“Apple has hired Jay Hunt – the former controller of BBC One and chief creative officer of Channel Four – to join its video team,” BBC News reports. “Ms Hunt was responsible for TV shows including Sherlock and Luther at the BBC before helping Channel 4 sign up the Great British Bake Off.”
“Her title at Apple will be creative director, Europe, worldwide video,” The Beeb reports. “Apple has not specified what it involves, but she is expected to commission programmes on its behalf.”
“Earlier in the year, Apple revealed it had hired two Sony Pictures TV executives. Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg had overseen Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and Rescue Me among other US shows,” The Beeb reports. “‘It seems like Apple is going for a worldwide push already, even though it hasn’t yet made much headway in the US,” said Tom Harrington, an analyst at research firm Enders Analysis. ‘Jay Hunt is exceptional in the commissioning space. She’s exceptional at finding programmes that fit the outlet she’s working at. She could have worked anywhere she wanted.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote last month:
Better to get serious late than never! Fortunately, Apple has the resources to catch up on lost time pretty much instantly.
SEE ALSO:
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Former WGN America president Matt Cherniss joins Apple in latest TV push – August 15, 2017
Rivals leaving Apple behind as Apple TV remains stuck in a test pattern – August 8, 2017
Apple’s so-called TV ‘strategy’ continues to be an embarrassing joke – June 30, 2017
Apple poaches Sony TV executives to lead major push into original content – June 16, 2017
Hulu and NBCUniversal ink expansive agreement to bring top channels to Hulu’s upcoming live TV streaming service – May 1, 2017
YouTube to unveil virtual cable bundle for $30 to $40 a month – February 28, 2017
Stalled talks with Ron Howard highlight Apple’s content confusion – February 16, 2017
Apple vowed to revolutionize television; currently prepping an unremarkable 4K Apple TV instead – February 16, 2017
Apple TV: Still not ready for prime time – February 15, 2017
Apple hires Amazon’s Fire TV head to run Apple TV business – February 8, 2017
Apple’s new TV app shows just how painfully behind Apple is – December 14, 2016
Are you ready for 4K TV? Apple TV isn’t. – November 28, 2016
Apple has no idea what they’re doing in the TV space, and it’s embarrassing – November 3, 2016
Hulu inks deals with Fox and Disney, adding ESPN, Fox News and more to forthcoming live service – November 1, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue: Nope, we don’t want to be Netflix – October 20, 2016
Google signs up CBS for planned web TV service to debut in early 2017; close to deal with 21st Century Fox – October 20, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue: Nope, we don’t want to be Netflix – October 20, 2016
Apple’s Eddy Cue alienated cable providers and networks with an assertive negotiating style – report – July 28, 2016
Here comes á la carte programming – without Apple – July 13, 2016
Apple TV 4 is a beta product and, if you bought one, you’re an unpaid beta tester – November 5, 2015
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Adam G” for the heads up.]
glad they didn’t hire his brother, Mike.
oops, “her.”
You mean your cousin Yor?
oops, “York”.
So Apple has truckloads of money to hire more executives to produce non-existent content but they lack the resources to keep the Mac line update?
I take your point but how soon do you think content can be generated or even acquired? There the answer is obvious so in the end the two sides of your argument aren’t related and updating the Mac lineup a separate if shockingly neglected issue.
More waste of money on nothing Cue-Less.
Riding the Apple gravy train.
When rumours about Jay being recruited by Apple were being talked about a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I had worked with her when she was working for BBC News many years ago.
One thing that I didn’t mention in my previous posting about her is that she very much reminded me of Steve Jobs. She can be wonderfully charming but also has a very ruthless streak, tons of ambition and a very sharp analytical mind. She rapidly identifies the key issue and filters out the irrelevant stuff, which means that her considerable energy is maximised where it matters, therefore she gets great results. She does’t hesitate to say what she thinks, which some people find very disconcerting, but she can also inspire people to perform better than they ever have before.
She has a stellar track record, having been been hugely successful in some of the most demanding posts in the British television business. I think she’s going to be a tremendous asset for Apple and if she finds that she is able to work effectively as part of the Apple corporation, I could envisage her being given even greater responsibilities within Apple in the future.