CBS Launches STAR TREK Global Franchise Group, Stewarded By Kurtzman

Discussion in 'Future of Trek' started by The Butter Phantom, May 6, 2019.

  1. The Butter Phantom

    The Butter Phantom Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    CBS TELEVISION STUDIOS LAUNCHES "STAR TREK" GLOBAL FRANCHISE GROUP

    New CBS Television Studios Unit to Manage and Maximize Expansion of Iconic Brand

    Veronica Hart Will Head the New Business Unit

    May 6, 2019 - CBS Television Studios has created a global franchise group that will manage and maximize the expansion of the "Star Trek" brand beyond the traditional boundaries of linear broadcasting and streaming. This new business unit reports to David Stapf, President of CBS Television Studios.

    Leading the new team is Veronica Hart, Executive Vice President, "Star Trek" Global Franchise Management, who will manage the "Star Trek" global brand strategy to support the content development plans being developed within CBS and under the stewardship of Alex Kurtzman.

    The unit's goal is to invigorate and broaden the "Star Trek" fan community through additional branding opportunities, such as podcasts, a reinvigorated StarTrek.com and new digital spaces, consumer products and gaming, as well as live experiential events and global attractions. These endeavors to further grow the brand are designed to complement the Studio's expansion of the "Star Trek" universe, which now includes two live-action series, two animated projects and multiple "shorts."

    The growing "Star Trek" universe for television includes a new animated "Trek" series from writers Kevin and Dan Hageman for Nickelodeon; STAR TREK: DISCOVERY and STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS, a series of short stories tied to DISCOVERY and the overall "Star Trek" universe; the new untitled "Star Trek" series featuring Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard; STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS from Mike McMahan ("Rick and Morty"), an animated series targeted at mature audiences; and a new "Star Trek" project based on "Section 31," which is in development with Michelle Yeoh attached to star. With the exception of the new Nickelodeon edition, these series are presented on CBS' streaming service, CBS All Access, in the U.S.

    In addition to Hart, the franchise team includes: John Van Citters, VP, "Star Trek" Brand Development, who will work within CBS and across the industry as brand experts while leading the implementation of initiatives and programs; Yasmin Elachi, Director of "Star Trek" Content, in charge of creating, relaunching and maintaining the new StarTrek.com along with overseeing all aspects of "Star Trek" social media in order to present a cohesive online brand; and Gabrielle Oliff, Director of Global Franchise Management Operations, who will focus on executing franchise initiatives and managing the review analytics and preparing presentations for cross-company communication. All are incredibly knowledgeable about the "Star Trek" universe, including legacy, current and future iterations of the series.

    "Veronica and her team are not only gifted brand strategists and veteran consumer products executives, they are also experts on the 'Star Trek' canon," said Stapf. "We are excited to launch this new business unit because the brand has an enormously rabid fan base, and we look forward to expanding its reach even further."

    "As we expand the Trekverse, Veronica's team and Secret Hideout are dedicated to broadening 'Star Trek's' brand reach by amplifying its core values globally: empowerment, inclusion, imagination, and above all, the exceptional storytelling that's inspired generations of fans," said Alex Kurtzman.

    The new franchise group will be based out of Alex Kurtzman's Secret Hideout Productions in Santa Monica, Calif. Kurtzman, who is under an overall deal at the Studio, is the executive producer of the various "Star Trek" series.​

    http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/...-global-franchise-group-115212/20190506cbs02/
     
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  2. The Butter Phantom

    The Butter Phantom Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I think it's safe to say Kurtzman is sticking around for a bit...
     
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  3. AutoAdmin

    AutoAdmin Machine of Death Administrator

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    A new news article has been published at TrekToday:

    CBS has announced the formation of a Star Trek global franchise group, to “manage and maximize the expansion of the brand beyond...

    Continue reading...
     
  4. Steven P Bastien

    Steven P Bastien Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I wish them luck. Hopefully good things come from it.
     
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  5. Vger23

    Vger23 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Huh...fascinating.

    I'm interested to hear what others, who know more about the industry than I do, think about this.
     
  6. The Butter Phantom

    The Butter Phantom Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    It reminds me of how Star Wars is managed. It basically guarantees oversight and control over merchandise and licensing, as CBS and Kurtzman are directly involved. For example, I'm guessing no more non-canon comics.

    This is likely all so they launch the 32nd Century stuff all guns blazing.
     
  7. C.E. Evans

    C.E. Evans Admiral Admiral

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    To me, it seems like CBS is getting serious into making Star Trek as big of a global brand as Star Wars and the Marvel superhero movies are. Trek has always been a well-known brand onto itself, but I think it has had trouble in recent years expanding its reach beyond the audience it already has. I don't think the Star Trek brand was so much fading as it was being overshadowed by other big entertainment franchises. This new group may be what Star Trek needs to increase its overall visibility, especially in both online & brick stores, IMO.
     
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  8. Spot's Meow

    Spot's Meow Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I always felt that another Trek series was very likely to come along someday, but a decade ago I certainly wouldn't have predicted the extent of this new Trek renaissance. Trekaissance? I'm interested to see what they do with this new team.
     
  9. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I've been thinking for a while now that something like the Star Wars Story Group could be helpful for Trek, and that sounds like this will be similar.
    It will be interesting to see what this means for the books and comics, which have kind of been doing their own thing for a while now.
    I hope the mention of gaming means we might get some console games in the near future.
     
  10. donners22

    donners22 Commodore Commodore

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    I would love a decent modern Trek game. It’s been a long drought.
     
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  11. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Oh yeah, I actually enjoyed the Kelvinverse game, but it was still just OK. I would love to see a big developer get their hands on Trek and give it the big AAA console game it deserves.
     
  12. Lakenheath 72

    Lakenheath 72 Commodore Commodore

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    I do not know if I would treat Star Trek as others have treated Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universe. These two franchises seem to have a broader appeal globally.
     
  13. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Nice job titles. Curious what they'll actually mean for Trek tie-ins going forward.

    And will this crossover to Paramount's Trek movie universe, and affect tie-ins and merchandising of Tarantino's probably-won't-happen-anyway Trek movie?
     
  14. The Butter Phantom

    The Butter Phantom Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Star Trek can easily expand into something more broader. There's no reason why they couldn't do something like the Romulan-Vulcan War in a style similar to Game of Thrones, to nab that type of audience. These shows don't need to be all about Starfleet.
     
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  15. daedalus5

    daedalus5 Rear Admiral Moderator

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    Good. The Trek franchise needs a good kick up the marketing backside. The rubbish that is currently sold on the startrek.com website, like clothes and mugs. Eesh. Let alone Star Trek bloody cats. The other year a Japanese company was making Star Trek computer consoles..... that, I'd gladly buy, plus prop replicas etc.

    Its not like the 1990s, where you had the varied range of Playmates, and you could vist your comic book store and be surrounded by Trek merchandise.... now, nothing in Forbidden Plannets, except keyrings. Sigh.
     
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  16. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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    Preach it brother.

    I'll say it again.

    Too many action figures, not enough spaceships.
     
  17. arch101

    arch101 Commodore Commodore

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    It seems like this is the preemptive organizational arrangement in preparation for rights unification sometime soon. Once movie and tv rights are under one roof, this organization will be in place to administer it all. Much needed, long time coming.
     
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  18. seigezunt

    seigezunt Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Great news. I hope this results in an expansion of the tie-in market. I'd love to see a more affordable option than Avonos for costumes, for instance.
     
  19. fireproof78

    fireproof78 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Well, it's all under one roof now. Let's see how they manage it.

    More action figures, please.