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Tag: Steve Mosko

  • Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins hops to Sony Pictures

    Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins hops to Sony Pictures

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra has recruited former lieutenant, Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins, to fill the top job that had been vacant since the departure of Sony Pictures TV chairman Steve Mosko seventeen months ago.

    At Hulu, Hopkins will be succeeded by Randy Freer, president and COO of Fox Networks Group and current Hulu board member.

    Hopkins has been named chairman, Sony Pictures Network, overseeing all television production, distribution and marketing operations globally for the studio, as well as SPE’s media networks business. He will start in late November and report to Vinciquerra.

    Hopkins had been president of distribution for Fox Networks Group under FNG chairman and CEO Vinciquerra until Vinciquerra’s 2011 exit from Fox. Hopkins was named CEO of Hulu in 2013 amid turmoil at the streaming service, co-owned by 21st Century Fox, Disney, NBCUniversal and Time Warner, which at the time had been run by an interim CEO while its owners were exploring a sale. Over the past four years, Hopkins has built up the company, which doubled revenue and tripled its market valuation and recently made Emmy history with 10 statuettes, becoming the first streaming service to land a Best Series Emmy for breakout drama The Handmaid’s Tale.

    Vinciquerra said, “Mike is a proven and innovative leader who has played a key role in redefining today’s television landscape, both for consumers and for how content producers reach them.”

    Hopkins’ appointment will streamline Sony’s reporting structure on the TV side. Following Mosko’s departure, all of his key reports — presidents of programming and production Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, president of worldwide networks Andy Kaplan, president of distribution Keith Le Goy, and president of ad sales & research Amy Carney — began reporting directly to Vinciquerra’s predecessor Michael Lynton. The setup remained the same when Vinciquerra came on board earlier this year, with Jeff Frost succeeding Van Amburg and Erlicht as a direct report when the two left in June. (Frost was named president of Sony Pictures Television Studios, overseeing domestic production sans international and marketing which had been part of Van Amburg and Erlicht’s purview, with Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter upped to co-presidents.)

    Moving forward, the heads of SPT’s domestic and international television production, distribution, advertiser sales and research, marketing and Sony Pictures Worldwide Networks will report to Hopkins.

    Hopkins’ departure from Hulu, which has been on an upswing, capped by the Emmy triumph of The Handmaid’s Tale, is somewhat surprising. Still, Hulu is a far away from catching up with SVOD leader Netflix.

    “Tony has long been a colleague and mentor of mine, and I’m really excited to join him and the rest of the talented team at SPE,” said Hopkins. “There is a tremendous opportunity to build on SPT’s momentum globally and I look forward to working with the team to realise that potential.”

    Under Hopkins, a 20-year industry veteran, Hulu has grown its audience to 47 million total unique viewers; expanded its business to include live news, entertainment and sports in addition to its existing SVOD offering; and entered premium original programming with Casual, The Mindy Project, The Path and The Handmaid’s Tale. On the acquisition front, Hulu has signed deals for movies from Epix, full libraries of exclusive programming from AMC Networks and FX Productions, as well as all episodes of such current and classic series as This is Us, Homeland, Black-ish, Seinfeld, CSI, Empire, Fargo, Nashville, Golden Girls and South Park.

    As President of Distribution for Fox Networks, Hopkins oversaw the distribution strategy, sales and marketing for the company’s 45 linear and non-linear U.S. channels, as well as on-demand and digital extensions. His team also developed authenticated and digital video products BTN2GO and Fox Now.

    The independent Sony Pictures TV Studios, which is facing increasing challenges and has been fighting its way through increasing vertical integration, will produce or co-produce more than 30 broadcast, cable and digital series on air in the 2017-2018 season. That includes The Blacklist and The Goldbergs, now in their fifth seasons; breakout new ABC drama The Good Doctor, already renewed for a full season; CBS’ S.W.A.T.; as well as The Tick, Atypical, Better Call Saul, Preacher, Outlander, The $100,000 Pyramid, SuperMansion and the upcoming Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams and Cobra Kai.

    Sony TV projects with big production commitment by the broadcast networks include Norman Lear’s Guess Who Died for NBC, Carol Mendohlson and David Hudgins’ Chiefs for CBS, and an untitled Gloria Calderon project for CBS.

  • Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Randy Lake as president – studio operations & Imageworks.

     

    Lake oversees all operations, strategy and planning for Sony Pictures Imageworks, Post Production Services, Production Services, Global Mastering and Servicing, and Asset Management.

     

    He will continue to report jointly to Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko and Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman.

     

    Lake was previously executive vice president, studio operations and general manager – Imageworks.

     

    “Randy is a skilled executive with a keen sense of strategy and clear vision for the future of the studio. He has proven his value to the company in a variety of roles over the years and we are delighted to acknowledge his contribution with this promotion,” said Mosko

     

    Rothman added, “Randy has one of the sharpest minds in the business and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of our leaner, more efficient, and more effective studio operations and visual effects businesses.”

     

    Lake joined Sony Pictures in 2006 from Booz Allen, where he served as a strategy consultant to the entertainment, media, and technology industries. He began his career as a securities attorney with Brobeck, Pheleger, Harrison in San Francisco, advising emerging growth technology companies, underwriters and venture investors.

  • Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Randy Lake as president – studio operations & Imageworks.

     

    Lake oversees all operations, strategy and planning for Sony Pictures Imageworks, Post Production Services, Production Services, Global Mastering and Servicing, and Asset Management.

     

    He will continue to report jointly to Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko and Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman.

     

    Lake was previously executive vice president, studio operations and general manager – Imageworks.

     

    “Randy is a skilled executive with a keen sense of strategy and clear vision for the future of the studio. He has proven his value to the company in a variety of roles over the years and we are delighted to acknowledge his contribution with this promotion,” said Mosko

     

    Rothman added, “Randy has one of the sharpest minds in the business and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of our leaner, more efficient, and more effective studio operations and visual effects businesses.”

     

    Lake joined Sony Pictures in 2006 from Booz Allen, where he served as a strategy consultant to the entertainment, media, and technology industries. He began his career as a securities attorney with Brobeck, Pheleger, Harrison in San Francisco, advising emerging growth technology companies, underwriters and venture investors.

  • Exclusive: SPT chairman Steve Mosko plans India visit on Sony’s 20th Anniversary

    Exclusive: SPT chairman Steve Mosko plans India visit on Sony’s 20th Anniversary

    CANNES: Even as the picturesque French Riviera was hit by deadly flash floods, the global market for entertainment content across all platforms – Mipcom 2015 kicked off in Cannes. 

     

    As Sony Entertainment Television completes 20 years in India this October, Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko is planning a visit to the country.

     

    Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of Mipcom, Mosko said that he would be coming down to India soon to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sony Pictures Television in the country and possibly even make a few big announcements around that time. Sony Entertainment Television (SET) launched in India in October 1995.

     

    At Mipcom this year, the company unveiled a sneak peek preview episode of Sony Pictures Television’s The Art of Morestarring Dennis Quaid, Christian Cooke, Kate Bosworth and Cary Elwes.

     

    For the Indian market, The Art of More has been acquired by Colors Infinity.  

     

    Mosko said, “This is just the beginning. There are very big plans going ahead and we are very confident that our future slate of shows is going to be loved by one and all around the world.”

     

    This new series will unveil the truth behind how the world of auctions work. Samuel Brukner (Dennis Quaid) is a man with the money and has the thirst to collect the most exquisite art from around the globe. While Graham Connor (Christian Cooke) is the man who wants to make it big in life and has to win the trust of Brukner to get there. 

     

    The preview at Mipcom was followed by a discussion by the cast along with Sony Pictures Television president – international distribution Keith Le Goy and Sony Pictures Television EVP – digital networks and Crackle GM Eric Berger.

     

    “The story was the biggest hero for me and the way my character has been written is simply amazing, I couldn’t say no,” said Quaid.

     

    The first episode, which was screened at Cannes tonight, was well received by the audience in attendance. 

     

    The stellar cast, crisp editing, gripping storytelling and a plot that keeps thickening as the show proceeds is everything that works in the favour of this series, which is set to premiere on various networks globally mid November this year.

     

    The show makers are confident that the series will be a certain hit and have major plans in rolling out more seasons based on the response received in its first season.

  • Sony Pictures Television promotes Steve Mosko as chairman

    Sony Pictures Television promotes Steve Mosko as chairman

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television president Steve Mosko has promoted as the chairman of the company. 

     

    Mosko will continue to oversee all television operations for Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide. He will report to Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton.

     

    “Under Steve’s leadership, Sony Pictures Television has become the industry’s largest independent television studio. Our media networks business has expanded to over 150 channel feeds around the world and the company is well-positioned for growth in both production and distribution. Steve is a remarkable executive and we are proud to have him at the helm of Sony Pictures Television,” said Lynton. 

     

    Mosko added, “I am honored to be named chairman, and grateful to Michael, my colleagues at Sony Pictures, and to the incredible team at Sony Pictures Television, whose hard work and dedication has built the successful global business we have today.”

     

    A Sony Pictures Entertainment executive for more than two decades, Mosko oversees global television production, distribution of feature film and television content, and the studio’s international networks available in 180 countries, reaching more than 1.3 billion cumulative households worldwide, including Crackle, SPE’s video streaming service, and GSN, cable’s game show network.

     

    Mosko joined Sony Pictures Entertainment in 1992, and was named president of Sony Pictures Television in 2000. In this role, Mosko built on the studio’s syndication business, overseeing first-run and off-network program sales in more than 200 markets and supervising efforts of regional offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas.

  • Being a lean aggressive company has helped us, says Sony’s Steve Mosko

    Being a lean aggressive company has helped us, says Sony’s Steve Mosko

    CANNES: Right from the hit series Breaking Bad to the new show on the block, Outlander, Sony has been in the middle of it all. And taking the centre stage for the first master keynote at MIPCOM 2014 was Sony Pictures Television president Steve Mosko.  

     

    He set the right tone for his keynopte by saying, “Our buyers have doubled due to the digital feed.” With business spanning around TV channels, production and distribution, where does he fit? Answered Mosko, “When people think of Sony, they think of multi-platform. On TV we have found that our independence has helped us in the US. People say, you cannot exist as a standalone. We have 30 original shows on air with 14 networks.       Internationally being a lean aggressive company has helped us.”

     

    Mosko believes that a number of great ideas come from the smart creative development people. “World is becoming consolidated and this also increases work in order to put everything together,” he opined.

     

    Delving on piracy he said that while one cannot control piracy but can minimise it. “We have done a couple of things to minimise it. So we have instilled tight controls, where we do the dubbing, subtitling et or a show.”

     

    Sony, from a business solution point of view, is working with its partners across to ensure that the shows are aired closer to the US telecast dates. “We cannot limit pirates, we just have to minimise it,” he added.

     

    Mosko during his keynote also spoke about selling shows to new digital buyers globally. “Added competition makes everyone better. We have seen our buyers double around the globe, in the past five years,” he said.

     

    Mentioning the growth of Netflix he said, “The platform has gone from zero to where it is today. Media companies are observant of what is happening in the US, for us, all this given us more buyers and makes us more creative.”

     

    He is firm believer of the fact that it is the content that drives platforms. Talking about Sony Pictures within Sony he said, “There has never been a time when different parts of the company have worked so closely. Within the company we are working closely to maximise the business.”

     

    Sony Pictures currently is doing big budget TV shows on playstation “and the budget is equal to what we are doing on cable TV. We have been working towards making the model work,” he informed.

     

    Mosko said that everyone takes pride in being in the TV business. “TV experience is great now. Sony is making investments in 4K to enhance quality of content. This goes a long way to convince people to be in the TV business,” he said.

     

    During his keynote, he pointed out that tax benefits to shoot in different countries act as a great booster.

     

    Talking about the millennial kids, he said that they are not obliged to watch content when they are told to watch. “There is more opportunity to watch content today,” he said, adding that TV viewing is going up because of the great content.

  • Alan Perris is US Academy of Television Arts and Sciences COO

    Alan Perris is US Academy of Television Arts and Sciences COO

    MUMBAI: The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Atas) in the US has named television executive Alan Perris as its COO.

    Perris will be based at the Academy’s North Hollywood headquarters. He will oversee day-to-day staff activities as well as serve as the staff liaison to the Academy and its Foundation, headed by Foundation Chairman Steve Mosko.

    Atas chairman and CEO Dick Askin says, “Alan was selected after a comprehensive search and review process. Our paths have crossed frequently over the past 15 years and I believe that Alan’s wealth of experience should be of great value to our Academy in advancing the many exciting initiatives we have for the future.”

    Perris said, “The Academy, which awards the highest honours for excellence in television, is one of the most prestigious organisations in the entertainment business. It is an honour to be able to work with the top professionals in the television industry.”

    Perris has more than 30 years of experience in the television industry. Most recently, he served as executive VP of business development at Entertainment Media Works, which operates StarStyle.com. Previously, he was senior VP of first run programming at both Sony and Warner Bros.’ Telepictures division and President at two station group production companies, Scripps-Howard and Post-Newsweek

  • Comcast, Sony Pictures to thrill audiences with new horror network

    Comcast, Sony Pictures to thrill audiences with new horror network

    MUMBAI: Comcast and Sony Pictures Entertainment unveiled plans to premiere a new Horror and Thriller multi-platform network on Halloween, 31 October, 2006.

    Plans for the new advertising-supported network were unveiled by Comcast president emerging networks Diane Robina and Sony Pictures Television president Steve Mosko.
    The network will captivate fear seekers and fans of the horror film genre – one of the fastest-growing genres at the box office. It will debut on video on demand and the internet at launch, and will add a wireless platform in the future. The channel is the first multi-platform network that leverages the combined assets of the Sony and MGM libraries, which make up the largest collection of its kind in the world. Comcast and Sony announced their intent to create new distribution platforms for this content when the companies and other investors purchased the MGM library last year.
    Horror and thriller films have emerged on the mainstream film scene in the last several years with box office numbers skyrocketing. Twenty per cent of the feature films released by major studios in 2005 were in this category, and one in three of those debuted at number one at the box office. The genre, which now features top Hollywood stars and grosses more than $1 billion a year, has a growing fan base in the sought-after 18-34 demographic.

    “Horror fans not only like this genre, they are passionate about it. This is the first channel of its kind devoted solely to serving this expanding audience and a great advertising opportunity to reach this demographic. The number of horror fans is growing exponentially, and they are hungry for this kind of multimedia experience. This is the perfect time and the ideal platform to introduce a dedicated horror experience,” said Robina.

    “We are excited to be launching the first of our joint channels with our partners at Comcast. More and more people are looking to a variety of sources for their entertainment, and this new channel will be available on multiple platforms simultaneously, redefining the idea of what a network is,” said Mosko.

    The network will feature film and TV contemporary thrillers, suspense dramas, horror titles and more on Comcast’s On Demand service on 31 October and will launch its multimedia fan website the same day.

    “The depth of offerings available from the Sony and MGM libraries is unparalleled. We have hundreds of titles at our disposal to satisfy every thrill seeker,” added Robina.

    Horror movie fans will get the online experience they want through a video-rich, multimedia online environment that will become the horror destination for the fan community, and will include: exclusive horror outtakes, music downloads, a scream fest, original animation and behind-the- scenes footage. The network will add a wireless component that will feature horror ringtones, sound effects and other features designed specifically for the mobile experience.

    The companies will announce the new network’s name and additional details about the multimedia content in the coming months.