IFC, Sundance Form Joint Sales Force
New division to focus on branded entertainment, sponsorship sales across both channels and multiple platforms
By B&C Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/10/2008 12:52:00 PM
IFC and Sundance Channel have formed a new executive team to focus on sales and business development across the two Rainbow Media-owned cable networks and various platforms, including on-demand and “offline” events like film festivals. The new division will give Sundance Channel its first dedicated sales operation on the West Coast.
Known as the IFCtv/Sundance Channel Partnerships, Operations and Business Development division, the new team will be headed by newly named Executive VP Alan Klein, who will report to IFC/Sundance Channel president Evan Shapiro.
Previously IFC’s senior VP of partnerships and licensing, Klein will oversee a team including Kim Gabelmann, upped from VP of branded entertainment and sponsorship at Sundance Channel, and Lee Sparer, who will manage the West Coast office as VP of branded entertainment and partnerships (he was previously VP of partnerships, West Coast, for IFC.
The team is tasked with expanding the channels’ branded entertainment and sponsorship sales, with particular attention to its digital platforms, including IFC.com, Sundancechannel.com, IFCtv’s Media Lab, IFC Free and Sundance OnDemand VOD services.
“We have put together a tremendous team to get the IFCtv and Sundance Channel joint sales efforts off to a running start,” said Shapiro in a statement. “Alan did a phenomenal job of building marketing partnerships for IFCtv, and as such he is the ideal person to lead this new dual-brand, independent environment’ powerhouse working closely with Kim Gabelmann. We have developed trust, relevancy and engagement with our audience, and our partner brands experience an increase in perceived value because of the way we integrate them into our content.”
Rounding out the team are new hires Dan Shulman, as VP, digital sales, licensing and business development, and Kevin Cirrito, as VP of sales and planning.
IFC and Sundance Channel are both divisions of Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.
