Propaganda/Satellite has named Charles Wolford, most recently head of broadcast at Wieden + Kennedy, Amsterdam, as the executive producer of Satellite Films & Music Video. At the same time, it was announced that Propaganda Commercials' general manager Sam Walsh will be stepping into a new, more content-intensive role.

The role of general manager will cease to exist when Walsh moves into his new position. Walsh, who started discussing prospects for future projects with top Propaganda execs two months back, explains the implications and details behind his move.

"Everybody will tell you things are changing, with new media and new opportunities. It's all undefined but also all true, and over the course of this last year things have continued to evolve in that direction," says Walsh. "There is an inevitable confluence of features, TV, the Internet and commercials."

Walsh points out that the sponsorship viewed on popular TV programs like Survivor are in some ways a throwback to the old days of sponsored programming, but that direct contact with consumers via interactive technology spins the development in a direction of great personal interest to him. He feels the ties he has within the agency, talent and production community will be a boon when it comes to assembling this new wave of content, hence his new role.

"What I want to do, being at Propaganda and having relationships with the talent there, the writers from the management divisions, and the people in the ad industry is try to make concrete, real and tangible some of these opportunities out there," says Walsh. "This is not exactly groundbreaking; there are other very competent people out there doing the same thing, but to the degree anything is unique anymore, I have a unique perspective having been at Propaganda and some good agencies."

Prior to joining Propaganda late last year, Walsh was a senior VP and director of broadcast at Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco.

"This could mean closer tie-ins between agencies and creative on TV and content and clients, and even given the limitations of the Internet, it could be Internet-related," speculates Walsh. "We have a small but active Internet division at Propaganda. I want to get these projects and use the resources to make them happen."

Like Walsh, Wolford comes from a broadcast production background. Wolford, still in Amsterdam, was unavailable for comment at press time, but Walsh comments on his addition to the company.

"We looked all over the place, talked to a lot of people, and Charles really clicked in terms of Satellite," says Walsh. "His sensibilities really clicked with those of the directors. We were psyched. Wieden is one of the all-time great agencies and he brings not only a way of approaching things and thinking about things but his international experience. It's common for any good production house to be working all over the place and it helps to have someone who's been out there working in those places. He has a great sense of some of the talent that is out there that we might not be exposed to in the States."

And the broadcast production background, is there a production trend here?

"It's a collaborative industry between agencies and production, so people with experience in both sides are well suited to maintain the collaborative nature of the business," opines Walsh, jokingly adding, "Of course I would think this!"

Contact:

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