What Amazon MGM is getting
Amazon MGM Studios has named Jenny Groom head of MGM Alternative, the unscripted division behind Survivor, The Voice and Shark Tank. She starts after Thanksgiving, on Monday, Nov. 30, and reports to Jenn Levy, the studio’s head of nonfiction.
Groom joins from BBC Studios, where she was executive VP of unscripted development. Her new role puts her in charge of the MGM format library, development for Prime Video, and sales to broadcasters and platforms outside Amazon.
Levy made the business logic clear in a memo: Groom’s experience “on both the buying and selling side of the business” positions the division “as a key creative asset for our unscripted ambitions.”
The record behind the hire
The appointment is not just about maintaining old hits. Groom’s recent credits give Amazon MGM a developer who has launched summer unscripted successes on multiple networks.
- Nation’s Dumbest: Fox’s number one summer launch in four years, already renewed for season two.
- Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro: ABC and Hulu’s number one summer launch in six years.
- NBCUniversal years: commissioned The Traitors and Love Island, and oversaw The Voice, America’s Got Talent and American Ninja Warrior.
She also carries an executive producer credit on Netflix’s Funny AF with Kevin Hart, which is returning for a second season.
Why buyers should pay attention
For media planners and content buyers, the signal is straightforward: Amazon MGM is building MGM Alternative as a supplier to the wider market, not just an internal pipeline for Prime Video. That could mean more ad-supported unscripted inventory flowing to broadcast and streaming schedules outside Amazon.
The immediate test is execution. Groom inherits legacy franchises that need renewal and a format library that already travels internationally. Her dual background suggests the studio wants to monetise those assets across town while feeding its own streamer.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
