Contact Information: Contact: Amanda Collins Warner Music Group 212/275-2213 Email Contact
Warner Music Group Hires Music and Television Veterans Ignjatovic and Prager to Lead Newly Created Original Programming Division
New "Den of Thieves" Unit Teams Veteran MTV Series Creator and Executive Producer of 2007 MTV Video Music Awards With Seasoned Music Executive
Working Closely With WMG Labels Including Atlantic Records Group and Warner Bros. Records, Ignjatovic and Prager Will Develop Original Programming for Network, Cable, DVD, Broadband, Mobile and More
| Source: Warner Music Group
NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- May 7, 2007 -- Warner Music Group (NYSE : WMG ) today announced
the creation of a new production division designed to develop and produce
original programming for network, cable, DVD, broadband and mobile
platforms. The division, named Den of Thieves, will be led by music and
television industry veterans Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager, and will be
overseen by executives from WMG's U.S. Recorded Music Division including
Lyor Cohen, Craig Kallman, Julie Greenwald and Tom Whalley.
Based in Los Angeles, Den of Thieves will work closely with WMG's record
labels to create content for distribution around its artists' releases and
special projects. In addition, Den of Thieves will explore original
programming and opportunities beyond WMG's roster in an effort to broaden
the scope of content created by WMG and its labels.
In making the announcement, Lyor Cohen, WMG's Chairman and CEO of U.S.
Recorded Music, said, "As we continue our evolution as a music-based
content company, it is essential to bring in-house the expertise to create
the highest quality music-based original programming. With Jesse and Evan,
we've got some of the brightest talent in the business aggressively
developing new creative content and creating new revenue streams that will
greatly benefit our world-class roster of artists."
"We are thrilled to be working with such an incredibly forward-thinking
company as WMG and its labels," said Ignjatovic. "Den of Thieves will
think outside of the box to create and develop unique opportunities that
will expand the reach and creativity of WMG's recording artists."
Added Prager, "Having worked together for many years as colleagues in the
industry, Jesse and I are looking forward to combining our talents to not
only develop strategic creative content for Atlantic Records' and Warner
Bros. Records' artists, but also to build new franchises for WMG."
Atlantic Records President Julie Greenwald said, "Den of Thieves will be a
fantastic way to extend the reach of our artists and music into new
territory, while at the same time vastly expanding the range of content
that we are able to generate within our own house. I have been a huge fan
of both Jesse and Evan for many years, and the combination of Jesse's
inspired creative vision and Evan's deep promotion experience makes them a
terrific team."
Tom Whalley, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Records, said, "Identifying new
creative outlets for our artists has been a key part of the Warner Bros.'
strategy. We're excited about working with Jesse and Evan and look forward
to collaborating with them on high-quality music-based programming in the
television, online and mobile spaces."
Most recently, Ignjatovic was named Executive Producer of the 2007 MTV
Video Music Awards. Additionally, Den of Thieves will revive "Diary" for
Country Music Television (CMT). "Diary," which was created, directed and
executive produced by Ignjatovic at MTV, has aired more than 80 episodes to
date and takes viewers into the lives of popular entertainers, as told in
their own words. Martina McBride and Gretchen Wilson are among the first
artists who will be featured.
Ignjatovic spent 14 years at MTV, where he was responsible for developing
innovative projects with music talent, as well as long-form, music-based
programming for the network. He co-created, produced and developed such
original programming as "Meet the Barkers," "Diary," "mtvICON," "Life &
Rhymes of...," which featured profiles of artists including Nas, 50 Cent,
Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Ludacris and Snoop Dogg and
"Dancelife," with Jennifer Lopez. In addition, he co-created and Executive
Produced "MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups - Jay-Z/Linkin Park," which won a Grammy
award in 2004.
Prager has 13 years' experience working for major record labels, where he
worked with a variety of recording artists. He worked at Epic Records from
1993-2002, and most recently at the Island Def Jam Music Group where he
served as Vice President, Video Promotion from 2002-2006. During this
time, he also earned an MBA from Columbia University.
During his career, he has worked with Mariah Carey, Fall Out Boy, Bon Jovi,
The Osbournes, Oasis, Rage Against The Machine, Good Charlotte, Jennifer
Lopez, Shakira, Michael Jackson and Incubus.
Den of Thieves is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
About Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group became the only stand-alone music company to be publicly
traded in the United States in May 2005. With its broad roster of new stars
and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the
best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic,
Bad Boy, Cordless, East West, Elektra, Lava, Maverick, Nonesuch, Reprise,
Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros. and Word. Warner Music
International, a leading company in national and international repertoire,
operates through numerous international affiliates and licensees in more
than 50 countries. Warner Music Group also includes Warner/Chappell Music,
one of the world's leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than
one million copyrights worldwide.