Showtime Networks has named Vinnie Malhotra to the newly created role of senior vice president of documentaries, unscripted and sports Programming, the network announced Monday.
An Emmy and Peabody Award-winning executive, Malhotra will oversee the development and production of the network’s growing slate of original unscripted and documentary programming, as well as all future documentary theatrical releases.
He will work closely with Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of sports and event programming, on the network’s unscripted and documentary sports programming.
Malhotra brings with him a wealth of experience in the documentary field. He previously worked at CNN Worldwide as the senior vice president for development and acquisitions, spearheading the launch of CNN Films.
His efforts have led to successful partnerships with multiple award-winning filmmakers including Steve James and Alex Gibney, as well as the acquisition, co-production, or commission of more than two dozen films, including “Blackfish” and “The Hunting Ground.”
In 2010, Malhotra joined ESPN as vice president and executive producer for content development. In this position, he was responsible for the development of films that include “Everything in Between: The Tim Tebow Story,” “The Color Orange,” “The Brady 6,” and “The Marinovich Project.” He has also served as a producer for ABC News.
Malhotra has received numerous industry honors for excellence in journalism including three Primetime Emmy Awards, six News and Documentary Emmy Awards, a Peabody and an Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award. Malhotra will be based at Showtime in Los Angeles.
“We are proud that Showtime has become a competitive player in the documentary world and a creative haven for award-winning filmmakers,” Gary Levine, Showtime’s president of programming, said in a statement. “Vinnie is joining our amazing team at an exciting time. We are thrilled to have an executive of his caliber taking our ambitious documentary and docu-series slate to the next level.”