MTV Vet Lauren Dolgen Joins Viceland as West Coast Development Head

Lauren Dolgen has landed at Viceland. The longtime MTV exec, who departed last summer amid continued turnover at Viacom, has taken a top post at Viceland — where she’ll serve as head of West Coast development.

It’s a big move for the Brooklyn-based network’s Los Angeles outpost, where significant growth for the year-old channel is anticipated. Viceland co-presidents Derek Freda and Guy Slattery announced Dolgen’s new position on Friday.

“As a producer I was lucky enough to work with Lauren on more projects than I remember,” said Freda. “I was always impressed with her ability to find and develop new material, her deep commitment to talent, and her capacity to help any project always find the best version of itself. We’re incredibly lucky to have to her.” 

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Dolgen was MTV’s top reality executive for some time. While at the network, where she started working fresh out of college, Dolgen oversaw the creation and production of zeitgeist hit Teen Mom and predecessor 16 and Pregnant. She also worked on Real World, Buckwild, America’s Best Dance Crew, Rob and Big and Jackass. It was on the latter where she collaborated with Freda.

“I could not be more thrilled to be joining the team at Viceland,” Dolgen wrote in a statement. “I have been a Vice fangirl for as long as I can remember. (For years, I seriously saved every issue of the magazine they put out … it got a little out of control.) I am honored to become a part of the Vice legacy. Viceland continues to inspire, challenge and impress me. There is a strong point of view, intelligence, style and sense of humor to what they do. They are bringing a truly unique experience to TV at a time where we desperately need some fresh perspective.”

Viceland’s bread and butter may currently be documentary and alternative — the network earned two Emmy nominations for its work with Gloria Steinem and Ellen Page — but the network is branching out into scripted. James Van Der Beek vehicle What Would Diplo Do?, an L.A.-set production, is expected to debut in the next year.

Viceland, a joint venture with A&E Networks, celebrated its one-year anniversary in February.