Leslie FrahmCMT’s well-respected senior vice president of music strategy and talent is among the employees leaving the country music and lifestyle programming network in Nashville as part of widespread layoffs at Paramount worldwide.
forward, advertising billboardThe 2021 Country Power Players Executive of the Year oversees all music integration within the brand, including original programming, music video playback on CMT.com and all CMT platforms. Her last day was Monday (September 30).
In a letter specially issued to advertising billboardFram is understandably proud as she looks back on the multiple milestones she and her team (many of whom have also left the company) have achieved over the past 13 years, including at CBS ) debuted at the CMT Music Awards, reviving such CMT Giants and storytellerand create or continue special offers, e.g. CMT campfire meeting and signature CMT intersection.
A passionate supporter of all country artists, especially emerging and female artists, Frum is an outspoken advocate for diversity and inclusion and continually works to create ways to highlight the predominantly white male presence on CMT of female artists and artists of color in the genre.
“One of my proudest achievements is our more than a decade of support for women through CMT’s ‘Next Women of Country’ programme, which has helped promote and elevate over 100 women across all platforms artists, and our efforts to move the form forward in the realm of inclusivity and inclusivity.
“The team has worked tirelessly over the years to increase opportunities like this, and in 2015 we created an all-female ‘Next Women of Country’ tour to give these artists a stage to shine – introducing artists like Kelsey newcomers like Kelsea Ballerini and supporting headliners like Martina McBride, Sarah Evans and Jennifer Nettles.
Frum, who will host a Save the Music event in Nashville on October 15, ended the letter on a positive note: “Cheers to those who stay and those who leave – there will only be Great stuff. As the media landscape continues to change, let’s remember to look out for each other!
Read the full letter below:
To my dear CMT family, friends and colleagues:
Thirteen years ago this month, I had the extraordinary opportunity to become CMT’s Senior Vice President/Music & Talent, working alongside my old friend and mentor Brian Philips (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 write CMT’s next great chapter. We continue to create an even bigger music brand that continues to amplify the superstars and legends of the form while giving a voice to the next generation.
We have achieved many milestones as a team over the years. From celebrating CBS’ debut at the CMT Music Awards to returning to historic franchises like Kenny Rogers, Vince Gill and Alabama Alabama) to resurrecting the iconic Storytellers format to creating new music shows and specials like “CMT Campfire,” “CMT Summer Camp,” and “CMT Shattered Glass” in memory of Tanya Tucker and Patti LaBelle, these were once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I will cherish forever!
It wouldn’t be CMT without a deep bow on the award-winning series “CMT Crossroads.” My first experience with this series was performing with Vince Gill and Sting at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, and I was immediately struck by the musical power of these shows. We continue to feature extraordinary pairings like 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. I am forever grateful for the expertise and talent of my colleagues, executive producers Margaret Comeau and John Hamlin, without whom “Crossroads” and many more would not be possible.
One of my proudest achievements is our more than ten years of support for women through CMT’s Next Women of Country programme, which has helped promote and elevate over 100 female artists across all platforms, and our efforts to move the format forward in the areas of inclusion and diversity.
The team has worked tirelessly over the years to increase opportunities like this, and in 2015 we created an all-female Women of Country tour to give these artists a stage to shine – introducing artists like Kelsey Ballerini ( Kelsea Ballerini) and supported headline acts such as Martina McBride, Sarah Evans and Jennifer Nettles.
All the while, we keep asking ourselves, “How can we do better?”
We quickly launched an initiative called CMT “Equal Game” – 50/50, which is gender equality in all CMT video hours. Building on this momentum, we strongly encourage the industry to engage, sign up and support more women, and take equally bold action to help solidify the industry’s commitment to women and equality. The concept eventually grew into the CMT Equal Play Awards, which honor artists who champion diverse and underrepresented voices in the industry and were awarded to Jennifer Nettles, Linda Martell Martell and Shania Twain.
We also created CMT Equal Access in partnership with mtheory President and CEO Cameo Carlson to better support artists from underrepresented communities. I’m proud to say that this effort closely reflects the visionary leadership of Marva Smalls, Paramount’s Executive Vice President of Public Affairs/Global Inclusion, our Equal Opportunity Partner. This program allows us to partner with artists and management professionals to help us diversify the country music talent pipeline.
Looking back on my career at CMT, I am grateful for great leaders such as Van Toffler, Bob Bakish, and Bruce Gillmer. Thank you for your vision and support.
Thank you to my amazing team, Donna Duncan, Stacey Cato, Jordan Walker, Katrina Cooper, Jordan Hutton, Abby Rose, Brianna Chilo, and my amazing colleague Ma Gerrit Comeau, John Hamlin, Heather Graffanino, Jackie Barba, Jim Craig, Cynthia Mangrum, Jody Carmichael, Melissa Goldberg, Ali Marszalkowski, Quinn Brown, Cody Alan, Shanna Strassberg, Andy Luther (and the IT team) and many more, we will always be a family and team. Your friendship and support have been my guiding light. I will cherish all of our collective challenges and triumphs.
To my colleagues past and present at Paramount and MTV, it has been an honor to work with and learn from you.
To the OG CMT members – the late great Chet Flippo, Suzanne Norman, Martin Clayton, Anthony Barton, Lisa Chader, Lucia Folk, Cindy McLean Finke, Jim Raley, Jackie Jones, Lewis Bogach, John-Miller Monzon, Shane Caldwell, Tessa, Jennifer Danielson, Jean Jughead (Morrison), Alina Thompson and many more – in the words of Dolly, “I will always love you!”
Finally, you have given and shared so much to this amazing Nashville community and its amazing artists. I will be forever grateful for your friendship and support and I know you will continue to work with this undeniable brand for years to come.
Cheers to those who remain and those who remain – only greatness ahead. As the media landscape continues to change, let’s remember to look out for each other! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Leslie Frahm
lesliefram@me.com
