Luminary’s latest attempt to become a podcast powerhouse is teaming with former HBO visionary
Podcast company Luminary received a wave of negative attention following its controversial debut, but the company might be trying to turn things around by teaming up with former HBO visionary Richard Plepler.
Plepler, best known for championing series like Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley, is joining Luminary’s board of directors, the company announced today. Luminary founder Matt Sacks is hopeful that Plepler’s record of producing prestigious, must-watch series and curating a voice for an entertainment company will help guide Luminary’s content directive.
“Richard pioneered the concept of ‘curated excellence,’ and his deep content expertise aligns perfectly with Luminary’s approach to world-class talent,” Sacks said in a press release.
Luminary’s bet has been that famous names and big shows can draw people to its monthly podcast subscription service, but so far, its series have received little buzz. This is the second infusion of high-profile HBO talent at Luminary to try to shake things up. In October, just six months after the service’s launch, Luminary replaced its CEO with Simon Sutton, who had recently worked as HBO’s president and chief revenue officer.
Luminary is just one company betting on Plepler’s talents. The executive signed a five-year exclusivity deal with Apple. His production company, Eden Productions, will produce TV series, movies, and documentaries exclusively for Apple TV Plus, the company’s streaming service that launched in November. Although Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors on a call yesterday that TV Plus was “off to a robust start,” some of its biggest shows were viewed as lackluster by critics.
Luminary’s press release also states more board announcements will be made soon.
Podcast company Luminary received a wave of negative attention following its controversial debut, but the company might be trying to turn things around by teaming up with former HBO visionary Richard Plepler. Plepler, best known for championing series like Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley, is joining Luminary’s board of…
