EXCLUSIVE
Brandon Riegg, ABC's executive director of alternative series, is jumping to rival NBC as vice president of alternative series & development, individuals familiar with the situation told TheWrap.
Riegg's hiring is part of an NBC plan to bolster its alternative programming department, and comes just a few weeks after Meredith Ahr was promoted by NBC to senior vice president, alternative programing & deveopment.
In his new post, Riegg will report to Ahr and to Paul Teledgy, executive vice president, alternative programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios.
Riegg, who helped develop ABC's summer reality hit "Wipeout" and also oversaw the network's regular season reality hit "Dancing with the Stars," left ABC last month, after his contract expired in May, individuals said.
"Wipeout" is currently in its third season at ABC and is averaging 9.4 million viewers this summer, making it the fifth most-watched show among the broadcast networks. It is also averaging a 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demo, ranking it third in the demo.
Riegg, who joined ABC in 2006, after three years as director of development at VHI, oversaw seven cycles of "Dancing," and also worked on another ABC reality hit "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, as well as on "Wife Swap."
Before VHI, Riegg worked at Mark Burnett Productions.
Ahr, who was promoted at NBC from vice president, alternative programming & development in mid-June, developed "America's Got Talent," as well as "The Celebrity Apprentice" and "The Marriage Ref."
