BuzzFeed Studios, BuzzFeed’s video production arm that develops TV projects, feature films, and digital series for third-party distributors as well as its own channels, has a brand new leader.
MTV and Vice veteran Lauren Dolgen has been named head of BuzzFeed Studios following the departure of Matthew Henick in March. (Henick was tapped to lead global video content strategy and planning at Facebook). Formerly, BuzzFeed Studios was called BuzzFeed Motion Pictures — though the division was renamed following a company-wide restructuring amid roughly 100 layoffs last November.
Dolgen, who will be based in Los Angeles and report directly to BuzzFeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti, will be tasked with overseeing and developing content that draws from BuzzFeed’s other divisions, including BuzzFeed News and BuzzFeed Media Brands, which comprises standalone verticals like Tasty and Nifty. “Lauren’s fun, irreverent sensibility, her great eye for talent, and her obsession with pop culture make her the perfect fit for BuzzFeed,” Peretti said in a statement. “Her track record and relationships are incredibly strong.”
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Dolgen most recently served as head of west coast development for Vice’s television channel, Viceland, where she oversaw shows like Hate Thy Neighbor, exploring extremist groups in the U.S. Before that, she was at MTV for 20 years, concluding her tenure as EVP of series development and head of unscripted programming. At MTV, Dolgen oversaw the creation of the hallmark series 16 And Pregnant and Teen Mom.
BuzzFeed’s current slate for outside partners includes AM To DM on Twitter, RelationShipped for Facebook Watch, the Netflix series Follow This, and the Warner Bros. feature Brother Orange. Its most popular self-distributed series, which Dolgen will also oversee, include Worth It, Ladylike, and BuzzFeed Unsolved.
