TV Exec Ready to Head Oprah Network

Not everyone is getting laid off these days. Queen of all media Oprah Winfrey announced on Thursday that former MTV/VH1 exec Christina Norman will head the mogul’s new network OWN, according to the Los Angeles Times. Norman, 45, will be the chief executive officer of the new cable station The Oprah Winfrey Network, and is scheduled to oversee all the business and programming functions for the channel and Web site. Norman spent 17 years with Viacom Inc.’s MTV cable empire before stepping down last year as MTV president. Before that, she ran its sister channel, VH-1. Norman shared, “We’ve seen that people who take risks in times like these are the ones who are rewarded.” —BB