Amazon Streaming Leadership Team Changes – Tech News
Amazon has made some big changes in its streaming leadership team this week. Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon MGM Studios, is stepping down, potentially indicating some dissatisfaction with the company’s streaming strategy in recent years.
Her boss, Mike Hopkins, praised her work but mentioned that her departure will help flatten the company’s leadership structure. This means that Amazon won’t be filling Salke’s role, and the heads of its film and TV studios will now report directly to Hopkins.
Since joining Amazon Studios in 2018, Salke aimed to move the company beyond critically acclaimed content to more mainstream hits. While Amazon Studios has had successes like “Reacher,” “Jack Ryan,” “Fallout,” and “The Boys,” their highly anticipated show “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” hasn’t quite lived up to expectations, despite a hefty budget.
Additionally, the espionage show “Citadel” faced challenges with reshoots and delays, making it one of the most expensive shows ever produced. Amazon has also faced difficulties getting a new James Bond film into production following their acquisition of MGM.
Reports suggest tensions between Amazon and Bond producers, with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reportedly being unhappy with a Wall Street Journal article about Barbara Broccoli, one of the producers. This led to Amazon paying the producers to give up control of the franchise.
Salke will be starting a new film and TV production company with a first-look deal at Amazon, despite her absence from the Bond deal announcement. It will be interesting to see how Amazon moves forward with its streaming strategy in the wake of these changes.
