News Headline
Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins hops to Sony Pictures
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra has recruited former lieutenant, Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins, to fill the top job that had been vacant since the departure of Sony Pictures TV chairman Steve Mosko seventeen months ago.
At Hulu, Hopkins will be succeeded by Randy Freer, president and COO of Fox Networks Group and current Hulu board member.
Hopkins has been named chairman, Sony Pictures Network, overseeing all television production, distribution and marketing operations globally for the studio, as well as SPE’s media networks business. He will start in late November and report to Vinciquerra.
Hopkins had been president of distribution for Fox Networks Group under FNG chairman and CEO Vinciquerra until Vinciquerra’s 2011 exit from Fox. Hopkins was named CEO of Hulu in 2013 amid turmoil at the streaming service, co-owned by 21st Century Fox, Disney, NBCUniversal and Time Warner, which at the time had been run by an interim CEO while its owners were exploring a sale. Over the past four years, Hopkins has built up the company, which doubled revenue and tripled its market valuation and recently made Emmy history with 10 statuettes, becoming the first streaming service to land a Best Series Emmy for breakout drama The Handmaid’s Tale.
Vinciquerra said, “Mike is a proven and innovative leader who has played a key role in redefining today’s television landscape, both for consumers and for how content producers reach them.”
Hopkins’ appointment will streamline Sony’s reporting structure on the TV side. Following Mosko’s departure, all of his key reports — presidents of programming and production Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, president of worldwide networks Andy Kaplan, president of distribution Keith Le Goy, and president of ad sales & research Amy Carney — began reporting directly to Vinciquerra’s predecessor Michael Lynton. The setup remained the same when Vinciquerra came on board earlier this year, with Jeff Frost succeeding Van Amburg and Erlicht as a direct report when the two left in June. (Frost was named president of Sony Pictures Television Studios, overseeing domestic production sans international and marketing which had been part of Van Amburg and Erlicht’s purview, with Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter upped to co-presidents.)
Moving forward, the heads of SPT’s domestic and international television production, distribution, advertiser sales and research, marketing and Sony Pictures Worldwide Networks will report to Hopkins.
Hopkins’ departure from Hulu, which has been on an upswing, capped by the Emmy triumph of The Handmaid’s Tale, is somewhat surprising. Still, Hulu is a far away from catching up with SVOD leader Netflix.
“Tony has long been a colleague and mentor of mine, and I’m really excited to join him and the rest of the talented team at SPE,” said Hopkins. “There is a tremendous opportunity to build on SPT’s momentum globally and I look forward to working with the team to realise that potential.”
Under Hopkins, a 20-year industry veteran, Hulu has grown its audience to 47 million total unique viewers; expanded its business to include live news, entertainment and sports in addition to its existing SVOD offering; and entered premium original programming with Casual, The Mindy Project, The Path and The Handmaid’s Tale. On the acquisition front, Hulu has signed deals for movies from Epix, full libraries of exclusive programming from AMC Networks and FX Productions, as well as all episodes of such current and classic series as This is Us, Homeland, Black-ish, Seinfeld, CSI, Empire, Fargo, Nashville, Golden Girls and South Park.
As President of Distribution for Fox Networks, Hopkins oversaw the distribution strategy, sales and marketing for the company’s 45 linear and non-linear U.S. channels, as well as on-demand and digital extensions. His team also developed authenticated and digital video products BTN2GO and Fox Now.
The independent Sony Pictures TV Studios, which is facing increasing challenges and has been fighting its way through increasing vertical integration, will produce or co-produce more than 30 broadcast, cable and digital series on air in the 2017-2018 season. That includes The Blacklist and The Goldbergs, now in their fifth seasons; breakout new ABC drama The Good Doctor, already renewed for a full season; CBS’ S.W.A.T.; as well as The Tick, Atypical, Better Call Saul, Preacher, Outlander, The $100,000 Pyramid, SuperMansion and the upcoming Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams and Cobra Kai.
Sony TV projects with big production commitment by the broadcast networks include Norman Lear’s Guess Who Died for NBC, Carol Mendohlson and David Hudgins’ Chiefs for CBS, and an untitled Gloria Calderon project for CBS.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
