Pluto TV picks programming boss

Free streaming service Pluto TV has hired a former Fullscreen and Vevo exec to oversee and execute its programming strategy.

Scott Reich

Scott Reich, previously general manager at Fullscreen Media, has joined the ViacomCBS-owned company as senior VP of programming.

Pluto TV features more than 250 live and original channels and thousands of on-demand movies and TV series in partnership with major TV networks, movie studios, publishers and digital media companies.

At Fullscreen, Reich set the strategy for the company’s subscription service and managed all aspects of original scripted and unscripted original programming, content licensing, programme planning, marketing, creative services, content operations and analytics.

He was also previously VP of programming and original content at Vevo, and has also held positions at Fuse, Concert.TV and VH1. Reich started his career at Magus Entertainment, where he worked with the manager of US rock band Aerosmith.

Shampa Banerjee

Pluto TV has as also appointed Shampa Banerjee as chief product officer to oversee the product, user experience, distribution partners, content partners and advertisers.

Banerjee will report to CEO Tom Ryan and joins Pluto TV from Eros Digital at Eros International, described as the Netflix for Bollywood, where she grew the service from inception to 150 million global subscribers in 135 countries.

Headquartered in LA, Pluto TV has offices in New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago and Berlin. It was acquired by ViacomCBS for US$340m in early 2019, with the latter’s CEO, Bob Bakish, hailing the business as “the cornerstone of our direct-to-consumer strategy.”

Earlier this month, the ad-supported VoD service grew its international footprint outside of the US and Europe by launching in 17 Latin American countries.