Larry Jones ousted as TV Land president
Staff report
LOS ANGELES
Larry W. Jones has been ousted as president of TV Land, part of an ongoing restructuring of the cable network by parent company Viacom.
According to a the Hollywood Reporter, the move comes as TV Land prepares for a creative reinvention, pegged to the March 31 premiere of the comedy “Younger.” With “Hot in Cleveland” airing its final season, TV Land has plans to shift to more younger-skewing single-camera fare, including its upcoming Jim Gaffigan comedy “Teachers,” and “Impastor.”
Jones, a Youngstown native, has been with Viacom since 1988.
He was executive vice president and general manager at TV Land before becoming president. He helped launch the network, and guided its entry into original scripted programming.
In a goodbye memo to his staff this week, Jones wrote:
“I am so proud of the work we have accomplished over the years and especially excited about the new initiatives we have coming up on TV Land. The channel is on the verge of amazing things, and I’m constantly impressed by the team of people who have worked tirelessly to make it all happen.”
Jones’ exit this week comes on the heels of a similar ouster of Van Toffler as president of MTV Networks Music and Logo Group, also a Viacom property.