Exclusive: Dan Berger, Amblin’s EVP of Marketing and Communications, is heading over to Amazon as their VP of Global Media and Entertainment Communications, Deadline has learned. Berger will start in the New Year.
Berger will oversee communications for both Mike Hopkins’ Prime Video team and Steve Boom’s games and music division at Amazon. That latter sector encompasses Wondery, Audible, Twitch and Amazon Music.
Amazon’s VP of Public Relations for the Studios and Digital Video Corey Shields exited in May after three years with the streamer.
We hear from those close to Berger he was blown away by the Amazon opportunity with the choice to depart Amblin a difficult one given the EVP’s reverence for Steven Spielberg and the execs at the company as well as the studio’s next chapter.
Berger came to Amblin in September 2019 from 20th Century Fox where he was involved in such...
Berger will oversee communications for both Mike Hopkins’ Prime Video team and Steve Boom’s games and music division at Amazon. That latter sector encompasses Wondery, Audible, Twitch and Amazon Music.
Amazon’s VP of Public Relations for the Studios and Digital Video Corey Shields exited in May after three years with the streamer.
We hear from those close to Berger he was blown away by the Amazon opportunity with the choice to depart Amblin a difficult one given the EVP’s reverence for Steven Spielberg and the execs at the company as well as the studio’s next chapter.
Berger came to Amblin in September 2019 from 20th Century Fox where he was involved in such...
- 11/29/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
A giant in the world of podcasting needs a “sonic signature.”
So when the prolific publisher Wondery decided it was time to brand its product by establishing an unforgettable signature, its leaders hired the creative-design firm, Made Music, behind the iconic static-screen clip that opens every HBO show. Wondery CEO Jen Sargent recalls that the branding exercise in 2018 helped the company fine-tune its vision of what Wondery podcasts should deliver to listeners.
“Imagine six or seven of us sitting in a room and asking ourselves, ‘Does this sound like wonder to you? Does this sound like wondering?’” recalls Sargent.
The efforts proved to be time well spent. Since Wondery’s launch in early 2016, podcasting as a medium has seen its listener base skyrocket. Wondery has blossomed into one of the largest producers of popular, recurring podcast series including “SmartLess,” a freewheeling conversation hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.
So when the prolific publisher Wondery decided it was time to brand its product by establishing an unforgettable signature, its leaders hired the creative-design firm, Made Music, behind the iconic static-screen clip that opens every HBO show. Wondery CEO Jen Sargent recalls that the branding exercise in 2018 helped the company fine-tune its vision of what Wondery podcasts should deliver to listeners.
“Imagine six or seven of us sitting in a room and asking ourselves, ‘Does this sound like wonder to you? Does this sound like wondering?’” recalls Sargent.
The efforts proved to be time well spent. Since Wondery’s launch in early 2016, podcasting as a medium has seen its listener base skyrocket. Wondery has blossomed into one of the largest producers of popular, recurring podcast series including “SmartLess,” a freewheeling conversation hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.
- 10/25/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Amazon’s future in streaming video has come into greater focus in 2022 with the acquisitions of Thursday Night Football and MGM and the debut of Lotr: The Rings Of Power. Now, the onetime bookseller is headed into 2023 without the original architect of its expansion into TV and film via Prime Video, Jeff Blackburn.
His retirement, announced on Friday, capped a month of a series of executive moves that laid out Amazon’s plans for the next stage of its evolution as an entertainment brand.
Blackburn, a 25-year Amazon veteran, most recently had served as SVP of Global Media & Entertainment, overseeing all entertainment businesses, including Prime Video and Amazon Studios, Music, Podcasts/Wondery, Audible, Games and Twitch, for the past 18 months. Blackburn, a well-liked executive within Amazon and in the Hollywood community, originally took what was supposed to be a one-year sabbatical in mid-2019. Some of his plans for travel...
His retirement, announced on Friday, capped a month of a series of executive moves that laid out Amazon’s plans for the next stage of its evolution as an entertainment brand.
Blackburn, a 25-year Amazon veteran, most recently had served as SVP of Global Media & Entertainment, overseeing all entertainment businesses, including Prime Video and Amazon Studios, Music, Podcasts/Wondery, Audible, Games and Twitch, for the past 18 months. Blackburn, a well-liked executive within Amazon and in the Hollywood community, originally took what was supposed to be a one-year sabbatical in mid-2019. Some of his plans for travel...
- 12/5/2022
- by Dade Hayes, Nellie Andreeva, Peter White and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
San Francisco, Dec 3 (Ians) Jeff Blackburn, head of Amazon’s media and entertainment businesses, is retiring from the company for a second time, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has announced.
Blackburn joined Amazon in 1998 after helping guide the company through its IPO at Deutsche Bank.
“He’s done a lot of building over two-plus decades, including helping build our 3P marketplace, Advertising, Amazon Studios/Prime Video, and Music businesses, as well as leading our A9/Search and CorpDev & BusDev orgs,” Jassy said in a message to Amazon employees.
Blackburn returned to Amazon in May of last year to lead its media and entertainment businesses.
With Blackburn’s departure, there will be some shifts in Amazon’s leadership.
Mike Hopkins, who leads Prime Video, Amazon Studios, and MGM, will continue to lead these teams and report to Jassy directly.
Steve Boom, who has been leading our Music and Podcasting teams, will also now oversee Audible,...
Blackburn joined Amazon in 1998 after helping guide the company through its IPO at Deutsche Bank.
“He’s done a lot of building over two-plus decades, including helping build our 3P marketplace, Advertising, Amazon Studios/Prime Video, and Music businesses, as well as leading our A9/Search and CorpDev & BusDev orgs,” Jassy said in a message to Amazon employees.
Blackburn returned to Amazon in May of last year to lead its media and entertainment businesses.
With Blackburn’s departure, there will be some shifts in Amazon’s leadership.
Mike Hopkins, who leads Prime Video, Amazon Studios, and MGM, will continue to lead these teams and report to Jassy directly.
Steve Boom, who has been leading our Music and Podcasting teams, will also now oversee Audible,...
- 12/3/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
After more than two decades at Amazon, top exec Jeff Blackburn has decided to retire from the ecommerce giant.
Blackburn, who joined Amazon in 1998 after advising on its IPO, left the company briefly in February 2021 to join Bessemer Venture Partners, but returned quickly that June as Amazon’s SVP of a new Global Media & Entertainment organization.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced the news of Blackburn’s retirement via a memo to staff Friday, praising the accomplishments made by Prime Video and Amazon Studios SVP Mike Hopkins and his team under Blackburn’s watch.
“Over the past year and a half, he’s helped set us up for continued success in media and entertainment,” Jassy wrote. “Just to name a few successes, in its first season, ‘Rings of Power’ broke all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than...
Blackburn, who joined Amazon in 1998 after advising on its IPO, left the company briefly in February 2021 to join Bessemer Venture Partners, but returned quickly that June as Amazon’s SVP of a new Global Media & Entertainment organization.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced the news of Blackburn’s retirement via a memo to staff Friday, praising the accomplishments made by Prime Video and Amazon Studios SVP Mike Hopkins and his team under Blackburn’s watch.
“Over the past year and a half, he’s helped set us up for continued success in media and entertainment,” Jassy wrote. “Just to name a few successes, in its first season, ‘Rings of Power’ broke all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than...
- 12/2/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Jeff Blackburn, a 25-year Amazon veteran, who was the prime architect of the company’s expansion into streaming, will be retiring in January. Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy and Blackburn made the announcement in emails to staff this morning, copies of which were obtained by Deadline.
Blackburn most recently served as SVP of Global Media & Entertainment, overseeing all entertainment business, including Prime Video and Amazon Studios, Music, Podcasts/Wondery, Audible, Games and Twitch, for the past 18 months, since he returned from a sabbatical.
Following Blackburn’s retirement, Mike Hopkins, who will continue to lead Prime Video, Amazon Studios, and MGM, and Steve Boom, who will add oversight of Audible, Twitch and Games to his current duties leading the Music and Podcasting teams, will report directly to Jassy. Blackburn, to whom the two previously reported, will help with the transition, which will happen Jan. 1. Hopkins recently negotiated Amazon’s deals for MGM and Thursday Night Football.
Blackburn most recently served as SVP of Global Media & Entertainment, overseeing all entertainment business, including Prime Video and Amazon Studios, Music, Podcasts/Wondery, Audible, Games and Twitch, for the past 18 months, since he returned from a sabbatical.
Following Blackburn’s retirement, Mike Hopkins, who will continue to lead Prime Video, Amazon Studios, and MGM, and Steve Boom, who will add oversight of Audible, Twitch and Games to his current duties leading the Music and Podcasting teams, will report directly to Jassy. Blackburn, to whom the two previously reported, will help with the transition, which will happen Jan. 1. Hopkins recently negotiated Amazon’s deals for MGM and Thursday Night Football.
- 12/2/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Jeff Blackburn is retiring.
The head of Amazon’s Global Entertainment Group will sign off from the company in January after more than two decades with the retail giant and streaming platform. The moves were announced Friday via internal memos from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and Blackburn himself.
The news comes a year and a half after Blackburn returned from a yearlong sabbatical in a new role as head of the company’s global entertainment group that included combined oversight of music, audio entertainment, games and video for the company.
Blackburn’s decision to retire comes after a busy week at Amazon. The e-commerce giant this week fully integrated MGM into its exec ranks after its 8.5 billion purchase of the storied studio closed in May. Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke was given oversight of MGM’s film and TV divisions, while senior vp...
Jeff Blackburn is retiring.
The head of Amazon’s Global Entertainment Group will sign off from the company in January after more than two decades with the retail giant and streaming platform. The moves were announced Friday via internal memos from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and Blackburn himself.
The news comes a year and a half after Blackburn returned from a yearlong sabbatical in a new role as head of the company’s global entertainment group that included combined oversight of music, audio entertainment, games and video for the company.
Blackburn’s decision to retire comes after a busy week at Amazon. The e-commerce giant this week fully integrated MGM into its exec ranks after its 8.5 billion purchase of the storied studio closed in May. Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke was given oversight of MGM’s film and TV divisions, while senior vp...
- 12/2/2022
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.