Viacom Names Digital Media Veteran Head of MTV

New York Times: Viacom announced that it has hired Sean Atkins as the new president of its MTV division, the ratings-challenged network group that has struggled to shift its business as younger viewers abandon traditional television. Atkins most recently worked as general manager and EVP of digital media and strategy at Discovery. He succeeds Stephen Friedman, who had been president of MTV since 2008. Viacom has faced persistent ratings declines at MTV and its stable of cable television networks, including Nickelodeon, VH1 and Spike.