Oprah Winfrey Network Bulks Up Staff

LOS ANGELES, December 3:
Timothy Kuryak and Jill Dickerson have each been named VP of programming for
OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, where they are tasked with collaborating with
producers, writers, agents and distributors to drive the development of
nonscripted programming.

Both will report to both
Nina Wass, the senior VP of creative affairs, and Maria Grasso, the senior VP
of programming. In their new roles, Kuryak and Dickerson will also supervise
editorial management with outside productions.

Kuryak joins OWN effective
immediately from Discovery Communications' Planet Green, where he served as the
VP of West Coast production and development. Prior to this, Kuryak was the VP
of Fox World Productions and head of development and programming at
ReelzChannel.

Dickerson takes on her new
role at OWN on January 5 from a post as head writer and consulting producer for
The Real World. Her production
credits include co-executive producer for Venus
& Serena: For Real, supervising producer for My Fair Brady 2, series producer for Miami Ink and supervising story producer for The Player, Love Test and The Bachelorette.

"Jill and Tim have
proven on their own that they are successful at creating programming designed
to enlighten and connect viewers," said Wass. "That is why we are
eager to have them with us, because their creative philosophy is right in step
with what is being developed at OWN."

Added Grasso, "Jill
is well known for her top rated reality programming and passion for programs that
tell real peoples' stories. Coupled with Tim's production experience on both
the executive and producer level, they are perfect additions to our first-rate
production operation."

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski