Jenny Groom appointed head of MGM Alternative at Amazon MGM Studios

Amazon MGM Studios has announced a significant leadership change within its unscripted programming division. The studio has appointed Jenny Groom as the new head of MGM Alternative. Groom is currently serving as the executive vice president of unscripted development at BBC Studios. She is scheduled to begin her new role at Amazon MGM on November 30, which falls immediately after the Thanksgiving holiday.

In her new capacity, Groom will report directly to Jenn Levy, who serves as the head of nonfiction for the studio. This appointment is designed to strengthen the studio's creative output and commercial reach in the unscripted television market. The move underscores the company's strategy to leverage established formats while simultaneously pursuing new original content.

Jenn Levy highlighted the value of Groom's background in a memo sent to her team on Wednesday. Levy noted that Groom possesses extensive experience on both the buying and selling sides of the television business. According to Levy, this dual expertise positions MGM Alternative as a crucial creative asset for the studio's broader unscripted ambitions. The leadership team views this hire as a reinforcement of their commitment to developing and selling shows across various platforms.

Groom will have direct oversight of several long-running and highly recognizable MGM franchises. These include Survivor, The Voice, and Shark Tank. Her responsibilities will extend beyond managing these legacy properties to include the development of new series specifically for Amazon's Prime Video platform. Additionally, she will lead efforts to license formats to other outlets, ensuring the studio's content reaches a wide global audience.

Before joining Amazon MGM, Groom spent nearly two decades at NBCUniversal. During her tenure there, she rose to the position of executive vice president of unscripted programming. Her time at NBCUniversal was marked by the greenlighting of The Traitors, a series that has garnered multiple Emmy Awards. She also oversaw a robust reality television slate that included America's Got Talent and American Ninja Warrior, helping to keep the network competitive in the unscripted genre.

More recently, Groom took on a leadership role at BBC Studios as the executive vice president of unscripted development. In this capacity, she developed and executive produced Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, which aired on ABC and Hulu. The series achieved notable success, becoming the number one summer launch in six years. She also worked on Nation's Dumbest, which aired on Fox and secured a second season after its initial run.

Levy's memo further detailed Groom's track record of securing development and pilot deals across various broadcast and streaming platforms. The studio head described Groom as one of the most respected creative leaders in unscripted television. Levy expressed enthusiasm for Groom's arrival, stating that she is excited about the contributions Groom will make to the team and the future of the studio's programming slate.

The transition of Groom from BBC Studios to Amazon MGM represents a key strategic move for the latter. By bringing in a leader with such a diverse portfolio of successful shows, the studio aims to bolster its position in the competitive reality and unscripted television landscape. Groom's start date of November 30 allows for a handover process during the final week of the month.