Disney's Zasowski Leads Carriage Negotiations into Streaming Era
Jimmy Zasowski, President of Platform Distribution at The Walt Disney Company, has navigated the shifting landscape around carriage negotiations for the company's global distribution team. In a role that involves negotiating with distribution partners and monetizing Disney's direct-to-consumer streaming services, Zasowski helms ESPN and Disney Entertainment's carriage talks.
Zasowski started his career at Disney in 2009 after graduating from Pepperdine University with a B.S. in business administration and an MBA. Initially, he wanted to work in finance but soon found that working in an area of personal interest was valuable. Sports wasn't the initial goal, but Zasowski quickly saw its importance.
The shift from traditional TV to streaming has presented challenges for Disney, including tough periods of negotiations. However, Zasowski is 'proud' of how his team adapted a hybrid approach that complements their pay-TV partners. This new approach makes ESPN's direct-to-consumer service available to all subscribers with an ESPN subscription.
Zasowski has also been a sounding board for college partners as they navigate the media business, providing proactive guidance and education to help them make informed decisions about distribution.