Lionsgate Television has elevated Scott Herbst to president of its Television Group, a move that consolidates creative power under a single executive overseeing the studio's entire small-screen operation. Herbst, who joined the studio six years ago, ascends from his previous role as executive vice president of television and head of development.
The promotion reflects Lionsgate's confidence in Herbst's track record developing and shepherding television content for the media company. His new mandate covers all creative operations across the Television Group, positioning him as the principal architect of the studio's strategy in an increasingly competitive streaming and broadcast landscape. Herbst now reports directly to leadership and holds authority over the studio's slate of original programming.
Under the restructured hierarchy, executive vice presidents Lee Hollin and Marcello Bellisario will continue their oversight of current programming operations, maintaining day-to-day management of productions already in development or production. This arrangement creates a tiered leadership model where Herbst sits above ongoing project management while retaining purview over creative decisions that shape the studio's future output.
The television landscape has undergone seismic shifts since Herbst's 2018 arrival at Lionsgate. Streaming services have fundamentally altered greenlight processes, production schedules, and the economic models governing television production. Studios must now balance traditional linear television commitments with prestige streaming content, a balancing act that requires executives capable of navigating competing audience expectations and budget constraints. Lionsgate Television, which produces shows for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plus, and traditional networks, operates across multiple platforms and requires centralized creative leadership.
Herbst's elevation suggests Lionsgate intends to strengthen its development pipeline and creative vision at a moment when television studios compete fiercely for talent, writers, and audience attention. The promotion comes as the entertainment industry continues absorbing the aftermath of the 2023 writers and actors strikes, which disrupted production schedules and forced studios to re-evaluate development strategies and production costs.
Lionsgate Television produces significant franchises and original series that span genres and platforms. The studio counts among its credits prestige dramas, comedy programs, and genre content distributed across networks and streaming platforms. The company's television division remains one of the larger independent production studios, competing with larger competitors like Disney Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television while maintaining independence from a vertically integrated parent company structure.
Herbst's promotion signals that Lionsgate intends to invest in continuity and developed relationships. Rather than hiring external talent, the studio elevated from within, suggesting confidence in institutional knowledge and existing relationships with writers, producers, and network executives. This strategy proves particularly valuable in television, where long-term development relationships often determine which projects move from pitch to greenlight.
The Television Group restructuring also clarifies reporting lines during a period when media companies have consolidated and eliminated positions. By clearly demarcating creative strategy under Herbst while maintaining operational management under Hollin and Bellisario, Lionsgate creates accountability and reduces bottlenecks in production workflow.