Jan 19 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co on Wednesday named
company executive Rebecca Campbell to lead its new hub for
international content creation to expand regional content for
its streaming services.
Campbell will oversee the creation of more locally produced
content to fuel the growth of Disney+, Hulu and Star+, as the
video streaming services expand globally.
Since the launch of Disney+ in late 2019, the company's
streaming business has expanded rapidly, with its service
amassing 179 million subscribers through the end of fiscal 2021.
The company plans to double the number of countries where its
flagship Disney+ service is available to 160 by the end of
fiscal 2023.
Disney's announcement that it would invest in local content
mirrors Netflix Inc's strategy. Dominant streaming
service Netflix has capitalized on the global popularity of
series developed outside the United States, including its most
recent hit, the dystopian South Korean drama "Squid Game."
Burbank, California-based Disney has been taking tentative
steps in the same direction.
Last October, Disney announced a slate of content from the
Asia-Pacific region, including a documentary on the
chart-topping South Korean girl group BlackPink, a romantic
melodrama series starring Korean actor Jung Hae, and "Tokyo
MER," a Japanese medical drama starring award-winning actors
Ryohei Suzuki and Kento Kaku.
At the time, Disney said it planned to commission more than
50 productions by 2023. In November, the first Disney+ original
series produced in Latin America, Disney Intertwined
(Entrelazados), debuted.
Campbell will continue overseeing Disney's international
media teams, in addition to her expanded role as chair of
international content and operations, the company said. She will
report to Chief Executive Bob Chapek.
Another Disney executive, Michael Paull, was promoted to the
newly created role of president of Disney Streaming, overseeing
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Star+. He joined Disney in 2017 after
the acquisition of the streaming technology company Bamtech
Media, where he was CEO.
Joe Earley, who previously served as executive vice
president of marketing and operations for Disney+, has been
named President of Hulu, reporting to Paull.
(Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru and Dawn Chmielewski;
Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)