VH1 builds unscripted team with MTV exec

VH1 is bringing Paul Ricci across from sister US cable channel MTV to become its senior VP and head of alternative programming and development.

He will report to Nina L. Diaz, who was this week upped to executive VP and head of reality programming and development and now reports into the Viacom channel’s president, Chris McCarthy.

This structure centralises VH1’s programming efforts – previously Diaz had run East Coast development with Jill Holmes doing the same on the West Coast on the US.

Ricci begins his new post in August, having spent his entire professional career at MTV, where he rose to an SVP, development position, leading development for MTV2 during a boom time for the channel. There he worked under McCarthy, who was the network’s general manager between 2010 and 2015.

Ricci has developed shows such as Guy Code, Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out and the upcoming Going Off, which will debut on MTV.

He was prior to that head of programming at mtvU.

McCarthy said Ricci had “a deep knowledge of formats and a keen eye for talent”.