Yahoo News Amazon Studios TV Content Group Sets New Executive Roles For Kara Smith, Jon Wax & Andy Bourne
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Studios has made changes to the US/Global content operations, with three executives in Laura Lancaster’s group, Kara Smith, Jon Wax and Andy Bourne, taking on new responsibilities. The announcement was just made internally in a memo by Amazon Studios’ Head of Television Vernon Sanders, Head of International Originals James Farrell, and Lancaster, Head of SVOD TV Development & Series, Co-Productions.
The memo (you can read it in full below), also shares some ratings information on hot Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, noting that the Season 2 launch already has more than doubled Season 1’s viewership in just three days.
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Kara Smith, most recently Head of Limited Series, who worked on The Summer I Turned Pretty, has been named Head of TV Development, SVOD Co-Productions. She will continue to report to Lancaster.
Smith takes on the position previously held jointly by Jon Wax and Andy Bourne. In light of that, Bourne will take over the Head of Limited Series role, reporting to Smith.
Meanwhile, Wax has been named to the newly created position of Head of Global Content Synergy – TV, reporting to Sanders and Farrell.
“Jon’s new team will work with all of our global TV content groups to ensure our originals are developed with rich, relevant access points for our worldwide audience,” Sanders, Farrell and Lancaster said. “This team will also sync directly with our Prime Video US and International partners to strategize at the earliest stages on how our upcoming pipeline can deliver for each region’s needs.”
Sanders set Amazon Studios’ current structure in November, establishing three creative development teams shepherding programming across SVOD, AVOD and FAST channels, led by Lancaster, Nick Pepper and Lauren Anderson.
In addition to The Summer I Turned Pretty, Smith also has worked on popular Prime Video series Reacher and The Terminal List as well as the upcoming Cross, which has been getting strong buzz.
“She brings a wealth of creative development experience, and we have full confidence in her as she takes on this expanded role,” Sanders, Farrell and Lancaster said of Smith.
Before joining Amazon Studios in 2022, Bourne was SVP Development at Fox 21 TV Studios where he worked on such series as The Old Man, Dopesick, and The Chi.
“We are grateful for the wealth of experience he will bring to our strategic and robust slate of premium original television,” Sanders, Farrell and Lancaster said.
Former senior WGN America and YouTune senior scripted development executive Wax joined Amazon Studios as head of genre drama in 2019.
“Jon’s experience at the forefront of many of our most successful and acquisitive series will be instrumental in this new position,” Sanders, Farrell and Lancaster said. “We are all thrilled that Jon will lead this essential endeavor expanding and maximizing the impact and reach of all of our content.”
Here is the full memo:
Good morning, TV Teams.
First and foremost, congratulations to everyone on the successful launch of the second season of The Summer I Turned Pretty. It has been such an incredible launch that Season 2 has already more than doubled Season 1’s viewership in just three days. Fantastic team effort, everyone.
Along with that good news, the three of us — Vernon Sanders, James Farrell, and Laura Lancaster —want to share an update on new roles for three of our treasured teammates.
Laura Lancaster is pleased to announce that Kara Smith will take on the position of Head of TV Development, SVOD Co-Productions. Kara has previously shepherded some of our biggest bona fide hits, including The Summer I Turned Pretty, Reacher, The Terminal List, and our upcoming series, Cross. She brings a wealth of creative development experience, and we have full confidence in her as she takes on this expanded role. Kara will continue to report to Laura Lancaster, Head of SVOD TV Development & Series, Co-Productions.
With this change, Andy Bourne has agreed to take the role of Head of Limited Series, reporting to Kara. Andy brings a long track record of award-winning, compelling event series such as The Old Man, Dopesick, and The Chi. We are grateful for the wealth of experience he will bring to our strategic and robust slate of premium original television.
As we all know, what distinguishes Amazon Studios’ content on Prime Video is the vast reach our Originals have in the global marketplace through Prime. We obsess on how to ensure that our series engage our current customers while bringing in new customers around the world. Our most valuable series are global hits.
With that in mind, James Farrell and Vernon Sanders are excited to announce a brand-new position within our organization, the Head of Global Content Synergy – TV. Jon Wax has graciously agreed to step into this vital role, reporting directly to Vernon and James. Jon’s new team will work with all of our global TV content groups to ensure our originals are developed with rich, relevant access points for our worldwide audience. This team will also sync directly with our Prime Video US and International partners to strategize at the earliest stages on how our upcoming pipeline can deliver for each region’s needs. Jon’s experience at the forefront of many of our most successful and acquisitive series will be instrumental in this new position. We are all thrilled that Jon will lead this essential endeavor expanding and maximizing the impact and reach of all of our content.
Please join us in congratulating Kara, Andy, and Jon.
Sincerely,Vernon, James & Laura
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