Leslie Frum, who served as CMT’s senior vice president of music strategy and talent for nearly 13 years, said goodbye to staff on Tuesday, days after the channel was decimated by network-wide layoffs from parent company Paramount Global. wrote a letter and posted it on social media. .
Frum was a longtime staple in the country music community, overseeing music programming for channels across the spectrum, as well as franchises such as the CMT Music Awards and CMT Storytellers, Giants and Crossroads. But her stature in Nashville extends far beyond the Strait, as her farewell letter makes clear.
“One of my proudest accomplishments is more than a decade of supporting women through CMT’s Next Women of Country program. The program has helped advance and empower over 100 women artists across all platforms, and is committed to advancing the format in the areas of inclusion and inclusion. Diversity,” she wrote. She spoke in detail about the initiative. variety In 2018 and again four years later on the podcast Strictly Business. The full text of her letter continues below.
Although 10 CMT staff members remain, the future of the network remains uncertain. A company representative had no comment, and a Nashville insider reached out: variety I couldn’t even guess what that future would be like. Nashville certainly has no shortage of award shows, and the influence of cable TV has been fading for decades, and CMT’s music programming, like Paramount’s other channels, which are ostensibly music-focused, has become more popular with movies and reruns. It’s been a long time since we were ghettoized into overnight time in favor of broadcasting. Among shows like “Roseanne,” “The King of Queens” and “The Golden Girls.” But there’s no question that the drastic reduction in CMT’s personnel and community footprint is a blow to country music and the musicians who make it.
Dear CMT Family, Friends, and Colleagues,
Thirteen years ago this month, I had the incredible opportunity to become CMT’s SVP/Music & Talent and work with my longtime friend and mentor, Brian Phillips (then president of CMT). The transition from rock radio to country music television was a pivotal moment in my career, allowing me and the brand’s resident experts to forge the next great chapter for CMT. We built an even bigger music brand and continued to expand on the superstars and legends of the format while continuing to give a voice to the next generation.
Over the years, we have achieved many milestones as a team. From celebrating the debut of the “CMT Music Awards” on CBS, to the return of historic series like “CMT Giants,” which celebrates legends like Kenny Rogers, Vince Gill, and Alabama, to the return of the iconic “Storyteller” format. , to creating new music programs and special programs. “CMT Campfire Session,” “CMT Summer Camp,” and “CMT Smashing Glass” honoring Tanya Tucker and Patti LaBelle, these are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I will always treasure.
And it wouldn’t be CMT without a deep bow to the award-winning series “CMT Crossroads.” My first experience with this series was Vince Gill & Sting at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, and I was immediately blown away by the musical scale of these shows. We then went on to talk about Stevie Nicks and Lady A, Katy Perry and Kacey Musgraves, Alicia Keys and Maren Morris, Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini, Shawn Mendes and Zac Brown, Nickelback and Hardy, and more. , has brought together an extraordinary combination. I am forever grateful for the expertise and genius of my colleagues, Executive Producers Margaret Comeau and John Hamlin. Without them, Crossroads and many other works would not have been possible.
One of my proudest accomplishments is more than a decade of supporting women through CMT’s “Next Women of Country” program. The program has promoted and elevated over 100 female artists across all platforms, and is committed to advancing the format in the areas of inclusion and diversity. .
The team has worked tirelessly over the years to increase these types of opportunities, and in 2015, we expanded our reach to perform with these artists, introducing newcomers like Kelsea Ballerini and supporting headline acts. The all-female “Next Women of Country” tour was created to provide a platform for women. Martina McBride, Sarah Evans, Jennifer Nettles and more.
All along, we were always asking ourselves, “How can we do it even better?”
We quickly established an initiative called CMT’s Equal Play. This results in an equal 50/50 split between men and women for all video hours on CMT. Building on this momentum, we urge the industry to take equally bold action to get more women playing, signed up and supported, and to strengthen industry-wide commitments to women and equality. strongly encouraged. The concept eventually evolved into the CMT Equal Play Award, which recognizes artists who champion diverse and underrepresented voices in the industry, and has been awarded to celebrities such as Jennifer Nettles, Linda Martel, and Shania Twain. I did.
We also partnered with mTheory President and CEO Cameo Carlson to create CMT Equal Access to better support artists from underrepresented communities. We are proud to say that this initiative reflects the visionary leadership of Marva Smalls, Vice President of Public Relations and Global Inclusion at Equal Access partner Paramount. . The program allowed us to work with both artists and management professionals, helping to diversify the talent pipeline in country music.
As I look back on my career at CMT, I am so grateful for great leaders like Van Toffler, Bob Bakish, and Bruce Gilmer, to name a few. Thank you for your vision and support.
My amazing team, Donna Duncan, Stacey Cato, Jordan Walker, Katrina Cooper, Jordan Hutton, Avi Ross, Brianna Cielo, and my amazing colleagues, Margaret Comeau, Jon Hamlin, and Heather Graffa. To Nino, Jackie Barba, Jim Craig, Cynthia Mangrum, Jodie Carmichael, Melissa Goldberg, Ali Marszalkowski, Quinn Brown, Cody Allan, Shanna Strasberg, Andy Luther (and the IT team), and me. We will always be a family and a team. Your friendship and support have been my guiding light. I will cherish all our challenges and victories.
To my Paramount and MTV colleagues, past and present, it has been a true honor to work and learn from you.
To all the OG CMTs – the late Chet Flippo, Suzanne Norman, Martin Clayton, Anthony Barton, Lisa Chader, Lucia Falk, Cindy McLean Finke, Jim Reilly, Jackie Jones, Louis Bogach, John – Miller Monzon, Shane Caldwell, Tessa Jordan, Jennifer Danielson, Jen Hoogerhyde (Morrison), Alina Thompson, and many others – In the words of Dolly, “I will always love you.” Masu!”
And finally, you all have given and shared so much to this magical Nashville community and its amazing artists. I am always grateful for your friendship and support and know that you will continue to collaborate with this unmistakable brand for many years to come.
We support those who remain and those left behind. Only great things await from now on. In an ever-changing media landscape, let’s remember to look out for each other. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
leslie frum
