As streaming services and direct-to-consumer offerings have grown, keeping a handle on content rights and windows is critical for programmers and content creators. While outdated technology and manual processes have made the path to monetization more difficult in the past, companies like Molten, founded in 2018 by MIT-grad Arjun Mendhi and backed by Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey, have emerged to help content owners better navigate the landscape. Denise Denson, a veteran programmer and former executive VP of global content distribution and strategy at Viacom, joined Molten as an adviser in 2019 and earlier this year became chief operating officer. She spoke with B+C senior content producer Mike Farrell about the evolving content business. An edited transcript follows. 

Universal and AMC Entertainment just agreed to narrow theatrical-to-SVOD windows to 17 days from 75 days. Does that present opportunities for content players across the board? It’s a whole new level of complexity. Now, three weeks after release, they’re going to be fragmenting those rights and selling them. I look at the movie theaters as another SVOD opportunity for another niche window. They’ll have to compete with everyone else over time.

With the emergence of streaming and direct-to-consumer, how is the content food chain changing? The emergence of streaming and direct-to-consumer has resulted in an accelerated market shift to new models which reflect consumer preferences for personalized video services and targeted, on-demand content. The new recipe for success is rooted in ubiquitous distribution across devices, formats, platforms, search-engines and territories.

How do you see this shaking out? I do think content will be sold to the highest bidder but this will just create the order of windowing. Today, a new show may launch on the branded channel or a streaming service. There will be content moving in and out of windows, trying to reach different audiences and maximize revenues. Ideally that will extend the revenue life cycle.  That being said, the process of buying and selling content will need to modernize as well.  

Is this especially relevant given that production on new shows is still shut down? Absolutely.  Content demand has never been higher and content companies are sitting on an underutilized asset — their library — provided they know their licensing rights.  Most companies use or sell less than 20% of the rights in their library. There is a huge opportunity to sell content on new platforms and territories.

Is there room for niche companies to eke out a business? I believe both big and small players can win. At the end of the day, quality of content will determine the winners. In some ways, smaller content companies may be more nimble and open to new distribution models which will be the key to growth. Provided companies evolve, the money will follow.

Former Viacom executive VP of global content distribution Denise Denson has been named chief operating officer at cloud-based content rights and media tech company Molten, the company said Tuesday.

Molten was formed in 2018 by a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and its platform allows media companies to simplify rights, content, and distribution management. Advisors to the company include Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey.

In her new role Denson will be responsible for Molten’s business development and operations functions including its expansion of capabilities into digitizing rights, content, distribution and financial operations. She reports directly to Molten founder and CEO, Arjun Mendhi.

“As demand for media and entertainment content continues to grow, Molten is evolving the underlying operations to bring scalable, automated and cost-effective cloud solutions to media and entertainment organizations,” Mendhi said in a press release. “We are thrilled to incorporate Denise’s extensive experience driving digital transformation across media distribution channels and platforms.”

Denson left Viacom (now ViacomCBS) in 2016 after 22 years at the company, where she developed and implemented a worldwide distribution strategy and led traditional and digital content distribution for more than two dozen channels, growing distribution revenues over a 10-year period from $1 billion to $5 billion annually.

“For the past 20 years, while other industries digitally transformed around us, entertainment content management kept its roots firmly planted in legacy systems built for another time,” Denson said in a press release. “Now, as consumers’ need for content grows, being able to manage and distribute content quickly is critical.”

Viacom said long-time head of content distribution Denise Denson is leaving the company, replaced by former EVP of sales and business development for content distribution Tom Gorke.

Denson has been with Viacom since 1994 and was named EVP of Content Distribution in 2015. In his new role, Gorke will oversee Viacom’s Media Networks distribution strategy and partnerships with all domestic affiliates.

“Viacom is deeply committed to strengthening relationships with our distributors, and finding exciting new paths to bring our industry-leading content to their viewers,” Viacom acting president and CEO Bob Bakish said in a statement. “Tom has a track record of creative, successful dealmaking, including several major first-of-their-kind digital distribution agreements that helped launch groundbreaking streaming platforms for new entrants as well as existing MVPDs. He is a thoughtful executive who will be fully empowered to design new and innovative strategies to work with our important distribution partners.”

In a memo to employees, Bakish praised Denson for her tenure at Viacom, crediting her with building the programmer’s distribution business.

“Denise led the team and our brands through the most transformative period in the history of the content distribution business,” Bakish said in the memo. “She helped evolve what was once called Affiliate Sales into a truly multiplatform group able to address a landscape with exponentially increasing levels of complexity.  We’re so grateful for her years of contributions to Viacom, and for the best-in-class team she built at our company.”

But Bakish also noted that the business has changed dramatically.

“As you’ve probably noticed, our relationships with our distribution partners have at times become contentious in the past,” Bakish said in the memo. “Some of that tension is natural given how quickly the business is changing, but I think there’s a lot to we can do to strengthen those relationships.  I know Tom agrees and I know our fantastic Content Distribution team continues to be committed to that task.  We must work together with our distributors in true partnership to capture mutually beneficial opportunities, address our shared challenges and, ultimately, give consumers what they want and deserve.”

Prior to being named EVP of sales and business development for content distribution – where he reported to Denson – Gorke  served as Senior Vice President of Content Distribution and Marketing for Viacom Media Networks, where he was responsible for all of Viacom Media Networks' digital content distribution deals including subscription video aggregators, electronic sell-through providers and other mobile and internet-based content distributors. He has been with Viacom since 2005, moving from CBS Internet Group where he was manager of strategy and investments. He began his career at investment banker Alex. Brown as a financial analyst in the Consumer Group.

“Viacom’s cable networks are the most-watched in the U.S., and have more subscribers around the world than any other family,” Gorke said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to expanding my work for these brands and appreciate Bob’s confidence in me and my team. It’s an exciting time - the industry environment is constantly changing and I believe there continues to be great opportunity for our brands and programming. We’re looking forward to working closely with our distribution partners around the world to think flexibly and identify new ways to expand our businesses together.”

Twelve top-performing executives in cable television operations, programming, network distribution and advertising sales have been selected by the editors of Multichannel News as the 2013 class of Wonder Women.

They will be profiled in the Jan. 28 edition of Multichannel News and will be honored at a luncheon event on March 19 at the Hilton New York hotel. For more information about the event, email Sandy Friedman (sfriedman@nbmedia.com).

Here is the 2013 class of Wonder Women:

Jamia Bigalow, senior vice president, distribution marketing, Fox Networks

Denise Denson, executive vice president, content distribution and marketing, Viacom Media Networks

Viviane Eisenberg, senior vice president and chief counsel, programming, global marketing and global licensing, HBO

Irene Esteves, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Time Warner Cable

Tamara Franklin, senior vice president, affiliate operations and new media distribution, Scripps Networks Interactive

Jacqueline Hernandez, chief operating officer, Telemundo Media

Ava Jordhamo, president, New York, Zenith

Nancy Kanter, senior vice president, original programming, and general manager, Disney Junior Worldwide

Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager, Animal Planet; president, Science & Velocity Networks

Cathy Kilstrom, senior vice president, customer care, West Division, Comcast Cable

Kim Norris, executive vice president, emerging businesses and data analytics, Cablevision Media Sales

Donna Speciale, president, Turner Entertainment & Young Adults Ad Sales

The editors of Multichannel News will also be selecting a class of Women to Watch who will be honored at the luncheon, co-hosted with the New York chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications.