Jayson Dinsmore is departing CMT after six years leading development at the Viacom-owned cable channel. The move comes as Viacom continues to reorganize the executive leadership within its television group.
Dinsmore joined CMT as exec VP of programming in 2011 from NBC, where he had served as senior VP of alternative development. He helped lead CMT’s transition from a country-music channel to a strategy that emphasized original programming with broader appeal. That approach first relied on reality series such as “Party Down South.” In recent years Dinsmore and CMT pivoted to scripted programming with the acquisition of drama series “Nashville” after it was canceled by ABC, the development of the channel’s first scripted comedy in “Still the King” starring Billy Ray Cyrus, and ambitious event miniseries “Sun Records.”
During his seven-year tenure, he helped evolve CMT from a music video channel to a fully realized brand,” CMT general manager said Frank Tanki wrote Monday in a memo to staff announcing Dinsmore’s departure. “In our short time working together, I’ve come to quickly admire his creative energy and instincts, as well as his love for CMT and every one of you.”
CMT has been in a continuous state of leadership transition since before February, when Viacom CEO Bob Bakish rolled out new strategy for the media company that included rebranding Spike TV as Paramount Network. The relaunched channel would serve as one of what Bakish identified as six core cable brands to which Viacom is shifting resources — along with BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick Jr., and Nickelodeon.
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