[August 01, 2014]

AOL's Nate Hayden to Take AOL's Emmy Nominated Original Programming Efforts to the Next Level

Building on the momentum generated by its 2014 slate of original series, AOL (News - Alert) today announced that Nate Hayden has been appointed Vice President of Originals, leading content creation and premium original programming. Hayden will oversee AOL's Original series strategy, which feature the likes of Zoe Saldana, James Franco, and Nicole Richie, as well as the Emmy-nominated "Park Bench with Steve Buscemi" and Tiffany Shlain's "The Future Starts Here." Additionally, Naomi Yasuda has been appointed, Senior Director of AOL Studios and will lead the daily operations of AOL Studios. Both Hayden and Yasuda will be based in Los Angeles.

"AOL's original programming strategy has seen tremendous success over the past few years, and just three months after NewFronts, our momentum is still going strong," said Ran Harnevo, President of Video, AOL. "Both Nate and Naomi are committed to creating the engaging, authentic content that AOL viewers know and love, while also constantly innovating and pushing beyond the status quo. I couldn't think of better candidates to shepherd the AOL Originals team into the next chapter of its growth."

"I am thrilled to be leading AOL's original programming efforts at a time of real momentum for AOL Studios when our work is being validated daily by a growing audience and by our industry with recent Emmy nominations," said Nate Hayden, Vice President of Originals. "AOL placed a stake in the ground three years ago with our first slate of originals and we have grown in strength with each additional slate. I am excited to lead the charge in taking our efforts to the next level."

AOL, a global leader in digital video, has launched nearly 50 original series since 2011. Currently serving tens of thousands of publishers, the vast majority of top global advertisers, and all of the leading global holding companies, AOL is consistently ranked as one of the top three video content properties in the United States according to comScore (News - Alert). AOL's 2013 slate of originals -- which comprised 15 shows and featured the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Richie, and Hank Azaria -- has garnered more than 167 million views to date.* #candidlynicole, which debuted in 2013 and is currently in it second season on AOL, was recently picked up by VH1 as a feature series for TV.

Prior to joining AOL, Nate was Vice President of Development at FremantleMedia, where he lead cable development. He has also worked as a producer and director at MTV Networks (News - Alert) and Mark Burnett Productions.

*comScore Video Metrix (June 2014); AOL internal data

About AOL

AOL Inc. is a brand company, committed to continuously innovating, growing, and investing in brands and experiences that inform, entertain, and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.

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