Babelgum Online Film Festival

Babelgum, the global web TV platform, today announced the opening of its first U.S. offices in New York and the hiring of Ethan Podell as President, Babelgum US and Michael Rosen as Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer.

Podell will oversee all aspects of the company’s US operations and business growth, reporting directly to Valerio Zingarelli, CEO of Babelgum. A television industry veteran of nearly 30 years, Podell founded and managed several successful start-ups, including Orbis Communications and All American Orbis. Earlier in his career, Podell also worked for HBO and CBS.

Reporting to Podell, Rosen will run global advertising sales, distribution and trade marketing and be responsible for launching Babelgum to the advertising community worldwide. He joins Babelgum from WeatherBug where he was Senior Vice President and General Manager, leading the transformation of the company to a preeminent interactive property. Previously, he held senior positions in sales, marketing and distribution at Bloomberg L.P., News Corporation’s New Digital Media Group and Showtime Networks.

Valerio Zingarelli, CEO of Babelgum, said: “The U.S. is a strategically important market for Babelgum. Its size and regional business hubs require on the ground presence. We intend to emerge as one of the leading Internet TV platforms, especially in independent programming. The appointments of Ethan and Michael, coupled with the development of a technologically advanced platform and a sound business proposition, will see Babelgum strive forward into the largest economy in the world.”

“Babelgum is about delivering programming and communities to those who are not interested in UGC or re-cycled network shows,” added Podell. “Our audience of curious, well-educated, welltravelled consumers is under-served on the web. Their interests are in having access to rich levels of content about subjects they care about passionately.

Babelgum’s initial content focuses on five core passions: independent film; the environment; global travel; adventure sports and music.” Rosen concluded: “I look forward to building our sales organization and bringing Babelgum to market. Our industry talks about its struggle to monetize video. I believe that when we deliver professional content that is so much richer than UGC and more targeted than current broadcast offerings, brand advertisers and agencies will look to Babelgum as a leader in contextually targeted video advertising and consumer engagement.