Rightster hires two new key team members from ITV to support Rightster growth

Rightster new hires to drive creative and co-financed opportunities for producers, talents and brands

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today Rightster, the video distribution and monetisation specialist, announces the hire of two key new team members to strengthen and grow Rightster’s content offering.

Jonathan Bates joins Rightster as Director of Content and Partnerships and will lead efforts to help producers, talent, content owners and rights holders better work with Rightster to fully realise the potential of their brands on and off YouTube. Jonathan has fifteenyears experience in the broadcast industry and was previously Head of Multiplatform Video at ITV where he worked with broadcast and commercial teams to create video content for ITV’s key shows and commercial partners.

Ben Freeman has been appointed as Head of Rightster Studios and will work closely with Rightster’s customers to create brand new original programming. Ben was previously the Head of Scripted and Sponsored Multiplatform Content at ITV, and has worked in digital entertainment since 2001, in charge of the production and creation of some of the most innovative digital content for broadcasters, producers, and iconic entertainment brands such as Coronation Street and Big Brother. Now, Ben will use his skills to stimulate and facilitate the creative community in the creation of brand new original programming for YouTube and other video distribution channels.

These key hires further strengthen Rightster’s senior team following the appointment of Robin Pembrooke as VP of Product & Solutions in September 2012. Such high-profile appointments demonstrate the exponential growth that Rightster has experienced in the past year, with the company now delivering more than 100 million worldwide views and 100,000 social media shares every month across its network. Rightster now works with many high profile publishers across news, sport, fashion, entertainment and media including ITN, the Guardian, SNTV, IMG Fashion and British Fashion Council.

Charlie Muirhead, Founder and CEO at Rightster, comments: “Rightster Studios offers exciting new opportunities for brands to engage with audiences online. We’ve been at the forefront of driving innovation in digital content models, and Jonathan and Ben bring a wealth of experience to help content owners and publishers attract more viewers and grow their audience online and better use Rightster’s expertise to improve monetisation and access new revenue streams.”

Jonathan Bates, Director of Content and Partnerships, says of joining the business: “Rightster’s software system makes the task of distributing, monetising, and promoting video content through YouTube - and other channels - simple and efficient. From my work at one of the UK’s largest broadcasters to help commercial partners create engaging video content, I know the potential that online can offer brands. I’m excited to be part of Rightster to further educate broadcasters on our expertise in digital distribution and monetisation for user-generated content programming.”

Ben Freeman, Head of Rightster Studios, continues: “I’m delighted to join Rightster Studios to help leverage existing relationships and develop new partnerships with producers, talent and brands to incubate and form brand new original programming for Rightster’s multi-channel network. There is a huge wealth of talent in the market today, and with Rightster Studios offering new financing models to partners, there is no better time for to tap the potential of original content creation.”

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For further information on Rightster’s work, to speak to Charlie Muirhead or one of the senior team, please contact Alex Neale or Christina Murphy at Hotwire on 020 7608 2500.

About Rightster:

Rightster is a leading cloud-based video distribution and monetisation specialist that enables rights holders and producers, such as ITN, BFC (British Fashion Council) and IMG Fashion to gain full control and visibility over their video distribution, maximising their audience reach and revenues across all platforms and publishers from newspapers such as Mail Online to premium blog sites. Rightster’s turnkey services, such as audience development, remove the in-house complexity of managing technology and integration with publishers and platforms. This gives rights holders and producers the quickest and easiest route to market, as well as the flexibility to experiment and innovate with new digital services and revenue models for both live streaming and video on demand.