MCGRATH CLARIFIES

Following Friday’s surprise executive moves at VH1, newly named MTV Networks Music Group President Judy McGrath clarified the company’s new executive structure to music executives.

In a letter to the industry elite, McGrath, who has now been given full responsibility for VH1, CMT and all of the company’s digital music services, as well as MTV and MTV2, said that "each of our music brands will continue to stand on their own."

The brands will "be independent and will strive to have their own unique identities and audiences. This is not about putting any of our brands together, but having them operate even more successfully with some levels of coordination," the letter said.

"The fabulous Van Toffler will now be fully responsible for running both MTV and MTV2—with David Cohn—day to day, and the senior management team at VH1 will be reporting directly to me on an interim basis," the letter continued. "You should continue to talk to Rick Krim about any plans, issues or concerns regarding your artists. And at CMT, Brian Phillips, who recently joined as General Manager and has been heading up the successful reinvention of that network, will be reporting to me."

McGrath’s note follows news on Friday that VH1/CMT President John Sykes, a veteran of the MTV family since the channel’s inception in 1981, had been named Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Radio by Viacom President/COO Mel Karmazin.

McGrath had been MTV Group President/Chairman Interactive Music before Friday’s executive shuffle.