By Jim Sommers
Senior Vice President of Content, ITVS
ITVS teams adapt and work together to better serve producers in a dynamic, chaotic media environment.
Five years ago, as the opportunities for creating and distributing content in a multi-platform, cross-media environment were compounding, the funding and rights management environment intensifying, we strategized internally on how to best support independents to thrive in this ever-changing media environment. What it took to fund, distribute, and promote independent film through a simple broadcast model required a shift to connect many more dots to reach audiences digitally. In short, success demanded a multi-pronged approach with more collaboration, flexibility, and partnership across everything we do. We also wanted to provide many points of access to producers seeking funding from ITVS.
Today, we have a service model and culture guided by a Content Strategy Team and several other cross-functional teams to support producers as they absorb new forms of content creation and distribution into their creative processes. The “CST,” also known as the “greenlight” team, finalizes all the programming slates and ensures that ITVS’s content portfolio achieves its mission of diversity and innovation and tracks how our content reaches and engages diverse audiences.
In addition to me, the CST members include: Claire Aguilar, Executive Content Advisor (formerly Vice President of Programming); Lois Vossen, Senior Series Producer of Independent Lens; Matthew Meschery, Director of Digital Content and Innovation; Sreedevi Sripathy, Managing Director of Distribution and Content Management; and Tamara Gould, Vice President of International, who heads up strategic partnerships. Continue reading
