The Fierce Video editorial team is proud to present its second annual Emerging Leaders Awards, recognizing the brightest young professionals rising up the ranks of the streaming TV industry. Throughout the months of May and June we’ll be featuring these profiles with each of our finalists. We will announce the winners during our StreamTV Show with an awards ceremony June 17 at 3:15 p.m. ET. Not yet registered for the StreamTV Show, running June 15-17? Be sure to register now and save your spot at this free virtual event!
Denise Bailey-Castro/BET Networks:
Denise Bailey-Castro is the head of finance for BET Networks. She leads all aspects of BET’s finances across a portfolio that includes BET, BET+, BET Studios, BET L!VE and BET Digital. Denise also supports BET’s multi-year partnership with Tyler Perry. Previously, Denise led negotiations with cable/satellite and digital partners as a member of legacy Viacom’s content distribution team. Her deals provided distribution of networks such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET to millions of US homes. Before joining Viacom, Denise also worked at J.P. Morgan, Paramount Pictures and HBO. She is an Emmy voter, as a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a Trustee of The Chapin School in New York City, and a competitive powerlifter.
What her colleagues are saying:
“Denise played a critical role in the planning, development and launch of BET+. Her work helped secure funding for the new venture and the groundbreaking partnership with Tyler Perry, propelling BET+ to become the #1 Black streaming service in the country.” - Scott Mills, president at BET Networks
Streaming Industry Q&A:
What streaming services do you subscribe to?
Too many to count, but BET+ holds a special place for me.
Describe your biggest career highlight so far.
Launching BET+ was the most exhilarating experience. I made an internal leap from legacy Viacom to join what was basically a startup within BET. I delivered roadshow pitches to our distributors, attended focus groups with target demos, supported product development and operations and defined our content strategy. Our team filled a void in the streaming ecosystem with all of the top Black content in one amazing service and I am so proud of what we built.
What has been your biggest career learning experience?
Asking for what you want is critical. From unique projects to new clients, I identify opportunities and then go after them. I take ownership of my career through each ‘ask’ and the subsequent opportunities have fueled my growth.
What's next for you in terms of new challenges in streaming TV?
With challenges come opportunity and this is a very exciting time to be in streaming TV. The abundance of content everywhere means that viewers always expect a fresh slate. In our first 18 months, we have consistently delivered with hit BET+ Originals such as “Tracy Oliver's First Wives Club,” “Tyler Perry's Ruthless” and “Carl Weber's Family Business.” I am excited for the opportunity to further cement BET+'s position as the preeminent home for "streaming Black culture," which we know is not a monolith, and continue to build on our deep and diverse content offering with new hits for our audience.