Spotify‘s $343 million spend on podcasting companies Gimlet Media and Anchor last month were a clear indication of how serious the company is about original audio content.
And having been on an original content talent recruitment drive since at least October, the company’s choice of execs to lead the push into this world are starting to emerge.
Senior TV exec Liz Gateley has revealed in a LinkedIn post that she’s been hired as Head of Creative Development at Spotify and will lead the company’s original content development teams on both the East and West coast as they expand into Comedy, Sports, YA Fiction & Scripted, News/Docs and more.
Gateley has had a long and illustrious career in television. She was previously EVP Head of Programming at Lifetime Television where she oversaw original content development, exiting the role in May last year.
She also spent over seven years at MTV between 2003 and 2011 overseeing hit shows like Jersey Shore, America’s Best Dance Crew, Human Giant, Run’s House and Ridiculousness.
In 2011 she started her own company, DiGa with Tony DiSanto, where she produced the likes of documentary series Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life, eventually selling the successful company to ITV in 2014.
“I am excited to be back in the music/culture world to tell loud stories with my incredible team and to help invent new executions as I always have, but, most importantly, to join at such a transformative time at Spotify on the heels of the Gimlet and Anchor acquisitions.”
Liz Gately
Gately said: “I am excited to share that I’ve accepted the role as Head of Creative Development at Spotify! I will be overseeing their original content development teams on both coasts and their expansion into Comedy, Sports, YA Fiction & Scripted, News/Docs and obviously more Music formats in the podcast space.
“I am excited to be back in the music/culture world to tell loud stories with my incredible team and to help invent new executions as I always have, but, most importantly, to join at such a transformative time at Spotify on the heels of the Gimlet and Anchor acquisitions.
“I also get to work with Dawn Ostroff and Courtney Holt, both former colleagues and two of the smartest people I know.”
Spotify is currently hiring for a Sports Lead, Spotify Studios role in either New York or Los Angeles to help establish “Spotify’s presence and voice in the [sports] category”.Music Business Worldwide
