CNN Press Release - Series Will Air Weekends on CNN/US in 2013

CNN has acquired the non-fiction series Crimes of the Century, which explores historic news events in depth, from the Madoff scandal to the Oklahoma City bombing. The series is being executive produced by acclaimed director Ridley Scott along with David Zucker and Mary Lisio of Scott Free Productions, which will air on weekends on CNN/US beginning in 2013.

This acquisition is another step in our mission to broaden the scope of programming on CNN and give viewers even more of the stories and information that impact their lives. It is an expertly-produced, captivating series that delves deeply into some of the most fascinating news events of our day that demand further scrutiny, said Vinnie Malhotra, senior vice president of development and acquisitions for CNN Worldwide.

Each episode of the series examines a major news event – one that attracted national attention and helped define the era. With a visual style that includes CGI and animation, the program places the viewer at the scene of the crime employing never-before-scene-footage and interviews with witnesses, victims, and investigators of crimes that became part of the Zeitgeist.

Malhotra and Amy Entelis, senior vice president of talent and content development for CNN Worldwide, oversee the CNN program development department. Crimes of the Century is among the department's recent series acquisitions that include Anthony Bourdain' Parts Unknown and Morgan Spurlock's Inside Man, both of which will also air weekends on CNN in April 2013.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

CNN today announced the appointment of Vinni Malhotra to senior vice president of development and acquisitions. CNN's press release below.

CNN Press Release: VINNIE MALHOTRA JOINS CNN AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITIONS

Vinnie Malhotra, a former program development executive at ESPN and long-time ABC News producer, joins CNN as senior vice president for development and acquisitions, it was announced by Mark Whitaker, CNN Worldwide managing editor.

Based in Los Angeles, Malhotra will report to Amy Entelis, senior vice president for talent and content development. He will pursue development opportunities with outside production companies on behalf of the various networks of CNN Worldwide.

“Vinnie has a strong record of creating captivating programming, an award-winning news background covering major national and international stories, and experience integrating content across multiple platforms.” said Entelis. “We welcome Vinnie to CNN and are thrilled to have him join our team.”

Malhotra joined ESPN in 2010 as vice president, executive producer, content development. In this position, he was responsible for the development of films that includeEverything in Between: The Tim Tebow Story, The Color Orange, The Brady 6 and The Marinovich Project. He also developed scripted and non-scripted series for the network, and was part of the development team that created the new ESPN Quarterback rating “Total QBR” that is now being used in association with all NFL coverage on ESPN.

Malhotra began his career with ABC News in 1997 and worked on several of the news organization’s signature programs including Nightline and World News Tonight, and served as a producer for Peter Jennings for three years. He later worked with co-anchors Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff and was part of the convoy in Iraq when Woodruff and a cameraman were hit by an IED in January 2006. Malhotra was uninjured.

During his thirteen years at ABC News, Malhotra covered major global events including the Iraq War and the inauguration of President Barack Obama. From 2007 to 2010, Malhotra was executive producer of ABC News’ weekend news content, includingWorld News Saturday and World News Sunday, and oversaw the weekend editorial content and production for ABCNEWS.com and ABC News Now, among other ABC News digital platforms.

Malhotra has received numerous industry honors including five News and Documentary Emmy Awards and a duPont.

Malhotra is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and communications.

CNN Press Release - CNN has named Amy Entelis to a newly created position of Senior Vice President, Talent and Content Development for CNN Worldwide, it was announced today by Mark Whitaker, CNN Worldwide Managing Editor.

Reporting directly to Whitaker, Entelis will be responsible for show development, including pilots and content acquisitions, and talent recruitment and strategy for all CNN networks and platforms including CNN, HLN and CNN International. Entelis will begin on January 17 and will be based in CNN’s New York offices.

Entelis has had an extensive career in television news as a producer and as a senior executive, spending more than 30 years at ABC where she was Senior Vice President of Talent Strategy, Development and Research until May 2011. While at ABC, Entelis hired and developed the careers of hundreds of journalists, both on and off-air, including recruiting and managing talent for the network’s most high-profile programs including Good Morning America, World News, Nightline and 20/20. Following ABC, Entelis served as Executive Vice President, Talent Strategy at Sucherman Consulting Group.

“Amy's eye for talent and gift for nurturing it are legendary throughout the television industry,” said Whitaker. “In this key new executive role, she will help us even better showcase the great anchors, reporters and producers we already have at CNN and our other networks, attract the next generation of talent, and work with program developers both inside and outside the company to create our shows and specials of the future."

“This position offers me a special opportunity to work with the talented journalists of CNN and to contribute to shaping its programming vision,” said Entelis. “I am thrilled to be joining the CNN team.”

Entelis served in a number of capacities while at ABC News. In addition to hiring and cultivating on-air talent, Entelis oversaw all off-air editorial recruiting, hiring and growth and development opportunities. She created mentoring programs, career development initiatives and a diversity advisory board. For ten years she led ABC News’ Business Affairs department, supervising all talent negotiations. As Senior Vice President of Talent Strategy, Development and Research, she was responsible for the news division’s strategic plan for on-air and off-air talent.

Entelis began her career on the weekly news magazine 20/20, and then spent five years as a producer at World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, specializing in business and economics reporting. ABC News President Roone Arledge recruited Entelis for her first management role with a mandate to develop women and minorities for on-air positions. Later at ABC, Entelis pioneered the first system in network news that coordinated the identification, recruitment and development of on-air talent.

Entelis has received many awards for her work as a producer, including the National News Emmy, the duPont Columbia Award, the Front Page Award from the Newswomen’s Club of NY, the Headliner Award, and the Planned Parenthood Award. A graduate of Vassar College, Entelis received her Masters in Journalism from Columbia University and serves as a member of the Board of Visitors of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted network for news and information on television and has the leading news website in the U.S. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the U.S.; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.