Apple Continues to Expand TV Team, Adds Four New Execs

Apple recently hired four veteran television executives to join its quickly growing video content team, with the new recruits tasked to head up original programming initiatives including documentary series.

According to a new report from Variety, former Sony TV head of current programming Kim Rozenfeld has officially landed at Apple, rejoining his former Sony TV bosses Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who were named in June to oversee worldwide video programming.

Also joining the team of the newly launched video programming division are Sony TV development executives Max Aronson and Ali Woodruff as well as WGN America’s former head of PR Rita Cooper Lee.

Kim Rozenfeld, the former head of current programming at Sony Pictures Television, will be Apple’s future head of current and lead executive on documentary series development. Max Aronson, the former VP of drama development at Sony Pictures Television, will be a development executive reporting to previous hires Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht.

Ali Woodruff, the former director of create affairs at Sony, will also be a development executive reporting to Amburg and Erlicht, while Rita Cooper, former WGN America head of publicity, will lead communications for the new video content unit, reporting to Apple’s Tom Neumayr.

Apple is picking up a lot of talent in the video and television area as it experiments with original content as a way to promote its Apple Music service. The company has launched two shows so far, including Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke.

A report last month claimed Apple has budgeted $1 billion on original programming for 2018, a fraction of what other production houses and streaming companies intend to spend over the same period. More recently, Apple is said to be mulling a move into the storied Culver Studios lot in Hollywood.

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