Apple has brought on three new executives for an original content push.
The tech giant has hired Tara Sorensen, Carina Walker, and Tara Pietri to build out its streaming content business, Variety is reporting. All three new hires come from Amazon, where they held executive roles in the e-commerce giant’s Amazon Studios original content division. Sorensen headed up Amazon’s kids programming and Walker led Amazon Studios’ international programming. Pietri served as chief of business affairs at Amazon Studios.
Apple has been quietly building out a team over the last several months of entertainment executives aimed at crafting the company’s original content business. Apple is clearly behind some of its top competitors, include Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu, that all have been investing heavily in original content. Apple so far has bought just a few shows, including the in-car singing show Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps, a reality show focused on app development.
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However, a slew of reports have surfaced in recent months, saying Apple is planning to dramatically build out its original content business and could spend more than $1 billion on programming. Adding the three Amazon Studios executives appears to be a move in that direction.
In addition to former Amazon Studios executives, Apple has added former major players at other Hollywood studios. The company’s chief content officers, Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht previously served as Sony TV executives.