I forgot to mention this on Friday: Vivian Schiller, the GM of the Discovery Times Channel, has been named the New York Times’ Senior Vice President of Television & Video.

"There remains a significant business opportunity to extend our journalism to existing and emerging media," an e-mail to the staff said. "Simply put, wherever there is a screen that can carry moving images, there is an opportunity for The New York Times."

Schiller will help maximize that opportunity while continuing to oversee the Discovery Times Channel. The staff e-mail from NYT news services president Tom Carley and deputy managing editor and director of electronic news Mike Oreskes is after the jump...


E-mail to staff:

The New York Times has achieved significant critical and business successes in television over the last few years, launching the Discovery Times Channel, producing award winning programming for the channel, PBS, and elsewhere, as well as producing popular video pieces for nytimes.com.

But there remains a significant business opportunity to extend our journalism to existing and emerging media. Simply put, wherever there is a screen that can carry moving images, there is an opportunity for The New York Times. This is a critical part of our future, and requires strong leadership across the newsroom and the business side of the Company.

To that end, we are pleased to announce that Vivian Schiller is being promoted to the new masthead position of senior vice president, Television & Video. Vivian, who is general manager of the Discovery Times Channel, splits her time between New York and Maryland where she lives and also works. But despite her frequent flier status she has made great strides in the two years the channel has been on the air, including critical journalistic acclaim and substantial business success. The Discovery Times Channel is now available in 36 million homes and is building a desirable upscale audience. Vivian will continue to oversee the Discovery Times Channel while she adds these new responsibilities to her portfolio.

Prior to joining us in 2002, Vivian was in charge of documentary programming for the CNN Newsgroup where she led the documentary industry in award winning television journalism. She's been in television for 18 years, straddling content and business.

Vivian will continue to report to Tom Carley and Mike Oreskes (until Mike departs for the International Herald Tribune, at which time Bill Keller will determine the new newsroom structure).

Please join us in congratulating Vivian in a role that fully recognizes video journalism's importance to our future.