Chris Hoelzl is SVP, Program Development, Smithsonian Networks (USA).
He is responsible for the development of original productions, co-productions and the acquisition of completed programming.
He shared his strategy and commissioning process at Sunny Side’s Science-themed Meet The Executive session, estimating that 5-10% of Smithsonianʼs annual 200 hours of production is Science-based.
We are publishing Chris’s very informative session as a podcast, though without the clips and PPTs that he presented.
Podcast: Listen to Chris Hoelzl
Photo: Jean-Francois Auge
More About Chris Hoelzl
Chris manages strategic program alliances with producers and international networks, as well as supervising Smithsonian Channel’s programming output.
Under his tenure Smithsonian Channel has produced more than 1000 hours of programming and now reaches 40 million homes in the United States.
In the last year Smithsonian Channel broadened its worldwide reach, launching in Latin America, Brazil and the United Kingdom.
Prior to joining Smithsonian Networks, he worked for TLC managing the editorial aspects of the network’s joint venture with the BBC, as well as developing UK indie factual output. He has been a TV news producer and reporter, written for Time-Life Books and worked as a political pollster during the 1992 presidential campaign.
Listen to all the Sunny Side Science Executive Podcasts
Learn what the buyers and funders are looking for, and how to reach them:
- Playlist of all Sunny Side podcasts
- Sue Dando, CBC Canada, The Nature of Things
- Chris Hoelzl, Smithsonian Networks
- Ricarda Schlosshan, ZDF / Terra X
- Greg Boustead, Science Sandbox
