MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo GM Amy Doyle Leaving Viacom After 20 Years
A key member of rising Viacom star Chris McCarthy's regime is leaving the company.
A key member of rising Viacom star Chris McCarthy’s regime is leaving the company.
Amy Doyle, who serves as general manager at McCarthy’s MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo, has opted to exit her role after 20 years with the media giant. She will remain on through the spring as she works closely with her longtime friend, McCarthy, who in the past few months has added oversight of Paramount Network, Comedy Central and Smithsonian Channel to a purview that already included MTV, VH1, CMT, TV Land and Logo.
Doyle’s responsibilities are expected to be divided among other members of McCarthy’s administration as he consolidates operations across the increasing number of cable networks he oversees in his expanding Entertainment & Youth Group.
McCarthy announced Doyle’s departure in a memo to staff early Tuesday (Jan. 21). “I’m not going to lie; this is a hard one for me,” McCarthy wrote in the memo announcing Doyle’s departure. (Read it in full, below.) “Amy and I have been working side by side for most of those 20 years. She is a trusted and talented colleague, a valued confidant and advisor and, most importantly, my great friend. I will miss her dearly as I know you will too.”
Doyle was appointed GM at MTV, VH1 and Logo three years ago and, as McCarthy added to a purview that originally included VH1 — where the duo both started. Since then, Doyle was partnered with McCarthy on the overall creative management of the group, including oversight of tentpole events, specials, network and celebrity talent as well as other purviews.
During her tenure, Doyle worked on MTV’s tentpole events, including the Movie & TV Awards and VMAs, among others. She was deeply involved in VH1’s Save the Music Foundation and other programs focusing on arts education.
Doyle’s departure arrives as ViacomCBS continues to shuffle the decks after remerging last year. The combined company is in the midst of merging several operations, with layoffs already underway in departments such as administrative as the media giant looks to eliminate redundancies and better position itself for the future.
Here’s McCarthy’s memo to staff:
Dear Colleagues,
After 20 years as part of our great brands, Amy has decided to step away from her role as General Manager for MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo. During her long and successful tenure, she will leave a legacy of building incredible teams, championing talent and creating some of the most memorable moments in pop-culture history.
The list of entertaining and culturally relevant events and shows Amy helped to bring to life is as large and diverse as her taste in music. From the reinvention of the Movie & TV Awards, to so many unforgettable VMAs, Woodies, Trailblazers, Divas, Hip Hop Honors and many more.
Amy was instrumental in helping pave the way for artists to make their mark on one of our stages – including Beyoncé, Adele, Camila Cabello, P!nk, Queen Latifah, Florence and the Machine, Tiffany Haddish, Rebel Wilson and Chelsea Handler to name just a few. If you can’t tell from that list, Amy has always been an advocate for female voices – both in front of and behind the camera, and on every one of our floors.
With Amy, creativity, culture and compassion always come first. She is a huge champion of our brands, our social impact work and each of you – she has helped shape the heart and soul of the company and for that we thank her dearly. Not to mention the fact that she’s smart, funny, warm and a great leader. You have to look no further for proof of her special talent, than the team she put together and the leaders she leaves behind.
While doing all of this, she also made time to personally give back, serving on the Board of the All Stars Project and VH1’s Save the Music Foundation where she was co-chair. During Amy’s oversight, Save The Music partnered with artists, brands and educators to start music programs at over 250 public schools – including our first-ever music technology grants – impacting thousands of students nationwide. She has also been honored by many nonprofit organizations including the UJA and the ACLU.
Finally, as much as I respect Amy as a leader, I equally admire her as a friend. She’s not just there for the good times, she’s been there for the tough ones too. I’m not going to lie; this is a hard one for me. Amy and I have been working side by side for most of those 20 years. She is a trusted and talented colleague, a valued confidant and advisor and, most importantly, my great friend.
I will miss her dearly as I know you will too.
The good news for all of us is that she’ll be here through the spring to help me with the transition.
Please join me in thanking Amy for everything she has done and wishing her the very best in her next chapter.
-Chris
This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.
More From Pro
