Starz CEO Jeff Hirsch “Excited” For Lionsgate Split: “It’s Hard For Investors To Get Their Head Around A Combination Company”
deadline.comStarz CEO Jeff Hirsch said the long-in-the-works separation of the premium linear and streaming programmer from Lionsgate’s studio unit will be a boost to both entities. “I don’t think the Starz story is as clear as it could be because we’re part of a bigger company,” he said during an appearance at the BofA Securities Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference.
Joking that “in Hollywood, movies are much more exciting than television,” he said sometimes Starz flies a bit under the radar.
After it recently refocused on English-speaking markets and refined its focus, Hirsch said Starz is now aiming to be an “add-on service” with 20 million to 25 million subscribers and financials that run counter to the current angst about streaming and pay-TV.
The company is 65% digital, Hirsch said. “We pivoted away from linear while being profitable is a really great story. We have not as much dependence on the linear business that you’re seeing in all these fights that are going on in the marketplace today.
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