BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starz, a division of Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), has signed Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Hirsch to a new long-term agreement extending his tenure until December 2020.
In just 18 months, Mr. Hirsch launched the new STARZ streaming services and app, quickly approaching the one million subscriber mark, rebranded the STARZ network and repositioned the STARZ ENCORE suite of services. In December 2016, the STARZ app was named by Apple® as one of Apple TV's® "10 Best Apps of the Year," and has consistently ranked in the Top 10 Entertainment Top Grossing category on iTunes since its launch in April 2016.
"We are pleased to extend Jeff's tenure as COO of Starz, providing the company with great continuity as we continue our drive to be a powerhouse global content provider,” said Starz President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht. “In a short time at Starz, he re-energized growth at the company by rebranding the networks and launching one of the best streaming apps in the TV business, firmly securing the network’s position as the second most-subscribed to premium TV network in the U.S.* We look forward to working with him to drive revenue growth, innovation and global strategic opportunities to create long-term value for our shareholders.”
Mr. Hirsch continues to be responsible for overseeing Affiliate Sales, Marketing, Programming Operations, Network Scheduling, Content Acquisitions, Research, Starz Distribution and Technology and Product Development.
He joined Starz in 2015 after serving most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Residential Services at Time Warner Cable. In this senior executive role since 2011, Hirsch was responsible for all Time Warner Cable corporate marketing activities to the company’s residential customers. Hirsch first joined Time Warner Cable in 1999 and served in various executive roles including responsibilities in strategic product development for the Time Warner Cable iPad app, and serving as President for Residential Services in the Time Warner Cable New York City, Los Angeles and Rochester, NY regions. Prior to that, Hirsch’s past experiences included positions at NYNEX Corporation in product bundling and McCann-Erickson in advertising.
About Starz
Starz (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), is a leading global media and entertainment company that provides premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television networks and produces and distributes content for worldwide audiences, including its investment in the STARZ PLAY Arabia OTT service. Starz is home to the flagship STARZ® brand with 24.5 million subscribers in the United States as of September 30, 2016, with the STARZ ENCORESM network at 31.5 million subscribers. Starz provides high-quality, entertaining premium subscription video programming with 17 premium pay TV channels and associated on-demand and online services, including the STARZ app. Sold through U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, telecommunications companies, and other online and digital platforms, Starz offers subscribers more than 5,000 distinct premium television episodes and feature films every year and up to 1,500 every month, including STARZ Original series, first-run movies and other popular movie and television programming.
*Sources: 3Q 2016 Premium Network Census, SNL Kagan (released 12/8/2016) and Starz internal reports.
