BBC Chief Content Officer Responds to Emily Maitlis’ Criticism of the Broadcaster: ‘There Was No Government Influence’

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Michele Golden has been hired as Imax’s global chief people officer. In her new role, she will oversee the entertainment technology company’s human resources, recruiting, talent management, and diversity, equity and inclusion divisions. Golden will report directly to Imax CEO Rich Gelfond and chief legal officer Rob Lister and be based in the company’s New York office. “Michele is a world-class human resources executive with deep experience in guiding some of the most recognizable brands in media and entertainment, building successful teams and navigating sweeping change,” Gelfond said in a statement. “As Imax seeks to build its global technology platform and foster a new era of growth for the Company, we are very excited to have Michele’s leadership in further strengthening our global teams, workplace, and culture.”

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Estrella Media has hired former NBCUniversal exec Enrique Guillen to serve as the company’s new chief content officer. Guillen will report to Estrella Media CEO Peter Markham and be based in Burbank. At Estella Media, Guillen will oversee U.S. domestic and global content strategy for the company’s TV, streaming, digital, audio, events and digital businesses, including developing, producing, and acquiring all television and film content, overseeing network and station programming, news, sports, digital content, and studio productions. He’ll also handle international distribution of Estrella Media content. “Enrique brings impeccable credentials as a leading executive in global content development and distribution, and he is a perfect fit to help our company accelerate our leadership position,” said Markham. “We look forward to Enrique taking a prominent role in helping us plot our next phase of growth as the changes taking place in our industry present unprecedented opportunities for Estrella Media.”

Ricky Gervais seems to have responded to criticism levelled at his show After Life by fellow comedian Stewart Lee.In a recent interview on Rob Brydon’s podcast Brydon &, Lee took aim at the Netflix series, labelling it “abysmal” while comparing it to the “brilliant” The Office.“If you’re teaching drama or creative writing, how can you make a case for the things that make drama and creative writing good when After Life is a success?” he said. “Because your kids could just go, ‘But none of those things happen in this!’ And yet, millions people watch it.”He added: “I think it’s one of the worst things that’s ever been made by a human.”Although he didn’t respond directly, Gervais tweeted: “Watch the award-winning, record-breaking #AfterLife Now streaming on Netflix around the world”.The comedian has also liked a series of tweets that take aim at Lee, one saying: “Stewart Lee is one of the worst things made by a human.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Kim Kelleher added oversight of distribution revenue to her portfolio at AMC Networks, a substantial enlargement of her duties at the content company that was recently put under the aegis of a new CEO. Kelleher, who will continue to supervise advertising sales and partnerships, has been named chief commercial officer of the company, best known for its flagship cable network and influential series like “Better Call Saul” and “The Walking Dead.” “A cohesive, forward-looking commercial revenue team that has responsibility for all of our valuable partner relationships across advertisers, affiliates and new digital platforms makes strong strategic sense and Kim is the perfect executive to lead it,” said Christina Spade, who was recently named CEO of AMC Networks, in a statement. “She has brought her own unique talent, ingenuity and dynamic leadership to our commercial revenue group. We are thrilled to apply her abilities to an even more comprehensive role to drive the company’s top-line growth.” Kelleher will report to Spade.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque has been promoted to Chief Content Officer for the WWE.

WWE has named Paul “Triple H” Levesque its new chief content officer and chief financial officer Frank A. Riddick III will assume the role of president and CFO, the company announced in Tuesday’s second-quarter earnings report.

As it continues to navigate new corporate waters in the wake of longtime CEO Vince McMahon’s scandal-shrouded retirement in July, WWE Corp. has promoted two of its top executives.

BBC Chair Richard Sharp has said MacTaggart lecturer Emily Maitlis was “completely wrong” to say due process was not followed after her now-infamous Dominic Cummings Newsnight rant.

An obsessed stalker who has had a three-decade fixation with former BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis has been jailed for eight years after attempting to breach a restraining order for the 20th time. Edward Vines wrote eight letters addressed to Maitlis and her mother expressing his “unrequited” love for her, which he tried to send from HMP Nottingham between May 2020 and December 2021.

K.J. Yossman BBC journalist Clive Myrie has called on whoever is appointed the new secretary of state for culture under Liz Truss to “make a renewed commitment to quality public service broadcasting, at the BBC and Channel 4.” Truss was appointed Prime Minister earlier today, replacing Boris Johnson. She is expected to appoint a new cabinet, including a new secretary of state for the department of culture, sport and media, who will take over from incumbent minister Nadine Dorries. Delivering the Royal Television Society’s Steve Hewlett Memorial Lecture at the University of Westminster on Monday evening, Myrie also championed the BBC’s commitment to impartiality, in comments that could potentially be interpreted as a rebuttal to his former colleague Emily Maitlis’s Edinburgh TV Festival lecture two weeks ago.

Emily Maitlis, whose notorious interview with Prince Andrew forced the disgraced royal to announce his departure from public life, has revealed she believes the prince “had behaved rather well.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor WWE exec and pro wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque has officially taken the title of chief content officer, and he’s also received a salary raise along with three other top company execs. In addition, the company said it promoted chief financial officer Frank Riddick to the position of president, where he will continue in his role as CFO. WWE disclosed the exec info in an SEC filing Friday. The changes come after Vince McMahon, formerly WWE’s chairman and CEO, resigned from the company on July 22, amid an investigation by the board of directors into misconduct allegations.

Brea Baker has been tapped as Chief Equity Officer at social impact firm and creative house Inspire Justice.

K.J. Yossman It seems the feud between former “Newsnight” host Emily Maitlis and her former employer, the BBC, shows no signs of letting up. Less than a week after former Maitlis publicly excoriated the BBC during her MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the corporation has hastily rebooted its “Americast” podcast – which Maitlis first launched alongside then North America editor Jon Sopel in 2020 – with an introductory episode posted today, Aug. 30, the very same day Maitlis and Sopel’s new podcast series “The News Agents” launches at Global. The BBC announced this morning that Today presenter and former BBC North America editor Justin Webb would front “Americast” alongside Sopel’s replacement for the North America editorship Sarah Smith and disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring. The BBC’s North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher (known as “the Zurch”) also returns for the show.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Robert Kyncl will exit YouTube in early 2023 after more than 12 years as a senior exec at video giant. He most recently served at YouTube’s chief business officer, helping to grow it into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse. Kyncl’s departure was announced in a memo Monday to YouTube staff by CEO Susan Wojcicki, a copy of which was obtained by Variety. Kyncl is leaving “to start the next chapter in his career,” Wojcicki wrote. “Under his leadership, YouTube forged new relationships and partnerships in music, traditional media and tech, and our creator ecosystem – without him, the term ‘YouTuber’ wouldn’t be a mainstream term.”

 The battle lines between the BBC and its former star news presenter Emily Maitlis continue to be drawn, with BBC insiders lending their support after she claimed a BBC board member had interfered in editorial matters as “an active agent” of the Conservative party.

The BBC has hit back at its former star presenter Emily Maitlis, who this week claimed the organisation had succumbed to government interference when it reprimanded her over comments she made on air.

Channel 4 Chief Content Officer Ian Katz has said “there is something depressing” about the number of UK TV reboots currently in production.

British broadcaster Emily Maitlis has warned that populism has overcome the power of the mainstream media to hold politicians to account in the wake of Donald Trump’s popularity and Brexit, and unveiled a blueprint for wrestling back control in her MacTaggart lecture Wednesday.