Jim Packer Extends Contract as Lionsgate Worldwide TV Distribution Chief

CANNES — Worldwide TV gross sales veteran Jim Packer has set a multi-year cope with Lionsgate that may maintain him on the senior administration workforce as president of worldwide TV distribution. Information of his contract extension was revealed Oct. 17, simply because the Mipcom content material market kicks off this week in Cannes, bringing the worldwide TV group collectively for the primary full time in three years.

Packer has been with Lionsgate since 2011. The information that he has re-upped comes at a time of uncertainty for the studio. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer has mentioned the corporate, which is dwelling to the Lionsgate studio and Starz pay TV platform, is contemplating choices for separating these belongings, presumably by promoting off the studio to give attention to build up Starz.

Packer’s position is essential for Lionsgate as worldwide licensing of flicks and TV reveals is an important income supply for main studios to offset ever-rising manufacturing prices. Lionsgate has remained a free-agent unbiased outfit promoting content material throughout the spectrum from broadcast TV to cable to streaming platforms at a time when its bigger rivals are more and more funnelling top-tier content material to direct-to-consumer platforms.

“Jim and his workforce have constructed Lionsgate into a world licensing powerhouse whose content material touches just about each platform on this planet,” mentioned Feltheimer.  “He’s a world-class govt, a revered chief and a trusted companion whose entrepreneurial drive and information of the altering face of the content material enterprise will proceed to be an necessary a part of transferring our firm ahead.”

Packer most not too long ago has been dealing with gross sales of “Ghost,” Lionsgate’s sleeper comedy success for CBS, in addition to dealing with sophisticated film and TV output offers with Starz, Roku, Peacock and Tubi. Lionsgate famous that in Packer’s dozen years at Lionsgate, its 17,000-title film and TV library has seen its whole annual income double to just about $800 million.

Earlier than Lionsgate, Packer served as head of president worldwide TV and digital for MGM. Earlier in his profession, Packer labored in TV distribution for Disney.