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Brian Graden

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Brian Graden
Born (1963-03-23) March 23, 1963 (age 61)
EducationOral Roberts University (BA)
Harvard University (MPA)
OccupationMedia executive

Brian Graden (born March 23, 1963) is an American television executive.

Early life and education

Graden grew up in Hillsboro, Illinois,[1] and graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1981. He graduated from Oral Roberts University[1] in 1985 with a degree in business, and later graduated with an MBA from Harvard University. He is of Jewish background.[2]

Career

Fox Network

Graden began working in television, ultimately becoming a senior vice president at Foxlab, Fox's alternative-programming unit, where he oversaw shows like COPS[3] and America's Most Wanted.[4][5][6][7][1]

South Park (Comedy Central)

In 1995, he hired Trey Parker and Matt Stone to create a video Christmas card after seeing their animated short The Spirit of Christmas.[8][1][9] This led to the hit video “Jesus vs. Santa.”[1] Parker and Stone decided to further develop their characters and pitch a show to Fox.[8] When the network decided not to pursue Stone’s and Parker’s animated series South Park, Graden left Fox and became an executive producer for the series.[8][1][10][11] It was picked up by Comedy Central.[8]

South Park celebrated its 25th anniversary in August 2022 with a concert in Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater.[12] It was a three-hour, 30-song event with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, performances from Primus and Ween, and a musical cameo from two members of Rush.[12][13][14]

MTV Networks

In November 1997, Graden joined MTV as executive vice president of programming.[15][16] Under the role, Graden was responsible for all of MTV’s programming.[16] This was a new structure for the network as it had previously had four programming executives.[16][17]

In 2002, Graden was promoted to president of programming for MTV and MTV2.[18] He was responsible for creative content on all platforms, and oversaw music, news and specials, production, talent and artist relations, animation, scheduling, and series development.[11]

In the spring of 2002 he was asked to assess VH1, which was struggling.[1] After his review, he was put in charge of restructuring the network and was named President Entertainment, MTV and VH1.[1][11] This made him additionally responsible for developing the programming strategy and development slate for VH1, as well as the creative and business developments of MTV, MTV2, CMT, and Logo.[1][11]

In 2005, Graden helped oversee the launch of Logo, the first 24-hour, completely ad-supported gay and lesbian cable network.[19] Graden was also president of Logo.[19]

In the April 2007 issue of Out, he was ranked the number ten most powerful gay person in America.[20] He has also been named one of the most influential executives in reality programming.[21]

In 2009, Graden announced he was stepping down as the president of entertainment at MTV Networks in order to focus on writing a musical, Limbo, and two books.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gillette, Felix (2009-08-18). "The Reinvention of Brian Graden". Observer. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  2. ^ "Jews In The American Media | Hollywood".
  3. ^ "Cops". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  4. ^ "Brian Graden: Stress Less and Trust the Work". Los Angeles, CA Patch. 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  5. ^ "America's Most Wanted". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  6. ^ Romano, Allison (2003-09-08). "His Finger Is on the Pulse of Pop Culture". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  7. ^ "Graden". Los Angeles Business Journal. 1998-09-13. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  8. ^ a b c d Wilson, George (2022-09-09). "10 Influential Early Web Animations". Listverse. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  9. ^ Greene, Andy (2019-12-24). "Watch the First 'South Park' Short 'The Spirit of Christmas'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  10. ^ "South Park". Television Academy. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  11. ^ a b c d "Brian Graden Named President Entertainment, MTV and VH1". idobi Network. 2002-05-15. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  12. ^ a b Kluft, Alex (2022-08-15). "Bass Magazine's South Park: The 25th Anniversary Concert Recap". Bass Magazine. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  13. ^ Parker, Ryan (2022-07-20). "Comedy Central to Air South Park 25th Anniversary Concert Event (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  14. ^ Eustice, Kyle (2022-08-11). "South Park's 25th Anniversary Concert at Red Rocks Is a Rush, in More Ways Than One". Variety. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  15. ^ Hay, Carla (27 December 1997). "Vid channels feel merger mania; Strides made online". Billboard. ProQuest 227102196.
  16. ^ a b c "Graden's MTV mandate". Variety. 1997-12-17. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  17. ^ Epstein, Jeffrey (2000-05-23). The Advocate. Here Publishing. pp. 77–79. ISSN 0001-8996.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2009-06-15). "Brian Graden leaving MTV Networks". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  19. ^ a b Fonseca, Nicholas (2005-07-01). "The Logo channel begins its run this week". Entertainment. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  20. ^ Oxfield, Jesse, Idov, Michael (March 4, 2007), ‘Out’ Ranks the Top 50 Gays; Anderson Is No. 2 Archived 2007-06-06 at the Wayback Machine, New York Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2007.
  21. ^ "Brian Graden: President of entertainment, MTV Networks Music Channels". Tvweek.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-11-01.


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