Apple recruits Paramount's Dana Tuinier to head up comedy TV plans

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in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
The latest hire to Apple's Worldwide Video division is Dana Tuinier, jumping ship from the Paramount Network to become the iPhone maker's creative executive for comedy.

Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, one of the shows Tuinier handled at Fox.
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, one of the shows Tuinier handled at Fox.


Tuinier will oversee projects like an upcoming sketch comedy show starring Kristen Wiig, TBI Vision said on Monday. She's expected to report to head of development Matt Cherniss.

At the Paramount Network -- launched just 11 days ago -- Tuinier was the VP of development and original programming. Before that she was a programming director at Fox, with credits such as "Bob's Burgers," "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey," and "New Girl."

The Worldwide Video division has been growing at a rapid pace, including not just new executives but significant real estate investments. Apple is expected to debut a small slate of high-budget TV shows in 2019, available to anyone with a compatible device, instead of just Apple Music subscribers as with earlier, low-budget shows like "Carpool Karaoke." The company could distribute material through the "TV" app for iPhones, iPads, and the Apple TV.

Several other planned shows include a morning show-themed drama with Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, a reboot of Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories," and a documentary series on unusual homes. Apple is also allegedly battling HBO for the rights to a sci-fi drama by "Lost" and "The Force Awakens" luminary J.J. Abrams.

The company presumably wants to fortify its position against other tech rivals, particularly Amazon, which likewise offers hardware and original TV shows. Sales of iTunes video are sitting in the shadow of subscription streaming services.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,007member
    I hope greenlighting Neil The Gas Tyson is not emblematic of her ability to assess talent...then again, she's heading up comedy programming, so he'd be a better fit there..
  • Reply 2 of 6
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,118member
    thrang said:
    I hope greenlighting Neil The Gas Tyson is not emblematic of her ability to assess talent...then again, she's heading up comedy programming, so he'd be a better fit there..
    Are you still upset about Pluto?

    You know it wasn't the Disney character, right?
  • Reply 3 of 6
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,007member
    mknelson said:
    thrang said:
    I hope greenlighting Neil The Gas Tyson is not emblematic of her ability to assess talent...then again, she's heading up comedy programming, so he'd be a better fit there..
    Are you still upset about Pluto?

    You know it wasn't the Disney character, right?


    I was so looking forward to Cosmos 2014, but between Tyson's subtle  "I know this and you don't" tartness, and the mostly boring animation, it was a big disappointment. Carl Sagan was billions and billions of times more watchable.


  • Reply 4 of 6
    They really are taking this original content game serious, I look forward to watching the results.
  • Reply 5 of 6
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    thrang said:
    I was so looking forward to Cosmos 2014, but between Tyson's subtle  "I know this and you don't" tartness, and the mostly boring animation, it was a big disappointment. Carl Sagan was billions and billions of times more watchable
    I detected no smugness and found Cosmos and its animations a delight to watch. Probably just in your head. 
    edited January 2018 fastasleep
  • Reply 6 of 6
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    thrang said:
    mknelson said:
    thrang said:
    I hope greenlighting Neil The Gas Tyson is not emblematic of her ability to assess talent...then again, she's heading up comedy programming, so he'd be a better fit there..
    Are you still upset about Pluto?

    You know it wasn't the Disney character, right?


    I was so looking forward to Cosmos 2014, but between Tyson's subtle  "I know this and you don't" tartness, and the mostly boring animation, it was a big disappointment. Carl Sagan was billions and billions of times more watchable.

    I've never found dGT to be how you describe; maybe you just don't like him? Having been a long time fan of StarTalk and seeing him live, he is not condescending at all, except to maybe science deniers like flatearthers and similar idiots. And, as someone who has watched/listened to Sagan's Cosmos a hundred times, I enjoy them both quite a bit, for different reasons. I don't even know how you can say the animation was "boring" considering the subject matter. I'm even happier that NdGT is coming back for another season after initially saying it'd be a one-off. 
    edited January 2018
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