Jenny Groom Named Head of MGM Alternative at Amazon

Amazon MGM Studios has named veteran unscripted television executive Jenny Groom as head of MGM Alternative. She will join the company on November 30 and report to Jenn Levy, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of nonfiction.

Groom will take responsibility for a portfolio that includes long-running franchises such as Survivor, Shark Tank and The Voice. Her remit also covers MGM’s international format library, the development of new unscripted series for Prime Video and sales to outside networks and streaming platforms.

A major unscripted portfolio changes hands

The appointment puts Groom in charge of one of Amazon’s most recognizable collections of reality and competition programming. MGM Alternative also encompasses production banners connected to series including Vanderpump Rules, Botched and installments of The Real Housewives franchise.

Levy told staff that Groom’s experience on both the buying and selling sides of television would strengthen the studio’s unscripted ambitions. The role was previously held by Barry Poznick, who departed about a year ago, and comes as Amazon continues to align MGM’s production operations with its broader studio strategy.

Groom brings two decades of reality-TV experience

Groom most recently served as executive vice president of unscripted development at BBC Studios. There, her work included Fox’s Nation’s Dumbest and ABC and Hulu’s Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, while her team also pursued new development and pilot deals.

Before joining BBC Studios, Groom spent nearly two decades at NBCUniversal. Her credits there included commissioning The Traitors and Love Island, along with oversight of major NBC titles such as America’s Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior and The Voice. She has also worked with talent-led companies including Hello Sunshine and Hartbeat.

The promotion signals that Amazon wants MGM Alternative to serve both Prime Video and the wider television market. Groom’s immediate challenge will be maintaining established franchises while developing formats that can travel across platforms and territories at a time when unscripted programming remains attractive for its flexibility, recognizable brands and comparatively fast production cycles.