In an effort to better coordinate its domestic program purchasing activity and bolster its mix of original programming with acquisitions, Viacom has formed a program acquisitions group across its US media networks including Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite.

In a statement from Viacom, the single group will be tasked with unifying the planning and analysis, inventory management, acquisition process and buying activity for all Viacom Media Networks’ domestic program acquisitions.

David Bernath, Comedy Central’s EVP of programming and multiplatform strategy, and Barbara Zaneri, who was most recently BET Networks’ EVP of program strategy, acquisitions and scheduling, have been tapped to jointly lead the new acquisitions group.

Executives at each of the individual networks will continue to lead the selection of acquisitions for their respective channels.

Zaneri comes aboard in the newly created position of EVP of program acquisitions reporting directly to Rich Eigendorff, COO of Viacom Media Networks. Bernath will continue to report to Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless, and will report to Rich Eigendorff in his role with the new acquisitions group.

Viacom’s additional domestic networks include BET, Centric, MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Spike TV and TV Land.