SPTI Ups Digital Exec

LONDON, December 4: Sony
Pictures Television International has promoted Damian Newton to senior VP of
digital initiatives for the company's European distribution division.

Newton, who joined the
company last year and is based in SPTI's London office, heads a team tasked
with developing new digital products and services. He works with an expanded
digital sales team in offices across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and
works closely with the entire European distribution group. Newton will continue to drive
the delivery of SPTI's initiatives in its digital distribution business,
advance emerging business models and explore new opportunities around
Sony-branded services such as Screen Gems and joint ventures like Film Flex.

Newton
joined SPTI from a role as the VP of sales and digital media for Europe, the
Middle East and Africa at Disney-ABC International Television. He was also
formerly executive director of pay TV, pay per view and VOD at Walt Disney
Television International.

Stuart Baxter, SPTI's executive VP of distribution, to whom Newton
reports,
said: "More and more consumers are engaging with content through various
business models across multiple platforms. It is incumbent on organizations
like ours to develop models and services, which legitimize and encourage this
type of consumption, an area in which Damian has played a key role since
joining SPTI. I am pleased to announce the promotion of Damian who will
continue to focus on building this part of our business."

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski