AOL Television is excited to announce that Maureen Ryan will joining our team as lead critic on September 1, 2010.

In her new role at AOL Television, Ryan will continue to do what she does best: report on the TV landscape with an unrivaled passion and enthusiasm. From breaking news and insider scoop to getting conversations started about entertainment trends and hot topics, Ryan's audience will find everything they've come to know and love.

"We're elated to have Mo bring her passion, expertise and unique voice to our site," said Sandra Deane, editor-in-chief of AOL Television. "She's an established TV critic with more than 13 years experience at the Chicago Tribune and we're thrilled to have someone of her caliber join the AOL Television team."

Ryan comes to AOL Television from the Chicago Tribune where she worked as a television critic for the last six years and wrote for the paper's various entertainment sections for over 13 years. She was one of the first bloggers at The Tribune Company. Her TV site, The Watcher has been nominated for an Editor and Publisher Eppy Award as Best Entertainment Blog, and her criticism has been cited in Entertainment Weekly, Slate, Variety, Time and Broadcasting & Cable.

Ryan, a member of the Television Critics Association, was named one of the six most influential critics in America by Variety in 2007. She has also commented on television for NPR, MSNBC, CNN and other media outlets, and has served on the jury for the American Film Institute's Top 10 Shows of the Year.

Follow Maureen at @moryan on Twitter