MTV Head of Original Programming Michael Klein Exits After 6 Months
Exec’s departure comes a month after network president Sean Atkins was replaced by VH1’s Chris McCarthy
Reid Nakamura | November 28, 2016 @ 12:21 PM
Last Updated: November 28, 2016 @ 1:07 PM
MTV’s head of original programming Michael Klein is exiting the company after six months, TheWrap has learned.
News of the former Conde Nast executive’s exit was announced on Monday in an internal memo from network head Chris McCarthy, which noted that Klein had “signed on to the job under different circumstances.” A replacement is expected to be named as soon as Tuesday.
The executive’s departure comes just a month after MTV President Sean Atkins stepped down after a year on the job and was replaced by McCarthy, who now oversees MTV in addition to VH1 and Logo.
Klein was appointed by Atkins earlier this year to replace Susanne Daniels, who left the network last July. In the role, he oversaw all of MTV’s original programming, including both scripted and unscripted. He also oversaw development and creative across MTV and its related brands.
Prior to joining MTV, Klein served as executive vice president of Programming and Content Strategy at Conde Nast’s Digital Channels.
His departure is just the latest in a string of executive departures for MTV, which also saw reality head Lauren Dolgen leave the network after 19 years back in June.
Read McCarthy’s memo below:
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a restful Thanksgiving break. I wanted to let you know that Michael Klein has decided to leave the company. We’ve been discussing his role these past few weeks, and it’s clear he signed on to the job under different circumstances to pursue a different strategy. I understand and respect his decision, and the work the Development team has done in the past year. I want to thank Michael for helping me get up to speed, and for his efforts on behalf of MTV.
Many thanks to the Development team for its continued hard work, commitment and creativity in the meantime. We’ll have news to share soon about new leadership for programming and development. I’m confident that together we’ll continue to break new ground, connect with our young audience, and elevate our brand.
For the moment, please join me in thanking Michael and wishing him the best of luck.
Evolution of MTV: From Buggles to 'Teen Wolf' (Photos)
August 1, 1981 – MTV takes off
MTV officially premiered in 1981 with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll" played over footage of the launch of the Columbia space shuttle, followed by the debut of the network's now-iconic logo.
MTV
1981 – "Video Killed the Radio Star"
MTV's kicked off it's 24-hour rotation of music videos with The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," sending the format mainstream for the first time.
MTV
1982 – "I want my MTV!"
MTV enlisted famous musicians -- including Pat Benatar, David Bowie, The Police, Kiss, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Lionel Richie and Mick Jagger -- in 1982 for a legendary marketing campaign calling on viewers to ask their cable companies to carry the network.
MTV
1983 – Michael Jackson breaks the color barrier
In its earliest days, MTV focused mainly on rock music by white artists, leading to cries of racial discrimination. The network finally reversed course in 1983 when it was pressured into airing Michael Jackson's video for "Billie Jean," followed closely by "Beat It" and the hugely popular "Thriller."
MTV
September 14, 1984 – The first VMAs
MTV debuted the original Video Music Awards in 1984, with Madonna doing a live performance of her single "Like a Virgin," and The Cars' "You Might Think" walking away with the moonman for Video of the Year.
MTV
May 1992 – "The Real World"
MTV stopped being polite and started getting real in 1992 with the premiere of "The Real World," basically inventing the modern reality TV genre in the process and setting the stage for hundreds of imitators in years to come.
MTV
September 1998 – "Total Request Live"
As MTV continued to shift away to other kinds of programming in the late '90s, the Carson Daly-hosted "TRL" became the network's main outlet for music videos, featuring a countdown of the most-requested videos of the day.
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October 2000 – "Jackass"
One of several prank series throughout the network's history, "Jackass" ran for just two years, but launched the careers of stars Steve-O, Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera, and paved the way for Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd."
MTV
March 2002 – "The Osbournes"
The most-watched MTV series when it premiered, "The Osbournes" documented the domestic life of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, making it one of the first entrants in the now-common "celebreality" genre.
MTV
September 2004 – "Laguna Beach"
A year after the premiere of Fox's "The OC," MTV debuted the reality series "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," the world's first introduction to the life of Lauren "L.C." Conrad. The even more popular spinoff "The Hills" followed in 2006, blurring the line between scripted and unscripted television.
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November 2008 – "TRL" comes to an end
The series finale of "TRL" marked the end of an era for MTV, with the music-centric program taking its final bow at a time when "The Hills" was hitting its peak, and "Jersey Shore" and "16 and Pregnant" -- a show which would eventually birth three editions of spin-off "Teen Mom" -- were less than a year away.
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December 2009 – "Jersey Shore"
Snooki, JWoww and The Situation became household names when the "Real World"-inspired series "Jersey Shore" hit the network and became one of the most popular shows on cable TV at the time.
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2010 – A push for scripted series
MTV began its push into scripted programming in 2010 with disappointments like "The Hard Times of RJ Berger" and a U.S. adaptation of "Skins" balanced out by major hits like the comedy "Awkward" and the highly successful "Teen Wolf."
MTV
January 2016 – "The Shannara Chronicles"
For years the network struggled to find a show that could match the success of "Teen Wolf," so in 2016 MTV bet big on "The Shannara Chronicles," an expensive adaptation of the series of fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.
MTV
July 2016 – The end in sight for "Teen Wolf"
Series creator Jeff Davis announced at San Diego Comic-Con that "Teen Wolf" would come to an end in 2017, leaving viewers to wonder what the network's programming slate will look like once its tentpole program goes off the air.
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September 15, 2016 – "Wonderland"
At the network's upfronts presentation in April, MTV announced it would be bringing music back to MTV with a few new music-themed programs, including new multi-platform live performance show "Wonderland" and the return of the long-running "MTV Unplugged."
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1 of 16
Viacom’s music-centric network has taken many forms since “I want my MTV!”
August 1, 1981 – MTV takes off
MTV officially premiered in 1981 with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll" played over footage of the launch of the Columbia space shuttle, followed by the debut of the network's now-iconic logo.
MTV
MTV
