Ex-MTV, Fox content studio execs join Vice

The head of Fox-owned producer ADHD Studios and a former MTV creative director have joined Vice Media’s new cable channel in senior posts.

Nick Weidenfeld and Cristián Jofré have become president of programming and creative director at Viceland and Viceland International, working under the network’s co-presidents Spike Jonze and Eddy Moretti and general manager Guy Slattery.

The hires comes as Viceland expands internationally, most recently announcing a French launch on CanalSat for later this year. It also follows the hire of Discovery Networks Asia chief Arjan Hoekstra as general manager of European channels.

Weidenfeld was most recently head of ADHD (Animation Domination High-Def) Studios, a production studio that created youth-skewed animated programming for Fox and FX Networks in the US. ADHD was created as a late-night programming block on Fox, but was moved to cable channel FXX after failing to garner requisite audience numbers.

Weidenberg was also head of development at Turner Broadcasting System-owned Adult Swim.

As programming chief, Weidenfeld will oversee new content creation and establish a consistent programming vision across the Viceland slate, which currently includes show such as Weediquette and F*ck, That’s Delicious.

Jofré worked at MTV Networks International (now Viacom International Media Networks) for more than 20 years, rising to senior VP, marketing and creative director, and will perform a similar function at Viceland International.

Jofré’s role as creative director will see his work across sales, programming and business development, while oversee the look and feel of the channel as it expands international.

“Nick has been a friend of Vice for over a decade; I think about twelve years,” said Moretti. “Anyway, beyond friendship, we have been tracking Nick’s TV career and when Spike and I were looking for a president of programming we both thought…Nick. He’s the kind of elastic, fantastic, feverishly funny creative mind Spike and I were looking for. It’s a signal where we’re heading with the channel.

“Cristian has been a friend of Vice for nine years,” he added. “That I’m sure of – Shane and I met him in Berlin in the summer of 2007 – we had a lot of white wine and oysters, apparently.

“Since the international expansion of Viceland is literally going bizonkers, I told Spike we needed someone to be the connective tissue between us and the new channels. Immediately there was only one choice, Cristian: he’s by nature a nomadic, global creative citizen, with a sensitivity to the truths of local cultures.

Moretti said that Viceland’s international expansion was “not an imperialistic exercise”, saying: “Cristian will include so many new voices and stories from around the world. He is also Chilean.”