Strictly Business

Under new leadership, Univision is taking big strides toward bringing a new look and feel to its primetime schedule for the growing U.S. Hispanic audience. CMO Jessica Rodriguez details the many ways the company is doing things differently. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Geographic Partners chairman Gary Knell outlines his vision of the growth opportunities ahead for the gold-plated brand as it and other 21st Century Fox assets transition to Disney’s control. Knell also gives a final salute to Fox, calling the parting “bittersweet” and praising the Murdochs for being good stewards of the brand. If it weren’t for Nat Geo’s move into television more than 20...

Steve Mosko, the former head of Sony Pictures Television and newly appointed CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, talks about his mission to build out the company to produce its own movies and TV shows for the first time. He also speaks candidly about making the shift from studio boss to the leader of a lean and scrappy startup operation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihe...

He may be best known for producing the 2018 hit "Crazy Rich Asians," but that film was actually something of an aberration for John Penotti. He's busy building a mini-studio that cranks out local-language films and TV shows in seven countries including Mexico, Indonesia and India, where his upcoming Netflix series "Delhi Crime" could deliver his next global hit. Learn more about your ad-choices at...

With many economists predicting a recession could hit the U.S. economy in the coming months, the media business could be in for rough ride. But as S&P Global Markets senior direct Naveen Sarma explains, there's a lot more roiling this sector right now that must be taken into account to understand what the future might bring. T Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwor...

While known best for its line of energy drinks, Red Bull has been a pioneering force in branded entertainment. But in a rapidly changing media world, Red Bull Media Network CEO Gerrit Meier has evolved the beverage maker's strategy, including an exploration into taking the brand into scripted entertainment.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.co...

Radical Media is an independent company that is a stalwart of the New York film and TV production scene. Radical chairman-CEO Jon Kamen discusses how diversification into unscripted series, branded content, experiential entertainment and commercials has been crucial to the company's survival. He also details Radical's unusual "community"-based approach to partnering with filmmakers and other artis...

The producers and partners behind Propagate discuss their plan to compete in the global TV market against much larger rivals. After an investment from Raine Group and the acquisition of Electus, 2019 is the year Propagate’s leaders have to bring all the pieces together to grow the company. Owens and Silverman also detail the pitching environment for producers, regrets over “Planet of the Apps” and...

Though Steve Harvey may be one of the most omnipresent stars on TV across his many shows ("Family Feud," "Little Big Shots," "Showtime at the Apollo," etc.), he is looking to take his career to the next level by doing more than just being a performer. New opportunities range from investments far from the entertainment world to apps, where he has turned a game from his talk show, "Harvey's Hundreds...

As the indie film world converges on Park City, Utah, buyers and sellers are getting ready to wrangle at the Sundance Film Festival. In this conversation with Variety’s Brent Lang, Paul Davidson, executive VP of film and television for the Orchard, discusses his approach to dealmaking, why documentaries are all the rage again and how the independent distributor distinguishes itself from the compet...

Though the media world is rapidly consolidating all around Viacom, CEO Bob Bakish believes his company can thrive without a "transformational deal" such as its oft-speculated merger with CBS Corp. He discussed how his turnaround strategy has been playing across Viacom, from the rejuvenation at Paramount Pictures to the focus on "flagship" cable brands like Nickelodeon. Learn more about your ad-cho...

NBCUniversal has long been the media world's most vocal proponent for reforming just about everything involved in tracking consumption of its TV shows. Kavita Vazirani, executive VP of insights and measurement, shares the company's game plan for commercials running in optimal environments and ensuring eyeballs are properly counted across all screens.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

She may be best known for her daytime TV show, but Ellen DeGeneres also has a sprawling digital presence across social, video and gaming apps. Ellen Digital Ventures is run by Michael Riley, a cable-business veteran who wants to take her brand to the next level as a global force capable of introducing her fans to other talent and new formats from podcasts to augmented reality. Learn more about you...

The new biography “Playing to the Gods: Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse and the Rivalry That Changed Acting Forever” details how the legendary actors were pioneering female entrepreneurs who instinctively capitalized on their fame and storied rivalry. Author Peter Rader discusses how Bernhardt and Duse helped forget the template for actors as superstars and bucked 19th century norms as women who ru...

One's a legend in entertainment, the other in technology. But together Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman plan to bring the best of both worlds to their new venture, Quibi, which will enlist some of Hollywood's top names to produce for an untested format: super-premium short-form entertainment. Quibi's top execs discuss how they plan to hook consumers on a whole new way to consume content on mobil...

Michael Wayne is no newbie to the digital content biz, having put his company through numerous pivots over the past decade. Today Kin Community has weathered the storm in the sector by shifting focus to TV stars and putting them in online series that rival the audience levels at cable channels. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for...

The chief operating officer of UFC talks about a big year ahead for the MMA leader, starting with the kickoff of its broad TV pact with ESPN. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at the sale process that lead to the company’s acquisition by Endeavor, and he explains why the growing number of MMA competitors is good thing for the sport overall. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpo...

Multibillion-dollar franchises like "SpongeBob SquarePants" used to require traditional media like TV or film as launch pad. But Chris Williams, CEO of the new kid-targeted brand Pocket.watch, is proving with YouTube sensation Ryan's World that the Internet can also be the breeding ground for a consumer-products phenomenon. No wonder he's attracted some big backers from UTA to Robert Downey Jr. to...

The president-CEO of Discovery Inc. offers a candid assessment of the state of traditional TV in a wide-ranging interview. He talks M&A prospects and gives a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes story of Discovery’s $14 billion acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive. Zaslav also discusses how the management mindset at Discovery changed five years ago thanks to a profound question posted by...

After 44 years on CBS, the People's Choice Awards will move over on Nov. 11 to E!, where the network's president, Adam Stotsky, has led a re-imagination of the franchise. It's one of many changes transforming E! under Stotsky's watch, including a return to topical talk shows and more unscripted series in the mold of reigning hit "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." Learn more about your ad-choices a...

With its acquisition of Time Inc. earlier this year, Meredith Corp. is home to more iconic magazine titles than ever, from People to Better Homes & Gardens. But as the company's president, Jon Werther, explains, he's as focused on translating these publications to video and building out other revenue streams as he is continuing the core print product. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

Assembly Entertainment CEO Christina Wayne discusses the dealmaking challenges that producers face even at a time of incredible demand for TV content. The producer first made her mark as the AMC development executive who championed “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” Wayne goes deep into the nitty gritty of selling shows in the current landscape. She also talks about how her range of experience as a buy...

While the nation waits to hear whether former Vice President Joe Biden will join the 2020 presidential race, he's not quietly sitting on the sidelines. He just launched an episodic series on Instagram's new IGTV created by ATTN:, a company devoted to making its "purpose-driven" content entertaining on digital platforms. ATTN co-founder, Matthew Segal, explains how the Biden projects fuels his ambi...

Gigi Pritzker, CEO of MWM, details the evolution of her company, formerly OddLot Entertainment, from an indie film production banner to an IP-centric approach embracing TV, digital, VR and AR, live events and theater. Pritzker explains how the seismic shifts in the entertainment marketplace spurred her to focus on stories and franchises that be adapted across multiple mediums. Learn more about you...

The digital studio's president gets candid about the acquisitions she's made in her first year on the job, as well as Viacom's efforts to attract young eyeballs to original content across digital platforms. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.