SPT Reorganization: Distribution & Global Nets Merge, Direct-to-Consumer Unit Set

Sony Pictures TV chairman Mike Hopkins is reorganizing a number of areas of the company, mostly on the distribution side.

After folding home video into worldwide distribution under Keith Le Goy in February, Hopkins now also is adding global networks operations, which had been reporting directly to him, to Le

Goy’s portfolio. The combined global networks/worldwide distribution/home entertainment unit will operate in a territory management model; under which regional heads will have oversight of

TV and home entertainment distribution, as well as SPT-owned networks in their respective territories.

Additionally, Hopkins, who was CEO of streaming platform Hulu before joining Sony TV last fall, is joining the other traditional studios like Disney, Warner Bros. CBS with a

direct-to-consumer push. The company is creating a unit that combines all direct-to-consumer Sony properties, including Crackle, to be run by Eric Berger, Chief Digital Officer of Sony

Pictures TV Networks.

SPT also is looking to ramp back up its once-booming first-run syndication business with US distribution president John Weiser named to a new role, President, First Run Television, which

will report directly to Hopkins. In this position, Weiser will work closely with EVP Reality and Syndicated Programming Holly Jacobs for US production, Michael Davies for Embassy Row and

Wayne Garvie’s international production teams.

Under the reorganization, which also includes centralizing of networks/distribution operations, only a handful of senior positions are being eliminated as of now. The number of layoffs will

likely grow once the various groups are merged.

Here is the internal memo Hopkins sent out this morning, outlining the changes: