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Susan L’Ecuyer (856) 596-2221                            

 

 

MTV Group President Judy McGrath
To Keynote NARM Convention

 

      Judy McGrath, President of the MTV Group and Chairman of Interactive Music, will present the keynote address at the Opening Session of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers’ 43rd Annual Convention March 11 through 14, 2001, in Orlando, Florida.

      “MTV is a powerhouse in our industry and in our culture in large part because of Judy McGrath’s vision. Because MTV is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, I think the timing is perfect for Judy to come to NARM and talk about life in the music biz, past, present, and future,” said Pamela Horovitz. “Besides, we’ve never had a woman deliver the keynote, and it’s about time!” 

      From the very beginning, McGrath helped bring music’s creativity, passion, originality, and energy to MTV. Under her direction, the network has grown from a maverick cable channel to a global brand that has come to symbolize a culture, a style, an attitude, and a vibrant musical landscape. She assembled a uniquely talented group of programmers, producers and writers who have made MTV a cutting-edge, award-winning network for young adults.

      McGrath and her team have developed programs and events that have become cultural landmarks to young people everywhere: the Video Music Awards, the MTV Movie Awards, Total Request Live, The Tom Green Show, MTV Unplugged, The Real World, Beavis and Butt-head, the “Choose or Lose” Voter Registration Campaign, and the Emmy Award-winning “Fight For Your Rights: Take A Stand Against Violence” Campaign. Throughout it all, the themes remain the same: respect and affection for young adults and the music they love.

      McGrath joined Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC), MTV Networks’ predecessor company in 1981 as a copywriter of on-air promotions for MTV. She subsequently became Editorial Director and then Executive Vice President and Creative Director for MTV before becoming Co-President and Creative Director for the network. As Chairman of Interactive Music for MTV, she leads the MTVi Group, MTV Network’s cutting edge Internet operations, which includes mtv.com, vh1.com and sonicnet.com.

      NARM serves the music and other prerecorded entertainment software industry as the pre-eminent forum for insight and dialogue for its more than 1,100 member retailers, wholesalers, distributors, entertainment software suppliers, and suppliers of related products and services.