CNN Chief Digital Officer Athan Stephanopoulos to Exit

Simone Biles is showing support for her husband Jonathan Owens after his team’s NFL season came to an end.

Aymeric Laporte thinks his Manchester City career could have been different if his injury record had been better.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Tubi CEO Anjali Sud, the former chief exec of Vimeo who started at the Fox Corp.-owned free TV streaming service last year, has tapped her former lieutenant at Vimeo, Courtney Sanchez. Sanchez, who has more than 20 years of experience in media and tech, joins Tubi as chief strategy officer and EVP of operations. She worked at Vimeo, the video-hosting platform, from 2014-22 and most recently served as COO, where she helped the company go public.

CNN‘s CEO Mark Thompson laid out a strategy for the news organization, focusing on integrating linear TV and digital news units, and boosting its presence and innovation on smart phones and other mobile devices.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Digital media executive Alex MacCallum, who left CNN after a major streaming product she helped build was scuttled, has returned to the news outlet to help build some more. McCallum, who exited CNN in June of 2022 when she was interim chief digital officer, has been named executive vice president of digital products and services, and will be charged with developing new concepts to attract digital audiences — a key business objective as more of CNN’s cable subscribers find new broadband, social and mobile platforms where they can gain information and knowledge.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor One week after Jonathan Majors was convicted of assault and harassment, his film “Magazine Dreams” has been released back to the filmmakers by Searchlight, which will no longer be distributing, Variety has confirmed. The Walt Disney Studios specialty arm acquired the body building drama a few weeks after it premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. The filmmakers will now be free to shop the film to other distributors.

Anne Globe is Imax‘s new Chief Marketing Officer.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Imax has appointed Anne Globe as chief marketing officer. Globe, who previously served as CMO of Skydance Media and DreamWorks Animation, will be responsible for overseeing all brand, film marketing, creative and social media for the global entertainment technology platform.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Tan France has partnered with Madison Wells to incubate and grow his newly-founded production company, French Tuck Media, Variety has learned exclusively. Madison Wells, the production company founded by Gigi Pritzker, will work with France and French Tuck to develop a content slate that will be co-produced by both companies.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Liam Neeson is to reprise his role as a truck driver turned rescue worker from 2021 indie hit “The Ice Road.” With director Jonathan Hensleigh (writer of “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “Armageddon” and “Jumanji”) again on board, “The Ice Road 2: Road to the Sky” relocates its story from Canada in the original to Nepal in the sequel. Film production is set to shift from North America to Australia’s Victoria State. Filming will begin this month using Gippsland town of Walhalla as the backdrop for some of the picture’s action scenes.

The cast of Fellow Travelers holds hands in a sign of unity ahead of the 2024 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday (January 14) in Santa Monica, Calif.

Jonathan Bailey joked about some of his steamier Fellow Travelers scenes with Matt Bomer while delivering an acceptance speech at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards!

It was supposed to be a breakout role for the ages for Jonathan Majors and a favorite in this year’s award season. Now it looks like “Magazine Dreams” will stay on Searchlight‘s shelf indefinitely.

EXCLUSIVE: We understand that Amazon Studios MGM Senior Production & Development Executive Sandino Moya-Smith was unfortunately part of the cuts made by the streaming/theatrical studio this morning.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences is tightening its internal overlook and control of the Oscars and all awards-related events in an expansion of its Oscars Strategy division which started in 2022.

Thania Garcia Tom Sansone has been named SoundCloud‘s new chief financial officer/chief operating officer, it was announced Tuesday by CEO Eliah Seton. “Tom is a proven global executive with a highly differentiated and relevant skill set that includes accelerating business transformation, establishing operational and financial discipline and executing strategic alternatives,” said Seton in a statement.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has promoted Teni Melidonian to the newly created role of Chief Oscars Officer and MaryJane Partlow to Executive Vice President, Awards Production and Special Events. Melidonian will report directly to Bill Kramer, Academy CEO while Partlow will report to Melidonian. In her new role, Melidonian will lead strategy, talent relations, special events and production teams for all awards programs and events.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Julian Jacobs, a longtime UTA executive who has helped the firm expand into entertainment marketing, has been named to lead the agency’s New York office, effective in March. Jacobs expects to build on momentum fostered under Allan Haldeman, a partner and co-head of TV Lit, who has led New York operations since September of 2022.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Warner Bros. Discovery corporate communications chief Nathaniel Brown is exiting the company. CEO David Zaslav announced the news in a memo to staff Friday.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Marie Donoghue, who parlayed a stint at ESPN into a job helping Amazon break into the U.S. sports-media business, is leaving the company, according to a person familiar with the matter. Amazon declined to comment.