanda Sykes, Tracy Morgan, Dave Chappelle, Jim Gaffigan and Jim Norton, among others.
“I am extremely excited to be a part of the EPIX team,” said Taran, “and am certain that many of the talented actors, comedians and writers with whom I’ve worked over the years will be eager to bring their creative ideas to the supportive, talent-friendly environment at EPIX.”
Taran is charged with expanding the EPIX slate of marquee events, building on its roster of A-list music and comedy artists including Madonna, Black Eyed Peas, David Cross, Eddie Izzard, Janeane Garofalo and Lewis Black.
About EPIX
EPIX, a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), is a next-generation premium entertainment channel, video-on-demand and online service. With access to more than 15,000 motion pictures spanning the vast libraries of its partners and other studios, EPIX provides a powerful entertainment experience with more feature films on demand and online and more HD movies than any other service. It is the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up of new Hollywood titles, classic feature films, original series, music and comedy specials through the linear channel, video-on-demand and online at EpixHD.com, the leading online destination for movies. EPIX has made the commitment to deliver the industry’s most expansive online collection of movies, making more than 3,000 titles available to subscribers this year. The service is available to over 30 million homes nationwide through carriage agreements with Verizon FiOS, DISH Network, Cox Communications, Mediacom Communications, Charter Communications and NCTC.
For more information about EPIX, go to www.EpixHD.com.
Contact :
Michael Boccio
(212) 446-1867
