BackNetflix appoints Bela Bajaria as global TV head
Original programming at Netflix was previously headed by Cindy Holland who looked after English language programming and Bajaria, who oversaw non-English originals. The two have now been clubbed
PremiumNEW DELHI: American streaming service Netflix has appointed Bela Bajaria as vice president, global television.
Bajaria, former vice president of local language originals, is also the winner of the Miss India LA and Miss India USA crowns in 1991. The Indian American will now oversee all original programming, scripted and non-scripted in both the English and non-English languages.
Bajaria, whose parents moved to Los Angeles from London when she was 8, has been quoted as saying she had entered the beauty pageants to “discover Indian culture on her own."
Bajaria’s appointment at Netflix comes a month-and-a-half after long-time chief content officer Ted Sarandos was named co-chief executive along with Reed Hastings. Original programming at Netflix was previously headed by Cindy Holland who looked after English language programming and Bajaria, who oversaw non-English originals. The two have now been clubbed under the latter after Holland’s exit.
Netflix sees local language content as a major area of growth, with most of its subscribers now coming from outside of the US.
Bajaria, formerly president at Universal TV, joined Netflix in 2016 and was tasked with putting the service in the unscripted TV game and forging ties with traditional TV studios, according to a report by Deadline. She is known for original hits like You and Good Girls and has been overseeing original programming in markets like Latin America, the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Asia and Europe.
“Since becoming co-CEO, I’ve wanted to simplify how our content teams operate-with one global film team led by Scott Stuber and one for TV which will now be led by Bela Bajaria," Sarandos said in a statement.
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