Silicon Valley Meets Hollywood
Execs lead the way to new heights in direct-to-consumer content as digital evolves Content Creation/distribution
Byron Allen
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Allen Media Group/entertainment Studios
Allen purchased seven TV stations for $380 million in cash in April, marking the latest chapter in one of the most inspiring and unique mega-success stories in entertainment. Raised by a single mother who worked at NBC Studios in Burbank, he landed a gig as a writer for comedian Jimmie “J.J.” Walker alongside Jay Leno and David Letterman when he was just 14, made his stand-up debut on “The Tonight Show” at 18 and a few months later was co-hosting the NBC hit “Real People.” In 1993, he launched Entertainment Studios with the syndicated show “Entertainers With Byron Allen” and parlayed it into a media empire that today includes 16 network-affiliate broadcast TV stations and 10 24-hour HD networks, including the Weather Channel. Moving toward directto-consumer, the company also boasts AVOD streamers Local Now and the Grio. “I’m building the world’s biggest media company, but at the same time I’m effectuating positive change for all Americans, especially Black America, the furthest left behind,” he says.
Peter E. Blacker
Chief Commercial Officer, Head of DTC Licensing
Nbcuniversal Telemundo Enterprises
Blacker guides revenue-strategy considerations early in the content-creation process for the Spanish-language media outfit. This can involve evaluating locations (setting a program in, say, Houston or Mexico City), and working with brands. “Previously, the revenue opportunities came after completion of the property,” says the Miami-based executive. Blacker is a 16-year company veteran who was promoted in November. He assembled the library and produced content for Peacock Latino at launch, and helped build Telemundo into the No. 1 broadcaster on Youtube in any language with 12 million subscribers. With the streaming revolution, Blacker says consumers can arrange their own content usage, which is particularly significant for those with diverse backgrounds and program tastes. “We are seeing a great multi-culture awakening in this country in terms of the way we create content, the way we distribute content and the way we monetize content,” he says.
Charlie Collier CEO Fox Entertainment
Collier, who joined Fox Entertainment in 2018, is busy positioning the company, which parted ways with its sister studio following the Disney deal, for a startling new future. Key to this plan: free ad-supported streamer Tubi, which the company fully acquired in April 2020. Bolstered by programming licensed from every major Hollywood studio and more than 140 hours of original content in the pipeline, Tubi boasts a younger-skewing audience that includes cord-cutters and cord-nevers, rising viewership and a tripling of ad revenues since the acquisition, according to Fox. During that period the service has streamed 2.8 billion hours of content. Fueling this growth: marketing promotions on corporate siblings such as Fox broadcasting sporting events and hit TV series “The Masked Singer.” Meanwhile, Fox broadcasting network is on course for a second consecutive ratings win in the key 18-49 demographic, ascending after Collier arrived in 2018. He came from AMC Networks, where he worked for 12 years. “Coming out of the pandemic, we’re seeing a shift in the cultural conversation,” says Collier. “And the best storytelling will reflect themes that are resonating with audiences now, such as being part of a community, second chances, reinvention and hope.”
Mark Eamer
VP, Brand Advertising, OTT & IMDB TV Amazon
Advertisers who find their audience delivery goals undercut by legacy TV’S decline warm to free ad-supported overthe-top, says Eamer, who joined streamer IMDB TV parent, Amazon, in 2000. That free ad-supported model helped boost IMDB TV’S growth to a 138% increase in viewership year over year. Though the service is best-known for its acquired content, Eamer worked on the push into originals with three first-run series and more on the way. Another new initiative is the IMDB TV app on Fire TV allowing consumers to interact with what it calls “actionable video advertisements” without disrupting the TV viewing experience. The Seattle-based executive oversees the business as a whole, including negotiating distribution deals on thirdparty platforms such as Roku. Eamer says frugal consumers limiting their spending on paid subscriptions will increasingly add free ad-supported streamers. “They find it’s not enough content and we’re finding they don’t mind a reasonable ad load,” Eamer says.
Pierluigi Gazzolo
President, Chief Transformation Officer Univision Communications
Since joining in January, Gazzolo has been navigating the Spanish-language TV giant through corporate transitions and is pursuing a major build-out of its streaming businesses. In April, a merger was announced with content assets of long-time partner Televisa, which is pending and backed by Google, Softbank and Raine Group. Gazzolo says the industry faces a balancing act of maintaining profitable legacy businesses, including his linear TV channels, “while you are also building your future enterprise value, which comes from streaming.” The Miami-based exec guided creation of Prendetv, offering ad-supported streaming-based channels and AVOD service designed for U.S. Hispanics. VIX, the large VOD service for Latin Americans and Hispanics, was acquired in February. Gazzolo came from Viacomcbs, where he worked launching Paramount Plus in international distribution. In today’s streaming boom, Gazzolo says, controlling content is crucial to arranging distribution windows.
Lisa Holme
Group SVP, Content & Commercial Strategy Discovery
Helping shape startup Discovery Plus, Holme worked programming and partnerships in the streaming portfolio of the company rooted in legacy cable TV channels. The parent company reported 15 million paying direct-to-home subscribers across its businesses at end-april, coming after Discovery Plus launched in January. Holme lined up more than 100 original programs for 1,000 hours for Discovery Plus. The L.a.-based exec also negotiated acquisition of A&E, History and Lifetime programs and implemented a subscription promotion for Verizon distribution. She joined in February 2020 after nine years at Hulu. When viewers clamored for a la carte choices in the big-cable-bundle era, she says, “Consumers are confused because content they most want to watch is spread across a half-dozen streaming apps.” Holmes predicts a re-bundling driven by consumer desire for simplicity. That rebundling may be about to begin following the recently announced merger of Discovery and Warner Media.
Joe Inzerillo
EVP & CTO
Disney Streaming Services Jerrell Jimerson EVP, Products & Design Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution
The two execs collaborate on the Mouse House’s streaming platforms, including Disney Plus and Hulu. Inzerillo oversees all aspects of tech, such as streaming, commerce, globalization and platform development. Jimerson leads the product and design teams for the direct-toconsumer unit. Inzerillo joined Disney in 2017 when it acquired streaming tech provider BAMTECH Media. Jimerson previously held senior leadership roles at Netscape, Yahoo, Paypal and iheart Radio. “At Disney Plus and Hulu, we prioritize what’s best for the viewer, and hold ourselves accountable to highest standards of quality when it comes to connecting viewers around the globe with stories,” says Inzerillo. Jimerson notes that over the past year the company added such features as the Star Wars May the 4th Fan Art takeovers on Disney Plus, and co-viewing capability allowing subscribers to watch Disney Plus and Hulu with friends from different locations.
Keith Le Goy
Chairman, Distribution and Networks Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment doesn’t have its own major streaming service, and for Le Goy, that’s a plus. “We can partner with everybody because we don’t compete with anybody,” he says. That means he was able to help close SPE’S first-window pay TV deal with Netflix, and secure rich licensing deals for “Greyhound” with Apple and “Happiest Season” with Hulu. Promoted to his current position last month, he oversees SPE’S international networks operations, programming and strategy group, as well as its Funimation biz, and co-leads its recently merged theatrical, home entertainment and TV distribution and marketing businesses with Josh Greenstein. “My [job] is to make sure that we get all of our content out to as many people as possible and, frankly, make as much money as we can for our filmmakers and storytellers in the process,” says the London-born Le Goy, who sings lead with his band, the Peaceful Warriors, in his spare time. (SPE’S streaming strategy is explored in depth in the story that leads this section.)
Peter Levinsohn
Vice Chairman, Chief Distribution Officer Universal Filmed Entertainment Group
Levinsohn forged a distribution template for premier movies, which became a trendsetter for the rest of Hollywood. The Universal City-based exec led negotiations with certain exhibitors last summer inserting a premium-vod window 17 days after theatrical. When the pandemic closed cinemas, “Trolls World Tour” went straight to premium VOD a year ago, and accumulated a dazzling $100 million-plus from a reported 5 million 48-hour digital rental transactions. Other new films and distributors followed. Levinsohn also negotiated a domestic joint venture for physical home video distribution with Warner Bros. He joined Universal in 2013 after 25 years at Fox. Levinsohn says the pandemic accelerated existing trends in Hollywood, such as altering content release windows and consumers embracing streaming. “It was like running a MASH unit in 2020,” he recalls. “We managed to keep all the balls up in the air and had a fantastic year.”
Michael Paull President ESPN Plus & Disney Plus
When Paull oversaw the of launch Disney Plus in fall 2019, he knew he had the benefit of Disney’s brand recognition and loyalty, as well as iconic franchise brands including “Star Wars” and Marvel, but he didn’t take it for granted. “We spent a lot of time architecting and designing an incredibly friendly customer experience and a very rich value proposition so you [could] enjoy all the movies and TV shows wherever you are, however you want,” says Paull. He’s also in charge of the ESPN Plus app. Paull entered the Disney fold in 2017 when the company acquired streaming tech provider BAMTECH Media, where he also served as CEO. Prior to that, he spent five years at Amazon, where he oversaw Prime Video and Amazon’s TVOD business in the U.S., as well as the development of Prime Music, and held senior positions at Sony Music, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Fox Entertainment Group and Time Warner.
Miguel Penella
President, SVOD AMC Networks
Penella rides herd on a mid-sized video streamer with big ambitions whose platforms registered 157% subscriber growth and 85% revenue increase in 2020. Those services are AMC Plus, Acorn TV, Allblk, Shudder and Sundance Now, each with a distinct demographic thrust. “Original programs are always the No. 1 priority because subscribers typically sign up to a service for a particular program,” says Penella. The Silver Spring, Md.-based exec, with a background in marketing and home video, joined in 2018 from the acquisition of RLJ Entertainment. Penella says the streaming business is ready to really rock because consumers say their limit no longer is just one-to-three subscriptions. “As consumers have more access and choices, the expanding of the consumer wallet is going to change,” says Penella. “I think that will be transformational for media companies.”
Thai Randolph President, COO Laugh Out Loud
Randolph leads strategy, operations and corporate development for Laugh Out Loud, which in 2020 diversified its programming, distribution and partnerships, and found new ways to deliver comedy during the pandemic. The company now reaches 100 million consumers through LOL Network, with streaming distribution via Plutotv, Roku Channel, Bell Media, Snap, Youtube, Facebook and Nbcuniversal’s Peacock. One payoff: opportunities for diverse, emerging comedians. The company’s portfolio includes 22 original series and more than 300 original stand-up specials. This past year, Thai expanded LOL Audio’s offerings by partnering with Simon & Schuster for audiobooks; co-led a capital raise and partnership deal with Nbcuniversal’s Peacock; structured the deal that brought LOL’S Comedy in Color franchise (featuring 300 comedians from 30 countries) to the Just for Laughs Festival; and expanded LOL’S programming on Siriusxm/pandora. “Our vision is to become the biggest comedy brand in the world,” she says. “As technology and consumer demands evolve, our growth comes from remaining flexible on our content and distribution strategy, but fixed on our direction.”
Jason (Jay) Richman
VP, Head of Global Advertising Business & Platform
Spotify
As head of Spotify’s ad team, New Yorkbased Richman recently launched the audio streaming service’s advertising marketplace, Spotify Audience Network, which enables advertisers to buy blocks of ad time for as little as $250 through the self-service Spotify Ad Studio, and insert personalized listener-targeted spots into podcast streams in real time. Richman says the inititiative will grow the bottom line and spawn more podcasts. “The better we do in monetizing on behalf of creators, the more investment we’ll get for production,” he says. Richman joined Spotify in 2013. He recently helped close a $20 million podcast ad deal with Omnicom Media Group and signed Dollar Shave Club and Comcast as lead sponsors for former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen’s podcast “Renegades: Born in the USA.”
Keela Robison
VP, Product Innovation Netflix
Robison is one of the unseen hands shaping how hundreds of millions of viewers around the globe experience Netflix, leading the team responsible for new features such as the “Fast Laughs” comedy clips feed for mobile devices, the redesigned profile homepages for kids and the “Play Something” button. The latter addresses viewer paralysis that results when users face an overwhielming number of choices and can’t make a decision. Growing up in Santa Cruz, Calif., Robison had no intention of following in the footsteps of her software developer mom, but after graduating from Stanford with an M.A. in international policy studies, the tech industry came calling, and she wound up in Seattle essaying increasingly significant leadership roles at Realnetworks, T-mobile, Amazon, Gamehouse and Urbanspoon, where she was CEO. Following a stint at Expedia, she relocated to Silicon Valley to join Netflix. Unlike at previous jobs, “we don’t have to worry about advertising or driving traffic and page impressions,” she says. “It’s really about just making sure that they’re happy on the service and finding content that they love.”
Tom Ryan
President, CEO Viacomcbs Streaming
As co-founder of Pluto TV, launched in 2014, Ryan bucked the prevailing on-demand trend in the streaming biz, offering a cable Tv-like user interface that enables viewers to tune into live channel streams of movies and classic shows. He’s bringing the same spirit to the SVOD service Paramount Plus, which he’s been running alongside Pluto TV (acquired by Viacomcbs in 2019) since last fall. “I’m a firm believer that people like to be programmed to,” he says. “I think curation and making it easy for people to dive into content that they will love is critical.” Prior to Pluto, Ryan had a diverse career that saw him work in metals trading before earning an MBA from INSEAD in France. He went on to co-found digital music retailer Cductive and serve as senior VP of digital strategy for EMI Music, CEO of e-commerce company Threadless and as a board member of Society6 and Trunk Club.
Soumya Sriraman Head Amazon Video Channels
In her previous role as founding president and CEO of Britbox, Sriraman handled everything from marketing and programming to e-commerce, helping the niche streamer amass 1.5 million subscribers in just over three years. Her responsibilities scaled up significantly in October when she took the lead at Prime Video Channels, which sells Amazon Prime members subscriptions to third-party services, including HBO, Showtime, Starz and Paramount Plus — an offering that was forecast to generate $3.6 billion in revenue in 2020. It’s the latest chapter in an unlikely journey for the New York-based Indian native, who abandoned her career as an infrastructure engineer to take an internship at Universal Studios 21 years ago and went on to serve as president and CEO of indie distributor Palisade Tartan Films and exec VP of franchise and digital enterprises for BBC Worldwide. “Amazon is the one place that allows me to bring content, data and technology in this confluence that I think makes the most harmonious music,” she says.
Richard Tom
CTO Warnermedia
Since joining Warnermedia as CTO in June, Tom has overseen the continued rollout of HBO Max across multiple devices (Roku, Apple TV, etc.) and live digital and linear coverage of everything from the 2020 election to the NCAA’S March Madness. Because Tom came aboard during the pandemic lockdown, he has yet to meet any of his co-workers in-person, save for CEO Jason Kilar. The pair served in the same roles during the early days of Hulu, and departed the company simultaneously in 2013 to co-found Vessel, a short-form video service that attempted to grab a chunk of Youtube’s audience by offering early access to videos from top influencers. “We have close to 15 years together in terms of having built alongside one another and it’s hard not to be excited about getting to build with him again,” he says. Now, with AT&T spinning off its Warnermedia group to Discovery, the kind of building that will go on in the future remains to be determined.
Debbie Weinstein
VP, Global Solutions Youtube
Weinstein is focused on helping advertisers grow their businesses with Youtube. During the pandemic that has often meant guiding them through recuts of their pre-roll ads, shifting the focus from in-person sales to online action. Anyone doubting her ad expertise should look at the dozens of Cannes Lions awards she earned during her years at Unilever before coming to Google in 2014. As a child of the ’80s who grew up loving sitcoms about ambitious women such as “Who’s the Boss” and “Murphy Brown,” she’s proud “there’s an explosion of different kinds of role models [on Youtube] that people can see as possible ways to earn a living … enabling the next generation of young girls to see other options for themselves.” Weinstein began her career at Goldman Sachs after earning an MBA from Harvard, and went on to work for Viacom, MTV Networks and Bolt.com. She also founded her own children’s food company, Swingset Kitchens.
Linda Yaccarino
Chairman, Global Advertising & Partnerships Nbcuniversal
Yaccarino’s responsibilities span $10 billion in revenue and 2,000 employees. Her mission is to match the company’s structure to the evolving media landscape. Initiatives include: One Platform advertising/partnerships aggregation, which bundles analytics in one place, making TV commercials somewhat like buying digital by adding on social media metrics; One21 stakeholders’ collaboration, a gathering intended to gain insights from advertisers using new technologies to get their messages to consumers; launching the Peacock streaming service; and implementing a company-wide firstparty data strategy. The One21 initiative pulled together external content, advertising tech, marketing and developer partners. Yaccarino joined the company in 2011, after working at Turner Broadcasting. She’s also chair of the Advertising Council that rolled out the vaccine education campaign, and observes that consumers value trusted information sources, and trust takes time to build but can be quickly lost with a misstep. “Every company needs partners that share the exact same values,” she says.