Premium service Starz said it has extended chief operating officer Jeffrey Hirsch’s employment agreement with the company through December 2020.
Hirsch joined Starz in 2015 from Time Warner Cable and was named COO in 2016. In the past 18 months he helped launch Starz new streaming services and its app – which is nearing the 1-million-subscriber mark – rebranded the Starz network and repositioned the Starz Encore suite of services. In December, Apple named the Starz app one of Apple TV’s 10 Best Apps of the Year.
"We are pleased to extend Jeff's tenure as COO of Starz, providing the company with great continuity as we continue our drive to be a powerhouse global content provider,” Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said in a statement. “In a short time at Starz, he re-energized growth at the company by rebranding the networks and launching one of the best streaming apps in the TV business, firmly securing the network’s position as the second most-subscribed to premium TV network in the U.S.* We look forward to working with him to drive revenue growth, innovation and global strategic opportunities to create long-term value for our shareholders.”
Hirsch continues to be responsible for overseeing Affiliate Sales, Marketing, Programming Operations, Network Scheduling, Content Acquisitions, Research, Starz Distribution and Technology and Product Development.
He joined Starz after more than 15 years at Time Warner Cable, starting with the former cable company in 1999 and serving in various roles, including stints in product development for TWC’s Ipad app, and as president for residential services in the cable operator’s New York, Los Angeles and Rochester, N.Y. regions. He was named EVP and Chief Marketing Officer in 2011, where he remained until leaving for Starz in 2015. Prior to TWC, Hirsch’s worked at NYNEX Corporation in product bundling and McCann-Erickson in advertising.
