MUMBAI: Tom Calderone has been promoted to the post of VH1 President, and will now be in charge of managing the brand’s overall portfolio including VH1, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1.com, and all brand extensions.
Calderone formerly held the title of Executive Vice President and General Manager of VH1 since 2005.
In 2007, Tom was named one of Mediaweek magazine’s Top 50 most influential executives shaping the future of media. Calderone will continue to be responsible for the day-to-day leadership, strategy and management of VH1’s entire on-air and digital businesses. He will continue to be based in New York.
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Under Calderone’s leadership, VH1 posted 23 consecutive quarters of growth among total viewers, with the first quarter of 2008 marking the network’s highest rated ever among the coveted 18-49 year old demographic. He and his team have firmly rooted VH1 into the collective music and pop culture psyche with 13 series, specials and live events that have attained “Millionaire’s Club” status, averaging at least one million viewers during their premieres for the year-to-date. VH1 also landed two of its series on the list of top 10 new cable shows this past summer. Calderone and his team have also launched the successful “Rock Honors” annual tentpole franchise and televised huge music global events including “The Concert for Diana” in 2007 and the 90th birthday concert for Nelson Mandela this past summer.
Over the last three years, Calderone has focused on building all of VH1’s platforms and businesses. VH1 Classic has become the Mount Rushmore of Rock where legendary rock icons and moments are celebrated on TV as well as on VH1Classic.com. Original programming has grown on VH1 Soul for the passionate fans of R&B. He has also built an impressive collection of digital businesses online with VH1.com, and BestWeekEver.tv among others, and on the handset with VH1 Mobile.
In addition to his VH1 duties, Calderone will continue to shepherd the growth of Palladia, MTV Networks’ high-definition music network that boasts 12 million subscribers. He also serves as Chairman of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, which has donated more than $40 million worth of music instruments to restore music education programs to public schools across the country. He also directs VH1 Classic’s Rock Autism initiative.
Calderone began his career at MTV Networks in 1998 as Senior Vice President of Music and Talent Programming for MTV, where he led the creation of new music initiatives for the various MTV screens on-air, online and on mobile, as well as managing artist and label relations. He was later promoted to Executive Vice President Music and Talent Programming for MTV & MTV2, taking on a larger role in the development of music programming with some of the biggest artists, including the breakthrough music franchise “Spankin’ New Music,” “Ultimate Mash Ups,” “MTV Icon” which honored iconic musical artists such as Aerosmith, “MTV Jammed,” the hilarious “Doggy Fizzle Televizzle” with Snoop Dogg and the underground MTV2 hit “Wonder Showzen.”
He was also instrumental in launching and championing MTV’s music performance series “Discover and Download,” as well as MTV2’s “Sucker Free” and Subterranean.” Before joining MTV Networks, Calderone had built an impressive track record in the music industry. He served as a consultant with Jacobs Media where he advised radio stations across the country on music, talent and marketing strategies. Early in his career, Calderone served as host of two syndicated radio shows, “Modern Rock Live” and “On the Edge.”
Earlier this year, Calderone also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from his alma mater, Buffalo State College.
