Kathryn Busby has been named president of original programming at Starz.
“Kathryn is an incredible well-seasoned executive who has a long-running track record of developing series with unique voices,” said Jeffrey Hirsch, president and CEO of Starz. “We are excited to welcome her to the STARZ team where I know she’ll be instrumental in furthering the company’s commitment to deliver programming for women and underrepresented audiences.”
In her new role, Busby will be responsible for leading the programming and development team at Starz and delivering on its programming mandate committed to narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.
Busby was previously executive vice president of TriStar Television under the Sony Pictures Television umbrella. During her time there, sat on the Sony Pictures Action Council, which implemented the studio’s racial equity and inclusion initiatives.
“I am inspired by Starz’s dedication and commitment to fearless, unapologetic stories and characters, and I am beyond thrilled to work with the extraordinary team there,” Busby said. “The time is now for storytelling that celebrates the full spectrum of humanity, and the place to do it is Starz. This is an amazing opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Busby’s work at Sony included shepherding projects like: “The Afterparty,” starring Tiffany Haddish and Sam Richardson, from Phil Lord and Chris Miller at Apple; a Malcolm X series based on the novels “X: A Novel” and “The Awakening of Malcom X,” from his daughter Illyasah Shabazz; and a series based on Kirsten Chen’s upcoming novel, “Counterfeit.” She previously served as senior vice president of development at Sony Pictures Networks, where she developed and produced numerous projects including the drama series, “Absentia.”
In addition to her experience at Sony Pictures Television, she has also held leadership roles at Turner Broadcasting, New Line Cinema, The Carsey-Werner Company and Universal Television.
“Kathryn is a talented, respected, creative leader and we have been very fortunate to work with her at Sony Pictures Television. We know this is a wonderful opportunity for her and an exciting next step in her career. We wish her all the best and look forward to continuing to work together in her new role at Starz,” said Jeff Frost and Jason Clodfelter, co-presidents of Sony Pictures Television Studios.