Tara Bohn and Lindsay Poulton to lead Sony/Guardian collab

Studio executive Tara Bohn and The Guardian‘s Lindsay Poulton have been appointed to lead the news brand’s strategic creative partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The collaboration, announced in November 2023, will see Sony gain exclusive first-access rights to The Guardian’s journalism, with the aim of adapting it for film, TV and other audiovisual content.

Bohn joins as head of global content development and Poulton is editorial director, film and TV.

Most recently, Bohn was an executive on Amazon Studios’ series team, where she worked across development and current series domestically and internationally, including Reacher (produced by Skydance Media), Carnival Row (Legendary), The Outlaws (BBC/Big Talk) and Nine Perfect Strangers (Fifth Season/Hulu).

Poulton, currently head of documentaries, has been given an expanded role to represent Guardian journalism and core editorial purpose in the partnership.

Both new roles will be based at The Guardian’s London headquarters in King’s Cross.

Analysis: Renewed confidence among news brands to sell premium IP

Sony’s tie-up with The Guardian is part of a well-worn playbook that has, so far, worked well.

While Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount have sought to compete with Netflix and Disney in the streaming wars by launching their own direct-to-consumer platforms, Sony has carried on as it has done in the pre-internet era: focus on intellectual property (IP) creation and drive hard bargains with distributors.

Now, in an internet environment awash with content thanks to bulging VOD archives and user-generated content on YouTube, quality content can offer a higher premium as a source of IP.

Meanwhile, there is a renewed confidence among UK news brands that they can leverage journalism into material for TV, films, podcasts and more.

Across town, News UK launched a purpose-built studio for TalkTV. MailOnline publisher DMGT has also invested in a new AV studio and in June the Daily Mail announced a global video strategy.

The Guardian — which sought to become podcast-first when it moved to King’s Place in late 2008 by building “pods” in its new office — is evidently backing Sony to bring its content to a wider market rather than focus on building its own channels.

What that means for The Guardian‘s future as an ad seller will be fascinating.

Sony and Guardian aim to be ‘key leaders’ in market for adapting IP

Bohn said: “In a rapidly shifting entertainment landscape, IP adaptations have become an essential and steadying force. This partnership is poised to emerge as a key leader in that space.

“With The Guardian’s trailblazing work and talented team, including Lindsay, combined with Sony’s powerhouse creative, I am confident we will deliver culturally defining content across all genres and formats to millions of viewers worldwide.”

The collaboration spans the whole of Sony’s TV production groups, from its US scripted and non-fiction TV divisions to international production, which includes scripted companies Left Bank Pictures, Bad Wolf and Eleven, as well as unscripted, sport and factual entertainment producers such as Whisper.

In addition, the agreement spans Sony’s feature film division, which includes labels such as 3000 Pictures, Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures and Screen Gems.

Under the deal, Sony will have access to The Guardian’s current and developing news stories as well as its archive, containing 200 years of history across articles, blogs, columns, videos and podcasts.

Poulton added: “We are renowned for our agenda-setting journalism and I’m excited to extend the impact of that work in imaginative new ways. Working alongside Tara and in deep collaboration with Sony’s creative talent, I’m thrilled to be part of this brilliant team as we bring powerful new stories to the screen.”