How Platforms & Networks Approach Independent Content

Speakers

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  Jennifer Vaux Head of Content Acquisition, The Roku Channel
  

  Jennifer Vaux

  Head of Content Acquisition, The Roku Channel

  Jennifer Vaux oversees content strategy, acquisition, programming and scheduling for the ad-supported component of Roku’s owned and operated channel, The Roku Channel.

  She is responsible for sourcing and executing innovative programming acquisition deals across a range of content and business models. She works to license content for The Roku Channel in United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

  Prior to Roku, Jennifer served as VP of Network Business Strategy & Content Acquisitions for Turner’s entertainment networks forging deals for off-network television series and movie licensing.

  Jennifer has also worked at NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company in the US and Hit Entertainment in the UK.

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  Heidi Chung Media Analyst & Correspondent, Variety Intelligence Platform
  

  Heidi Chung

  Media Analyst & Correspondent, Variety Intelligence Platform

  Heidi Chung is based in Los Angeles and joined Variety’s premium subscription service in July 2020. Previously, Chung was an on-air reporter for Yahoo Finance, covering the stock market and economy on the site’s daily livestreaming programming, and an associate producer at CNBC. In her role at VIP+, Chung focuses on the financials of the largest media and tech companies. She writes short-form commentary pieces and appears on camera for VIP+, often breaking down the ways in which broader market conditions and economic events impact the media and tech sectors.

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  Cameron Douglas VP of Home Entertainment, Fandango
  

  Cameron Douglas

  VP of Home Entertainment, Fandango

  Cameron Douglas is Vice President of Home Entertainment for Fandango, and is the lead executive for Vudu, the company’s transactional and ad-supported video service. Through various analytics and marketing roles at Disney, Fox, DreamWorks, and Paramount, he became an entertainment commerce and retail expert.

  Douglas successfully transitioned into the digital entertainment space in 2013, serving as SVP of Content for M-GO, the DreamWorks Animation/Technicolor joint venture, prior to its ultimate acquisition by Fandango and rebranding as FandangoNOW in 2016. He oversaw multiple years of double-digit growth in this era, beating the market with a focus on content, including aggressive pursuit of 4K early in its adoption, and core consumer experience.

  In 2018, Douglas was elected Chairman of OTT.X, the trade group for the home entertainment industry, and still holds that position today. With the acquisition of Vudu in 2020, Fandango solidly established itself as the #3 player in the competitive transactional space, offering hundreds of thousands of movies and TV series to buy or rent without a subscription.

  As of 2022, Douglas and team are strategically positioned for the next phase of the premium video market.

  Douglas is a Stanford University graduate, earned an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, and is a longstanding member of Mensa.

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  Sam Harowitz Head of Content Acquisitions & Partnerships, Tubi
  

  Sam Harowitz

  Head of Content Acquisitions & Partnerships, Tubi

  As Vice President, Content Acquisition and Partnerships, Samuel Harowitz leads all third-party licensed programming acquisitions with indie partners and major studios and brands for Tubi, including international content acquisitions, sports, and FAST channels. On the heels of a banner content year for FOX Entertainment’s streaming service, Harowitz is instrumental in helming the expansion of Tubi’s industry-leading content library of over 40,000 titles.

  Harowitz most recently oversaw TV content acquisitions at Freevee fkna IMDb TV (Amazon’s AVOD service) where he led third-party licensed programming and optimized its first run licensing program. During his time, he also managed all aspects of content selection, financial analysis and forecasting, and led relationships with studios, global indies and third-party producers.

  Previously, Harowitz served as Vice President, Digital Content Licensing at A+E Networks, where he was charged with licensing programming to SVOD and AVOD platforms and led partner management of digital and OTT platforms. Prior to that, he held roles as Senior Vice President, Development and Production at Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky’s Is or Isn’t Entertainment and Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions at FremantleMedia.