Catherine Mackin Named Head of Streaming Service Acorn TV's Development Arm
As managing director of the U.K.-based Acorn Media Enterprises, she will oversee the commissioning and co-production slate of the SVOD service focused on British and international programming.
Robert Johnson's RLJ Entertainment, in which AMC Networks owns a stake, has hired Catherine Mackin as the managing director of Acorn Media Enterprises, the U.K.-based development arm of its streaming video service Acorn TV.
The service specializes in British and international TV, with series from Britain, Canada, Australia and Europe, including such hits as Doc Martin, Poldark and Jack Taylor.
Most recently director of program acquisitions at British networks group UKTV, Mackin will oversee Acorn TV’s "rapidly growing commissioning and co-production slate," the company said. She starts in early July and will be based in RLJ's office in London.
Mackin replaces Shane Murphy, who is returning home to Dublin as group head of drama and comedy at Irish public service broadcaster RTE.
Said Mark Stevens, chief content officer for Acorn brands at RLJ: "In the past three years, Shane and his team have established Acorn Media Enterprises as a preferred partner within the production community for high-quality international productions, including co-producing deals for ITV’s Girlfriends, BBC’s Keeping Faith and Detectorists, as well as our first commissions of London Kills and Agatha Raisin (season 2)." He lauded Mackin for "her strong experience sourcing and delivering successful content across many genres, developing long-term external relationships and delivering content strategies for terrestrial, cable, satellite and non-linear networks."
Acorn TV, which costs $4.99 a month, recently unveiled an expansion into 12 Latin American countries.
AMC Networks in late February proposed taking full ownership of RLJ to take the company private. AMC had an option to purchase the outstanding shares of RLJ that it does not already own after, in November 2016, making a $65 million investment in the firm in the form of loans for a 26 percent minority stake.
