MTVN to Consolidate Digital Music Sales Teams

New MTV Networks EVP Digital Advertising Sales Kevin Arrix is still working out a detailed plan for the firm’s digital strategy. However, there’s one change that’s already in the works: The Viacom-owned firm will consolidate its digital music sales teams.

According to Arrix, whose promotion from SVP digital ad sales was announced Monday, digital ad teams selling CMT.com, MTV, and VH1 will become one team. The company expects to make a formal announcement regarding the consolidation in the near future.

Currently there are approximately 40 people on the digital sales staffs for the three music properties. “The consolidation makes our Music group more efficient, but it primarily makes us easier to work with and a bigger entity at almost 20 million uniques,” Arrix said.

The change was in development before Arrix’s promotion, though he said he’s been in support of the consolidation for some time. Arrix said he learned of his promotion about three or four weeks ago, and has since been “redefining the strategy for the organization moving forward.”

He added, “We’re working feverishly to have a new game plan for early January.”

Now, as a result of his promotion, in addition to heading up MTVN’s digital ad sales, Arrix will lead its Tribes vertical ad network division, the operations team, and MTVN Digital Fusion, its in-house creative and innovation group. Previously he was responsible only for the digital ad team.

Arrix also told ClickZ News he expects the company to hire new people next year. For instance, MTVN is seeking a replacement for Jason Witt, former SVP of Digital Fusion.

MTVN properties include Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Spike.