TNT, TBS Form Creative Development & Production Teams

ATLANTA: Turner Broadcasting's TNT and TBS have established their creative development and production teams following the announcement earlier this year that the channels' original programming teams would be divided into two separate units.

Joey Chavez has been appointed as TNT's senior VP of original programming. He is responsible for the development of new TNT original series, collaborating with writers, producers and directors on new concepts, scripts and pilots. He will also oversee the continued development of greenlit shows as they are prepped for launch. He will work out of Los Angeles under Sarah Aubrey, the executive VP of original programming at TNT, and will work alongside Sam Linsky, the senior VP of original programming. Chavez previously served as VP of drama development for NBC, where he was the primary development exec for The Blacklist. Earlier in his career, he worked on current programming at The WB.

"Joey has an impressive track record of developing high-quality, buzz-worthy dramas," said Aubrey. "We look forward to him bringing those fresh voices and ideas to TNT's development slate."

Thom Hinkle was elevated to senior VP of original programming for TBS. In his new position, he will oversee original scripted comedy on the channel and serve as the main liaison between TBS and the studios that produce its scripted originals. He will work out of Los Angeles under Brett Weitz, TBS's executive VP of original programming. Hinkle first joined TBS in October 2013. Since then he has worked on a number of new and upcoming shows, including Angie Tribeca, and developed TBS's new pilot Wrecked, among other accomplishments.

"Thom has been an incredible partner since he started at TBS," noted Weitz. "His taste for great material and eye for talent will be the key driver as we push the network into the future. I only wish he wasn't so mean to me."

Robin Pelleck moves up to VP of digital content for TBS and TNT original programming. She will work directly with current series productions to develop custom content and digital extensions, while serving as the primary contact between both networks' series productions and ad sales, marketing and social media teams to create digital content for linear shows. She will be based in Los Angeles, reporting to Linsky. Pelleck has had a long relationship with Turner, where she has produced and written for Court TV (now truTV) and worked on the PGA Championship and NFL on TNT for Turner Sports. She later became director of original custom content for TNT and TBS.

"Robin brings a great deal of passion, creativity and experience to her job," remarked Linsky. "As TBS and TNT continue to expand our multiplatform offerings, Robin is the ideal person to lead the execution of these valuable digital assets."

Meredith Zamsky has been hired as TNT's VP of production, tasked with managing production-related activities on upcoming TNT originals. Her duties include staffing and negotiation deals for key crew, production scheduling, budgeting, negotiating vendor contracts and collaborating with producers. She will work out of Los Angeles under Mark Weissman, the senior VP of production. Throughout her career, Zamsky has produced for both television and film. Her credits include the series Castle and The Office, as well as the TV movie Mind Games, among others. She also exec produced such films as Country Strong and The Stepfather.

"It's rare to find someone with the wealth of production experience Meredith brings to her new role at TNT and TBS," added Weissman. "She is an incredibly organized and energetic producer and an extremely valuable addition to our team."