VH1 Promotes Dara Cook

VH1 PROMOTES DARA COOK TO VP, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

VH1 announced that Dara Cook has been promoted to VP, Strategic Development where she will continue to produce topical programming, while adding branding opportunities and cross channel priorities to her responsibilities. Cook will report to Head of Reality Programming and Development Nina L. Diaz. She will also work closely with network president Chris McCarthy.

Cook began her career at MTV Networks working on some of pop culture’s biggest moments as head writer for the VMAs from 2007-2013 including the 2011 show which, to this day, is the most watched single telecast in MTV’s history as well as the 2013 show that featured the famous Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke collaboration. She also served as writer and producer on MTV’s “Total Request Live” (“TRL”) during its heyday. Following TRL, she shifted to the business side at Viacom where she contributed to several Viacom sales’ upfronts and wrote related business initiatives.

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Cook returned to producing when she joined McCarthy at MTV2 helping to lead the network into the Top 10 for young men with shows like “Uncommon Sense with Charlamagne” and “Ain’t That America,” the latter of which was the network’s highest rated original series.

Before her career in television, Cook was a music writer whose work has been published by the Associated Press, VIBE Magazine and The Source among others. She began her career in Ad Sales and Marketing, serving as Marketing Manager for Time Inc., where she managed the $40 million retail business. Under her tenure, Fortune magazine enjoyed its highest historical retail sales, breaking all records for other publications in its category.

In a joint statement, McCarthy and Diaz said: “Dara is an exceptional development executive with a unique business acumen. She has been instrumental to VH1’s record growth and we know she will continue to do great things in this expanded role.”

According to Cook: “VH1 is an iconic brand with a terrific team and I am excited to play a part in its sustained growth.”

An honors graduate from the Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania, Cook will continue to be based at Viacom’s New York City headquarters.

ABOUT VH1

VH1 is the dominant pop culture brand for adults 18-34, creating their pop culture today while celebrating the pop culture of their past. VH1 is available in 93 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including the VH1 App, VH1.com and @VH1, the hub for all things music and pop culture. Fans may also access current and retro VH1 programming via the VH1 App, the network’s three-in-one video, new form content and co-viewing app, available for free on iOS and Android platforms. VH1 is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.