Strategy: Last News

Naman Ramachandran As the U.K. continues to experience a tremendous boom in film and high-end TV production, which is a vital contributor to the otherwise battered U.K. economy, the British Film Institute (BFI) is at the heart of sustaining that growth. With its new 10-year plan, its bosses hope to set up the 89-year-old org for success as best they can, but are contending with a cut in investment. On Friday, the BFI unveiled an ambitious 10-year screen culture strategy and a plan to fund the period’s first three years. The previous five-year funding plan, which covered the 2017-2022 period, boasted an investment of almost £500 million made up of government grant-in-aid, BFI earned income and national lottery funding. The new plan sees an injection of just £136.3 million, a cut in real terms.

Naman Ramachandran The British Film Institute (BFI), the U.K.’s lead organization for film and the moving image, has set out a new, wide-ranging 10-year strategy along with a funding plan that covers the period’s first three years. The Screen Culture 2033 strategy, which will see the BFI through to its centenary in 2033, has six major ambitions. As part of this, the BFI aims to transform its relationship with U.K. audiences and become known as an open house for the discovery of screen storytelling; advocate for the full breadth of screen culture, including video games and interactive work; and create a cutting-edge screen archive of the future. In addition, the BFI aims to be digital-first in delivering cultural programming through streamer BFI+; champion screen culture in school curricula, and build a skilled and sustainable workforce that reflects the U.K. population; and support the sector in delivering national lottery funding, policy work and evidence.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Charlie Collier, after more than two decades in broadcasting and cable TV, has jumped ship from the traditional television biz — betting that TV’s future is all about streaming. As first reported by Variety, Collier is leaving his post as CEO of Fox Entertainment, departing from the Murdochs’ fiefdom to head up Roku Media, where he’ll oversee content and ad sales for the Roku Channel starting next month. For Roku, recruiting the high-profile TV exec who brought such hits as “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead” to the small screen can be viewed as a shift toward more strategic — rather than tactical — spending on original content. Not incidentally, Collier also is familiar with the content economics of the free-streaming space: Fox Corp. spent $440 million to buy Tubi in 2020, which has served as a monetization outlet for Fox TV programming.

After 13 months of extensive consultations with the UK film industry, government, and public, the British Film Institute has unveiled a new three-year funding plan alongside a ten-year strategy that will shape the organization’s future investments and priorities.

The UK is heading for the biggest era of borrowing and tax cuts since the 1980s after Tory Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng slashed corporate and personal tax rates for the very rich.

A weight loss strategy that doesn't involve cutting calories or dieting could actually help you lose pounds through the power of chewing. According to Michael Mosley, chewing food properly can help people burn more calories.

Kourtney Kardashian showed off her flawless physique in a tiny black bikini while bouncing on the trampoline on Thursday.The beauty shared a fitness strategy with her 198 million Instagram followers noting that 'bouncing on a trampoline for 20 minutes burns the same calories as a 30 min run + it depuffs!'The 43-year-old mother-of-three raised her arms in the air as she bounced above a link to 'BENEFITS OF BOUNCING'. Bouncing beauty: Kourtney Kardashian showed off her flawless physique in a tiny black bikini while bouncing on the trampoline on ThursdayOn Tuesday, the entrepreneur was promoting her launch for Lemme, which sells vitamins.Kardashian wore a bikini and a wet, white T-shirt as she posed in a kiddy-pool wearing sunglasses as she flaunted her toned abs.

A senior councillor says he is prepared to 'knock on doors' in one of Trafford's 'overlooked areas' to garner feedback on controversial plans for the Carrington Relief Road. Council bosses have cited the road as a key component of its strategy for the last 10 years and see it as a major boost for people in Carrington and Partington.

Selome Hailu Albert Cheng has been promoted to vice president of Amazon Prime Video U.S. He most recently served as chief operating officer of Amazon Studios. The news came Wednesday in a staff memo written by Mike Hopkins, senior vice president of Prime Video and Amazon Studios. Cheng enters the newly created position effective immediately and will report to Hopkins. 2022 has been a banner year for Amazon’s studio and streaming service, especially with the launch of “The Rings of Power,” the latest entry into the “Lord of the Rings” franchise. According to Hopkins, responsibilities under Cheng’s purview will include revenue growth, brand strategy, marketing operations and customer acquisition.

Albert Cheng is moving up at Amazon.

Naman Ramachandran The roles of three key Paramount International Markets executives have been considerably enhanced by the company. Katherine Liu, who in her previously role of executive VP of strategy and operations for international streaming at Paramount, was responsible for developing and executing a strategic and operational vision for the international growth of the company’s streaming footprint across five continents, will now serve as executive VP and COO, Paramount International Markets. In her new role, based in New York and reporting into Pam Kaufman, president and CEO of international markets, global consumer products and experiences, and Naveen Chopra, CFO, Paramount Global, Liu will focus on the growth of Paramount’s hybrid operating model and the creation of strategic value across businesses in direct-to-consumer and TV Media, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV, pay TV networks and broadcast free-to-air. 

Maury Wills, whose long tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers began the year after the team moved to the West Coast in the late 1950s and included three World Series championships, died September 19 at his home in Sedona, AZ, the team said Tuesday. He was 89.

Warner Bros Discovery has revamped its group focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and announced its new executive team.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Courtney Coupe, most recently SVP of content strategy and operations for CNN Digital, is joining LinkedIn as the company’s first head of original programming. In the new role, Coupe reports to LinkedIn editor in chief Dan Roth. She will oversee the strategy, development and production of all original video and audio content at the business-oriented social media platform. LinkedIn has been investing in original content for a decade and is now bringing those efforts together under a newly formed original programming team, led by Coupe. “Courtney has spent her career creating high-quality, economy and career-focused audio and video content for some of the top brands in media,” Roth said in announcing her hire. “We’re excited that she’s bringing her talent for developing groundbreaking content to LinkedIn and helping us deliver insights that drive conversation.”

The billionaire business mogul Mike Ashley will step down from his role as director of Frasers Group, the company that owns Sports Direct.

Lise Pedersen Paris-based premium kids content producer Cottonwood Media has announced its sister distribution company, Federation Kids & Family, has nabbed world rights for its upcoming TV series “Welcome to Lolyland.”  The project is one of 80 being pitched this week at Cartoon Forum, the leading European event for animated TV series in development aimed at industry professionals, that runs in the south-eastern French city of Toulouse. Based on the original comic books “Lolicornes” by Cédric Asna, Emmanuel Martin and Pierre Walterspieler, who are working on the TV adaptation, the series will be made up of 52 11-minute episodes aimed at six to nine-year olds. 

EJ Panaligan editor The Los Angeles LGBT Center has announced the hire of Phillip Picardi as the organization’s chief marketing and communications officer. “I am so excited to be joining The Los Angeles LGBT Center at this urgent moment in our community’s history,” Picardi said in a statement Thursday morning. “After working for over a decade in the media, I know how powerful storytelling can be as a cultural salve. I’m thrilled to take the Center’s marketing and communications initiatives to new heights.” Picardi joins as a member of the Center’s executive team, working alongside newly-appointed CEO Joe Hollendoner, chief impact officers Terra Russell-Slavin and Sharon Brown, chief financial officer Ricardo DeLeon, chief development officer Saurabh Bajaj and chief health officer Dr. Ward Carpenter.

Manchester United have signed two fighters who are willing to 'go to war' for Erik ten Hag and that has helped the Old Trafford giants transform their dressing room this season.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Listen up: Podimo, the Denmark-based subscription service for podcasts and audiobooks, said it secured €58.6 million (about $58.4 million) in funding, as it seeks to grow its market footprint and content lineup. The funding was led by previous investors 83North, Highland Europe and Saban Ventures, with continued participation from Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker, Heartcore and Headline. The latest round brings Podimo’s total raised to date to about €162 million ($161.5 million), the company said. Podimo did not disclose valuation but said the new capital represented an “up round,” meaning its valuation increased. Founded in 2019, Podimo said it has doubled its headcount in the past two years and currently has about 225 employees. The company plans to step up hiring with the new funding.

French powerhouse Federation Entertainment has rebranded to Federation Studios and signed a Group Chief Financial Officer.

One of Ayrshire’s most iconic hotels has been sold as part of a restructuring strategy by business supremo Bill Costley.