Oxygen Expands Programming Team

NEW YORK: Oxygen Media has named former OWN exec Rod Aissa as the senior VP of original programming and development.

In his new role, Aissa will have strategic oversight for all development and production of Oxygen’s original programming. He will also be responsible for a slate of new titles, all working titles, as well as returning series. Aissa will report to Oxygen’s president, Jason Klarman, and will be based in the network’s New York office. Cori Abraham, the senior VP of development, and Teri Kennedy, the VP of current production, will report to Aissa.

Prior to his new role, Aissa served at OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, where he had oversight for all programming and development for the newly launched network. Earlier in his career, he helped launch the careers of stars such as Jenny McCarthy, Carmen Electra, Mandy Moore, Tyrese Gibson, Molly Sims, Carson Daly, Ashton Kutcher and Beyoncé Knowles, while working for MTV.

"Rod is a smart programming executive who has his finger on the pulse of pop culture and has helped create some of the biggest unscripted shows on TV,” said Klarman. "He will supercharge our already robust efforts in original programming."