Discovery Communications has upped Mark Hollinger to chief operating executive. Hollinger will now oversee Discovery Networks International and Discovery Commerce, as well as the company's legal and government affairs. He has been with Discovery since 1991, most recently as global business and operations president and general counsel.

USA has promoted Chris McCumber to executive vice president of marketing, digital and brand strategy, up from senior vice president. He will continue to be responsible for the overall strategic and creative vision for USA.

Disney Channel has promoted Steven Vincent to vice president of music and soundtracks, up from his previous position as director of production. Vincent oversees music used in original programming.

CBS Outernet has hired Mark Schroeder as vice president of Western region sales. In this new post, he will head up development of categories including studios, programmers, import auto, tech and gaming.

Web site Politico has hired Charles Mahtesian as national politics editor. Mahtesian joins from National Journal's Almanac of American Politics, where he had been editor.

XM Satellite Radio has signed former “SportsCenter” anchor and future Sports Illustrated contributor Dan Patrick to host a show for the sports talk channel XM Sports Nation. "The Dan Patrick Show" will air every weekday from 10 a.m. to noon, starting Jan. 21.

Paul Barrett, assistant managing editor at BusinessWeek, is leaving the magazine to join The Wall Street Journal. Barrett will cover non-business topics for the front page.

Paste magazine has rehired Nick Purdy as publisher, and promoted Jay Sweet to director of business development. Purdy rejoins the magazine several years after serving as Paste's founding publisher, while Sweet has been with Paste since 2004, when he joined as a writer.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is returning to "The View" on Monday, with infant son Taylor Thomas in tow. Hasselbeck has been away on maternity leave since late October, and gave birth to her son Nov. 9.

ABC has tapped interior designer and frequent Oprah Winfrey guest Nate Berkus to host the daytime queen’s new primetime competition series "Oprah's Big Give," launching this winter. Judges for the competition will include chef Jamie Oliver, NFL player Tony Gonzalez and Malaak Compton-Rock, comedian Chris Rock's wife.

San Jose Mercury News executive editor Carole Leigh Hutton is stepping down immediately, to be replaced by David J. Butler. Butler had been editor and publisher for The Detroit News, and will keep that role while taking on his new one, according to The New York Times.

RJ Palmer has promoted seven of its employees to associate media director: Linda Platt, Remy Kane, Jonathan Nagle, Cerissa Barber, Laura Kollappalli, Scott Kushner and Debbie Waxler.

Digital marketing agency Critical Mass has hired Molly Hop as group media director for the marketing and media division. Hop was previously associate media director at GMPlanworks.

Moroch Partners has named Greg Spratley account coordinator. Spratley joins from Backcountry.com, where he had been customer solutions representative.

Out of home media group Premier Retail Networks has hired Richard Fisher as president of its worldwide branch. Fisher, who had been president of RespondTV, will now oversee all PRN activities and head up strategic growth of the company.

SOLO has upped vice president of sales Bob D'Addario to oversee the entire sales division, taking over the responsibilities of president Stuart Goodman after he retires this month. D'Addario will continue to hold the title of vice president of sales.