Sony BMG Music Entertainment wants to drive greater exploitation of its catalog, classical and television properties by housing them in a new business unit with its corporate marketing operations.
The company has formed a new division known as the Commercial Music Group that comprises Legacy Recordings, Television, Sony BMG Masterworks, the Strategic Marketing Group, and the Custom Marketing Group.
John Ingrassia, who has served stints as an operations executive with both Sony and BMG, is president of the new umbrella unit. He is based in New York and reports to Sony BMG COO Tim Bowen.
Jeff Jones, executive VP of Legacy Recordings; Joe DiMuro executive VP/GM of the Strategic Marketing Group, Burgundy Records; Gilbert Hetherwick, president of Sony BMG Masterworks; Richard Chechilo executive VP/GM of the Custom Marketing Group; and Jeremiah Bosgang, executive VP, Television, Sony BMG Music Entertainment all report to Ingrassia.
“The formation of the Commercial Group will enable us to implement comprehensive, long-term strategies designed to reach new audiences and create new opportunities for our vast catalog of archival recordings, as well as for our classical and entertainment divisions,” says Bowen in a statement.
He adds that Ingrassia will be responsible for building new bridges between Sony BMG’s recorded music and entertainment divisions, and the areas of custom products, licensing, and television.
Ingrassia most recently was handling special projects for both Bowen and the BMG label group. He previously was an executive vp for the Columbia Records
