Debmar-Mercury Names New Programming EVP

SANTA MONICA, October 1: Lonnie Burstein has been upped to
the role of executive VP of programming and production at Debmar-Mercury, after
serving as senior VP in charge of research and new content.

Burstein also served as a company consultant for three years
prior to his July 2006 appointment as senior VP. He is responsible for the talk
show The Wendy Williams Show, which
returns nationally in mid-2009 following a six-week preview on the Fox
Television Stations in July and August; and Trivial Pursuit: America
Plays, a new nationally syndicated game
show co-produced by Debmar-Mercury and Hasbro. He also spearheaded the
development on two other projects that will be on offer by Debmar-Mercury
International at MIPCOM: Hot Seat,
a reality game-show concept from executive producer Tom Gutteridge; and The
Limit, a quick-fire game show from
executive producer Scott Sternberg.

—By Mansha Daswani