New York, NY – April 22, 2009 – Sundance Channel announced today it has tapped Sarah Barnett to head the network as Executive Vice President and General Manager, effective immediately. Barnett has been Senior Vice President of Marketing for the network, which she joined in late 2005. The announcement was made by Evan Shapiro, President, IFC and Sundance Channel.
"Sarah has played such an important part in the network’s success and is a perfect choice for General Manager," said Mr. Shapiro. "She is an innovative, curious and sophisticated executive with great leadership abilities, who exemplifies the Sundance brand. Her production background coupled with her deep marketing and branding experience makes her an ideal choice to lead and grow the network into its next phase."
As Senior Vice President of Marketing, Barnett was responsible for all strategic and creative marketing for the network. She oversaw consumer and trade marketing and advertising for Sundance Channel and sundancechannel.com, and led all creative campaigns and branding development and execution for the network, including strategic partnerships and all channel creative expressions. She also led Sundance Channel’s pioneering Branded Entertainment short-form series and sponsorship creative executions.
Barnett has been responsible for numerous high-profile, multi-platform Sundance Channel creative campaigns including season three of "THE GREEN," "31 Days of Sundance," "Iconoclasts," "Live from Abbey Road," and "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With…"
Prior to joining Sundance Channel, Barnett was based in Washington, D.C., where she was Vice President, On-Air for BBC America. While at BBC America, Barnett launched a successful brand refresh, packaged the VOD brand, led the multi-award winning creative team and was responsible for the development of the network’s show packaging and branded blocks.
Prior to her tenure at BBC America, Barnett spent 12 years with the BBC in London, where she directed and produced for radio and television and led the on-air creative teams for several BBC channels. Barnett received a History of Art BA from the University of Warwick in West Midlands, United Kingdom.
About Sundance Channel
Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, imaginative and uncompromising, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries and original programs. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel’s website address is www.sundancechannel.com.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multiplatform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world’s most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC (The Independent Film Channel), WE tv, Sundance Channel, IFC Entertainment and VOOM HD Networks. Through IFC Entertainment, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a leading U.S. distributor of independent and foreign film with a unique day and date distribution model, "IFC In Theaters," that makes films available to a national audience by releasing them simultaneously in theaters as well as on cable’s On Demand platform; IFC Festival Direct features titles acquired from major international film festivals and initially offers them exclusively through On Demand; IFC Productions, a feature film production company; and IFC Center, a state-of-the-art cinema in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, an advertising sales company; Rainbow Network Communications, a full service network programming origination and distribution company; and 11 Penn TV, a company that manages Rainbow Media’s NYC studios and post-production facilities.