Television
October 6, 2006
Kevin E. Fortson Named Senior Vice President, Production, Warner Horizon Television
(October 20, 2006 - Burbank, CA) – Thirteen year Warner Bros. veteran production and operations executive Kevin E. Fortson has been named Senior Vice President, Production, Warner Horizon Television, the newly formed television company focused on lower-budgeted scripted and reality primetime series for cable and broadcast. The announcement was made today by Peter Roth, President, Warner Bros. Television, who has executive oversight of the new division.
In his new position, Fortson will oversee all aspects of physical production for the division’s series, including budgeting, scheduling and staffing. He will report to Roth.
“We’re thrilled to have Kevin join Warner Horizon Television at this important time, with development speeding forward and production on the division’s first series in full swing,” said Roth. “He is a very talented executive with a wealth of experience and ability to maximize production resources in an ever-changing and challenging business environment.”
Fortson most recently served as Senior Vice President, Operations, Warner Bros. Studio Facilities, a position to which he was named in 2004. In that capacity, he was charged with directing the operational activities for all in-house and independent television and feature film production on Warner Bros. Studios’ 110-acre lot and adjacent 32-acre Ranch facility. This included scheduling for all 34 soundstages and numerous exterior sets (including New York Street, Brownstone Street/Ashley Boulevard, Midwest Street, Hennesy Street, French Street and The Jungle), as well as audience coordination, stage and back lot maintenance and special projects.
Before working in Operations, Fortson spent 11 years at Telepictures Productions, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Production, where he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day production staffs for one of the industry’s most prolific producers of network, first-run syndicated and cable television series, including “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “The Bachelor” and “Extra,” to name a few. During his tenure, he supervised the design and construction of the Company’s Glendale, Calif. production and post-production facility. The 45,000 square foot complex boasts two soundstages, 30 digital editing suites, a newsroom and production office space. It serves as the headquarters for the daily entertainment news program “Extra” and entertainment web site TMZ.com, and it has housed numerous other productions.
Prior to joining Telepictures Productions, Fortson was with Investigative News Group for five years, lastly serving as Vice President/Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer and executive in charge of production, overseeing “Geraldo” and “The Geraldo Rivera Specials.” He left Investigative News Group in May 1992 for a brief stint as Vice President, Development & Production at Genesis Entertainment, overseeing “The Whoopi Goldberg Show,” among other programs. Prior to that, he held positions at Metromedia, Fox and Group W, where he supervised various productions and served for two years as Executive In Charge of Production on “Hour Magazine.”
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