19 Apr Get to Know Andrea Downing
Canon Club Advisory Board Member Andrea Downing
PBS Distribution | President
IN THIS JOB I started as Co-President with the launch of PBS Distribution in 2009 and assumed my current role as President in March 2021.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE My early career began in manufacturing, and I eventually ended up in media at the Discovery Channel. From there I went to PBS and ultimately helped develop and launch PBS Distribution.
HOMETOWN Ripon, Wis.
LIVES NOW Virginia
ENJOYS, OUTSIDE OF WORK Almost any kind of outdoor activity, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
CURRENT BINGE Any PBS drama. Currently, Around the World in 80 Days, All Creatures Great and Small and Vienna Blood.
CONTACT adowning@pbs.org
DEG: Do you have a personal philosophy when it comes to your work? If so, how does it translate into what you do?
AD: I believe in being proactive by anticipating what work needs to be done and doing it before you are asked to do so.
DEG: What excites you about the future of industry?
AD: What most excites me is the rapid pace of change and the complexity of strategically shifting the business portfolio to grow overall revenues with a mix of mature and growth businesses. It requires being nimble, responding as market indicators shift, and continually learning and improving as we go.
DEG: DEG’s fall Targeted Services committee research showed that “specialty” streamers tend to be media explorers –and major media consumers overall. What do you think this means for the potential growth of targeted services over the next few years?
AD: Consumers who use specialty services generally stream more broadly and frequently and spend more money on video entertainment overall. As a result, targeted streaming services have demonstrated that they have a place alongside premium SVOD services given their strong appeal based on consumers’ unique affinities.
DEG: As an original member of the Canon Club Advisory Board, what would you like members to know about your priorities for the group?
AD: It has been a pleasure to be part of this group and watch it evolve over time. I think it will be important to engage in conversations and focus on issues that are a priority for women as we navigate emerging from pandemic work habits. I’m also looking forward to beginning a mentoring program, the personal connections and one-to-one conversations are very important.
DEG: If you’ve got some extra work to do or are crunching on deadline, do you stay up late to do it, or get up and at it early?
AD: Well, both really. It depends on what the deadline is, who I am working with to get it done, and our schedules. But I find that I’m much more productive early in the morning when my mind is fresh.
Learn more about DEG’s Canon Club here.