IGN Entertainment, a gamer and entertainment-focused online media company, has announced the appointment of Wade Beckett as chief programming officer and SVP of video. Beckett, who most recently served as chief programming officer and SVP of production at Fusion, will lead all of IGN’s video efforts, including original content, branded video production, and partnerships. He will be based out of the company’s Los Angeles studios.
At Fusion, Beckett — a 15-year film, TV, and digital video veteran — supervised all programming, development, and production for scripted series, documentaries, specials, and live events. He has also previously held roles at ESPN’s SportsNation, NBCUniversal’s G4 network, ZDTV, Tech TV, DreamWorks, NBC‘s Peter Engel Productions, the TV Guide Channel, and CinemaLine. “From high quality short form content on emerging platforms to longer, lean-back experiences across more traditional platforms, I’m super excited to help lead an awesome and experienced team with such a passionate audience,” Beckett said in a statement.
“Advertisers are increasingly looking to go beyond pre-roll with custom programs while platforms and content distributors are seeking differentiated original programming that speaks to the fan culture audience,” added IGN’s GM and co-founder Peer Schneider. “The combination of IGN’s 20-year brand credibility in gaming and entertainment coupled with Wade’s experience in delivering original programming will cement IGN’s position as a leader in video for games and geek culture across all screens.”
IGN Entertainment, which was founded in 1999, is now a division of Ziff Davis, which also owns other media properties including PC Magazine and AskMen.com. IGN says it has 132 million total monthly users across 12 platforms, including native apps, connected TVs, Xbox, and PlayStation. The media company also operates a Snapchat Discover channel, a YouTube network boasting 9 million subscribers, and 20 million followers across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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