Vice Media Group, the entity formed when Vice acquired women’s lifestyle outlet Refinery29 last year, has brought in former ITV exec Bea Hegedus to drive its video distribution efforts.
As SVP and global head of distribution (a newly created role), Hegedus will control airing and licensing of the various news, documentary, and lifestyle content produced by VMG’s 35 international offices. Top offerings, per the company, include Vice News Tonight, professional wrestling-focused docuseries Dark Side of the Ring, and the upcoming weekly talk show from Jemele Hill and Cari Champion that VGM announced at the NewFronts.
VMG is looking into linear, over-the-top, ad-supported, and subscription streaming distribution, it says. Hegedus will also manage relationships with VMG’s current distribution partners, including Hulu, Canada’s Bell, the U.K.’s All4, and AMC International in Iberia.
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Hegedus was most recently at ITV, where she served as VP of scripted content, working on programming for ITV, the BBC, Channel 4, Amazon, and Netflix. Prior to that, she served as EVP and head of television at production company Silver Reel Partners, and before that, she worked at a variety of entertainment companies like Pinewood Pictures, Lionsgate, and Fox. She’s also a member of the British Academy Film Awards and a judge at the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
In her new role, Hegedus will work out of VMG’s London office and report to Kate Ward. Ward formerly served as Refinery29’s international chief, and was named president of Vice Studios in the merger. In a statement, Ward said Hegedus’ role will help VMG in “establishing a dedicated distribution group” that will “allow us to supercharge our distribution efforts and deliver stronger and more strategic global partnerships.”
