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“Tom has an encyclopedic knowledge of music, great instincts in identifying the next cultural phenomenon for the VH1 audience, a sharp business sense and an inexplicable love of the Buffalo Bills."
—-Van Toffler, MTV Networks

CALDERONE NOW VH1 PREZ

Longtime Exec Has All Network Brands in His Domain
Just call him Tom the Plumber.

Tom Calderone has been promoted to President of VH1, managing the brand’s overall portfolio, including VH1, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul and VH1.com by MTV Networks Music and Logo Group President Van Toffler.

Calderone had been EVP/GM of the net since 2005.

In 2007, Tom was named one of Mediaweek magazine’s Top 50 most influential executives shaping the future of media. Calderone will continue to be responsible for the day-to-day leadership, strategy and management of VH1’s entire on-air and digital businesses, based in New York and reporting directly to Toffler.

“Tom has an encyclopedic knowledge of music, great instincts in identifying the next cultural phenomenon for the VH1 audience, a sharp business sense and an inexplicable love of the Buffalo Bills,” said Toffler. “Those characteristics not only make him a unique and thoughtful leader, but just an all around good person to have on your team and driving one of your key brands. But I draw the line at him wearing his retro OJ Simpson jersey to work.”

Under Calderone’s leadership, VH1 posted 23 consecutive quarters of growth among total viewers, with the first quarter of 2008 marking the network’s highest-rated ever among the coveted 18-49 year old demographic. He has overseen 13 separate series, specials and live events that have attained “Millionaire’s Club” status, averaging at least one million viewers during their premieres for the year-to-date. VH1 also landed two of its series on the list of top 10 new cable shows this past summer, as well as the annual Rock Honors tentpole franchise and televised music global events, including The Concert for Diana in 2007 and the 90th birthday concert for Nelson Mandela this past summer.

Calderone has also built up the channel's digital businesses online with VH1.com, and BestWeekEver.tv, among others, and on the handset with VH1 Mobile.

In addition to his VH1 duties, Calderone will continue to oversee Palladia, MTV Networks’ high-definition music network with 12 million subscribers. He also serves as Chairman of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which has donated more than $40 million worth of music instruments to restore music education programs to public schools across the country. He also directs VH1 Classic’s Rock Autism initiative.

Calderone began his career at MTV Networks in 1998 as SVP Music and Talent Programming for MTV, where he led the creation of new music initiatives for the various MTV screens on-air, online and on mobile, as well as managing artist and label relations. He was later promoted to EVP Music and Talent Programming for MTV and MTV2, developing the music franchises Spankin’ New Music, Ultimate Mash Ups, MTV Icon, which honored musical artists such as Aerosmith, MTV Jammed, Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, with Snoop Dogg, and MTV2's cult hit Wonder Showzen. He was also instrumental in launching and championing MTV’s music performance series Discover and Download, as well as MTV2’s Sucker Free and Subterranean.

Before joining MTV Networks, Calderone served as a consultant with Jacobs Media, advising radio stations on music, talent and marketing strategies. Early in his career, Calderone served as host of two syndicated radio shows, Modern Rock Live and On the Edge.

Earlier this year, Calderone received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from his alma mater, Buffalo State College, along with their annual Cookie Gilchrist tough guy award.