IMDb TV Moves Content Team to Amazon Studios Under New Co-Heads
By Elaine Low
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Amazon-owned free streaming service IMDb TV is moving its content team to Studios, and will develop original programming under new co-heads of content Ryan Pirozzi and Lauren Anderson.
The pair will lead all of the service’s programming, including creative development, production, licensing and strategy. Amazon Studios co-heads of television Albert Cheng and Vernon Sanders will work closely with Pirozzi and Anderson to develop an original and licensed slate “that builds upon IMDb TV’s inaugural year” and complements the studio’s originals according to a memo from chief Jen Salke.
Pirozzi has been with Amazon for nine years, most recently as head of worldwide television and movie licensing for Prime Video. Anderson was most recently head of strategic content for Amazon Studios, and prior to that worked as senior vice president of primetime programming for NBC Entertainment and chief content office of NBCUniversal’s mobile content studio joint venture.
The free platform hosts thousands of films and TV series, including “Chicago Fire,” “The Middle,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Friday Night Lights,” as well as “Shrek Forever After,” “Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls,” “Empire State” and “Stranger Than Fiction.”
The IMDb TV business, product and development teams will continue to be based in Seattle, reporting to IMDb TV vice president Mark Eamer.
Read Salke and Eamer’s internal memo below:
We are excited to announce that the IMDb TV content team is moving to Amazon Studios reporting to the new co-heads Ryan Pirozzi and Lauren Anderson (aka “@anderozzi”). They will inherit all programming functions, including creative development, production, licensing and strategy. Albert Cheng and Vernon Sanders will work closely with them as we develop an original and licensed slate that builds upon IMDb TV’s inaugural year of success, complements the suite of award-winning Amazon Originals produced for Prime Video, and establishes IMDb TV as an immediately recognizable destination for high quality, free-to-consumer content.
Consistent with Amazon Studios’ ethos of being the best home for talent, we look forward to providing showrunners and creators with another incredible avenue to showcase their work.
We are eager to produce and distribute advertiser-friendly content that will surprise and delight current and future IMDb TV customers. Please join us in welcoming IMDb TV to Amazon Studios.
