Plus Pages

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

ViacomCBS Overhauls Streaming


ViacomCBS today announced a new leadership structure for its global ecosystem of free and pay streaming services. 

The integrated structure, which is effective immediately, will ensure a more holistic approach across both free and pay streaming, more closely align the company’s streaming initiatives globally, and enhance ViacomCBS’s ability to leverage the cross-house franchise and content strength of ViacomCBS to seize the global opportunity in streaming.

Tom Ryan, currently CEO of Pluto TV, will assume the role of President and CEO, ViacomCBS Streaming, overseeing CBS All Access, which will relaunch as Paramount+ in early 2021, and Pluto TV. In this expanded role, he will have global oversight of the company’s streaming strategy. Marc DeBevoise will step down from his role as Chief Digital Officer, ViacomCBS, and President and CEO, ViacomCBS Digital, serving in an advisory capacity for the remainder of 2020 to support a seamless transition and the ongoing transformation of the digital organization.

Tom Ryan
As President and CEO, ViacomCBS Streaming, Ryan will lead ViacomCBS’s efforts to further accelerate the growth of its free and pay streaming services, building on his success establishing Pluto TV as the #1 free ad-supported streaming TV service in the U.S. and a growing global force. He will now also oversee the transformation of CBS All Access into Paramount+, working closely with the team on programming strategy, platform development and marketing for the enhanced streaming service. In his new capacity, Ryan will partner with the ViacomCBS Content Council to accelerate a franchise-driven content strategy across the company’s streaming ecosystem, formalizing the role of ViacomCBS’s studios as multiplatform content providers. This will maximize the deployment of both IP and talent relationships across ViacomCBS’s streaming and other platforms.

Kelly Day, COO, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), will take on an expanded role as President of Streaming, VCNI, overseeing all ex-U.S. digital and streaming platforms in addition to her COO responsibilities. She will work closely with Ryan and David Lynn, President and CEO of VCNI, on ViacomCBS’s international streaming expansion, including the debut of Paramount+ in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics in 2021, as well as the ongoing international rollout of Pluto TV. As previously planned, Pierluigi Gazzolo will step down from his position as President, Streaming and Studios, VCNI, to pursue other interests.

Bob Bakish
“ViacomCBS has a unique opportunity to combine the best of our brands in a seamless ecosystem of must-watch, direct-to-consumer services for audiences around the world,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO, ViacomCBS. “As we plan for the launch of Paramount+, bringing together the leaders of our streaming platforms to create a unified global organization will enable us to execute a holistic strategy across both free and pay. We will draw on the breadth and depth of ViacomCBS’s franchises and branded IP to deliver an extraordinary collection of diverse content with the convenience consumers want.”

Bakish added, “I’m grateful to Marc for his many contributions to ViacomCBS’s success. Over the course of his tenure with CBS and then ViacomCBS, he has set the course for our digital businesses and laid a strong foundation for us to build on as we prepare for the next phase of our streaming strategy.”

Ryan has served as CEO and Co-Founder of Pluto TV since early 2014. Under his leadership, Pluto TV has become the leading free, ad-supported streaming TV service in the U.S. and rapidly grown its presence in international markets, reaching 33 million monthly active users globally. He also led Pluto TV through its acquisition by Viacom in January 2019. Earlier in his career, Ryan served as CEO of Threadless, an online art community and e-commerce company, from 2008 to 2012. Previously he was Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy and Business Development at EMI Music and was part of the early team at Virgin Mobile USA (VM). He also co-founded Cductive, a pioneering online music service that merged with eMusic in 1999.

No comments:

Post a Comment