Verizon has hired former Maker Studios and Yahoo executive Erin McPherson to head content strategy, acquisition and programming.
In the role, McPherson will manage Verizon video programming across multiple platforms, including FiOS’ TV service. She’ll relocate from Los Angeles to New York for the job, reporting to Brian Angiolet, senior VP of consumer products and new business development for Verizon.
McPherson replaces Terry Denson, who quietly left Verizon in the early summer. Denson was credited for spearheading FiOS’ innovative “Custom TV” bundling strategy.
A former entertainment attorney, McPherson was head of video for Yahoo from 2010-13, then chief content officer for Disney-owned Maker Studios from 2013-15.
A year ago, Verizon found itself accused of not having enough acquisition and distribution expertise on the video side. But that began to change in March, when the company hired 10-year NBCUniversal veteran Chip Canter as its digital media GM to help better monetize the telecom’s non-FiOS digital media businesses. One of Canter’s first moves was to bring in Ivana Kirkbride, a former YouTube and Vessel executive, as chief content officer.
Canter and Kirkbride have built out a staff at Verizon with more of a background in media business, and better clarified content strategy for Verizon’s mobile programming platform, Go90.
It’s unclear how McPherson will interact with Canter and his team.
“Erin’s impressive experience with cross-platform media and entertainment coupled with a proven ability to oversee large content divisions gives us great confidence as she joins our team,” Angiolet said in a statement. “We are excited to hire someone with her credentials to lead key initiatives inside this dynamic industry.”