R Gregory Meidel

MCA Inc. on Sunday ended a two-month search for a top TV executive by naming Fox Television executive R. Gregory Meidel as chairman of its MCA Television Group. Meidel, whose appointment had been expected throughout Hollywood, is president and chief operating officer of Fox's Twentieth Television unit, which oversees such activities as non-network production and distribution. Meidel replaces Tom Wertheimer, who resigned in late August, and reports to MCA President Ron Meyer.

Greg Meidel's turbulent run as chairman of Universal Studios' television operations is over, with the executive leaving his post at the end of this month. Meidel's exit continues a turnover of senior management as USA Networks Chairman Barry Diller goes about putting his own team in place. Diller took control of Universal's TV holdings in a $4.1-billion merger seven months ago.

Two days after Universal Television confirmed that Chairman Greg Meidel was leaving the company in the wake of its $4.1-billion deal with Barry Diller, it was announced Meidel would stay. Universal issued a one-line release stating that Meidel had signed a multiyear agreement with USA Networks Inc., the newly named Diller-Universal television operation. Meidel, 43, joined Universal two years ago.

Two days after Universal Television confirmed that Chairman Greg Meidel was leaving the company in the wake of its $4.1-billion deal with Barry Diller, it was announced Meidel would stay. Universal issued a one-line release stating that Meidel had signed a multiyear agreement with USA Networks Inc., the newly named Diller-Universal television operation. Meidel, 43, joined Universal two years ago.

Greg Meidel's turbulent run as chairman of Universal Studios' television operations is over, with the executive leaving his post at the end of this month. Meidel's exit continues a turnover of senior management as USA Networks Chairman Barry Diller goes about putting his own team in place. Diller took control of Universal's TV holdings in a $4.1-billion merger seven months ago.

R. Gregory Meidel has been named executive vice president and general sales manager for the domestic television division of Paramount Pictures Corp., Los Angeles. He was senior vice president and general sales manager.

In a restructuring of part of Fox Television, R. Gregory Meidel has been named president and chief operating officer of Twentieth Television and Peter Faiman has been appointed to the new position of president of production. The move consolidates several Fox units into Twentieth Television, which will oversee development and production of non-traditional programs as well as domestic TV production and sales.

After weeks of speculation, MCA Inc. on Monday formally crowned Casey Silver as head of its movie division. Silver, 40, had been doing the job on an interim basis for four months. His elevation to chairman of the MCA Motion Picture Group had been widely rumored and isn't expected to dramatically alter what he's been doing day to day. Nonetheless, it puts the once-struggling screenwriter firmly in place in one of the movie industry's more powerful and high-pressure jobs.

MCA Inc. on Sunday ended a two-month search for a top TV executive by naming Fox Television executive R. Gregory Meidel as chairman of its MCA Television Group. Meidel, whose appointment had been expected throughout Hollywood, is president and chief operating officer of Fox's Twentieth Television unit, which oversees such activities as non-network production and distribution. Meidel replaces Tom Wertheimer, who resigned in late August, and reports to MCA President Ron Meyer.