Julie Mitchelmore

“I am honoured and excited to be invited to participate in the DTG Summit Advisory Board to help steer the strategic direction. Ensuring diversity of thought and representation, as well as ensuring continued evolution of the event is a top priority I’m delighted to lend my voice to.”

Julie is responsible for A+E Networks UK's portfolio of digital products. A+E Networks UK is a joint venture between Hearst and Sky that includes Sky HISTORY, Crime+Investigation, Sky History2 and BLAZE.

A passionate and strategic professional, Julie has extensive knowledge of digital strategy and product launches of brands reaching 60 million homes across 100 countries. Included in the streaming portfolio are 3 FAST channels: Inside Crime, Mystery TV and World War TV, SVOD brands Crime+Investigation Play and HISTORY Play as well as the BLAZE direct to consumer app.

Julie also looks after short form, social, websites and podcasts.

The Brains Behind the Bigger Picture

Julie is one of the 'Brains behind the Bigger Picture' and below we asked her some of the burning questions from this year's programme:

What’s the biggest misconception people have about where TV is heading?

Linear TV is dead and YouTube and social media platforms will replace TV viewing

How do you lead through uncertainty, especially when the pace of change is accelerating?

• Clear vision and strategy of how to get there outlining what needs to change and what stays the same
• Be data driven
• Be adaptable to change
• Over communicate with teams and partners

What keeps you awake at night – and what gets you out of bed in the morning – when it comes to the future of our industry?

Balancing product innovation with commercial viability along with audience fragmentation and how I can help reach them (for both points above!)

Fast-forward to 2030, what do you think will be the single biggest change in how people experience television?

AI-generated programmes

What does ‘resilience’ mean for the future of television – and how do we build it in?

Adapting to the constantly changing media ecosystem including technology, content, audiences and monetisation. We do this by leveraging AI, owning IP and expanding into wider ecosystems, diversifying beyond traditional monetisation and creating communities for our audiences

Monetisation & Growth – Are we at the tipping point of subscription fatigue?

Probably yes, and we need to lean into various monetisation options like AVOD/FAST, PPV, shoppable, branded content, partnerships.

Legacy vs Innovation –What’s the biggest operational roadblock to making the digital/IP-first transition?

Cultural inertia… investment in modern tech and an aversion to change.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS:

Fragmentation or consolidation? Consolidation

Linear schedule or On-demand freedom? Both

One platform to rule them all or Specialist services? Both

Subscription-based or Ad-supported? Both

Binge releases or Weekly drops? Weekly drops

Local content or Global hits? Both

Traditional ratings or Engagement metrics? Engagement metrics

Second screen or Single screen? Second screen

Smart TVs or Streaming sticks? Smart TVs

Voice control or Remote control? Voice control

Augmented reality or Virtual reality? Neither

Short-form snackable or Long-form immersive? Short-form snackable

Personalisation or Shared national moments? Personalisation

AI-generated content or Human-made storytelling? Human-made storytelling

Interactive formats or Classic narrative? Classic narrative