HRTS 75th Anniversary Gala (December 7, 2022)
Benefitting the HRTS Foundation
By Chris Davison
“Our industry is much stronger when everyone has a chance to succeed” – Bela Bajaria
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Diamonds are forever. In honor of HRTS’ 75th Anniversary and to benefit the HRTS Foundation, a group of luminaries and rising stars gathered together at the Beverly Hilton on December 7, 2022.
HRTS President Odetta Watkins and HRTS Chair Dan Erlij presided over a glittering evening in honor of HRTS’ diamond anniversary, the inaugural class of HRTS Fellows, and of the TV Executive of the year, former HRTS President Bela Bajaria.
HRTS CEO Melissa Grego got the ball rolling and welcomed everyone back in-person, noting that it’s far better to be together than to just see each other on our screens. Following up on the June announcement of the HRTS Foundation, Grego celebrated the launch of the next chapter for the HRTS with a new charitable arm and its stated mission to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive community.
HRTS President Odetta Watkins, Head of Drama Series at Amazon Studios, shared how she was proud to be able to honor former HRTS President Bela Bajaria, and to celebrate the launch of the HRTS Fellows program.
President Watkins said that “for so many, HRTS has been a network to build relationships, a forum to shine a light on the victories and challenges we all face, a community for executives learning to navigate their way through, and a way in for those looking for a pathway to their first opportunity in Hollywood.”
In a powerful series of tributes, President Watkins introduced and acknowledged the past presidents in the room, beginning with Harris Katleman (1986-88) and Rod Perth (1995-97); Nancy Josephson (1998-99), the first female President of HRTS, and Tony Jonas (1999-2000) who was profiled recently by the HRTS; Tom Nunan (2000-2001), who spearheaded the formation of the JHRTS; Jordan Levin (2003-4); Andy Friendly (2004-6); Chris Silbermann (2006-8); Kevin Beggs (2008-11) and Eric Schrier (2015-17).
Back to the future with Philippe Maigret, President of ITV Studios America, and President of the HRTS Foundation, and Robin Schwartz, HRTS Foundation Secretary, who had the honor of introducing the first-ever group of HRTS Fellows, the Class of 2023. Maigret pointed out that “relationship building, mentorship and education are at the heart of what HRTS has stood for in its first 75 years”, and so “the primary initiative of the HRTS Foundation will be the Fellowship program open to aspiring and existing entertainment professionals and creatives.” The HRTS Fellowship is designed to help launch the careers of 10 JHRTS members and 5 Academic members, and each fellow “will be matched with an HRTS executive sponsor, who will provide support, guidance, introductions to people and companies and supporting organizations and also share their experiences on the inner workings of the television and entertainment industry.” Schwartz related how when Fellowship applications opened in September they encouraged applications from those “from underrepresented backgrounds or who face situational or structural barriers to entry or advancement in the industry”. She noted that even in its first year, the program received well over 150 applications and from those they selected the top 10%, the best and brightest of the future leaders of our industry. The inaugural class, the First Fifteen, were announced live and a list of their names can be found at(?)
Next up was HRTS Chair and HRTS Foundation Board member Dan Erlij, Partner and Co-Head of Television Literary Department, United Talent Agency. Erlij shared how he was inspired “to see how this community has risen to the occasion to not only meet the moment, but also chart the future of our industry together.”
And now for the main event: Erlij passed the baton to Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer and Co-CEO of Netflix, who got huge laughs when he joked that it was fun “to see how much we’ve all aged, except for Bob Iger weirdly, who looks exactly the same from when he appeared in that video 43 years ago.” Sharing his pride in being able to honor his colleague, former HRTS President Bela Bajaria, Sarandos said it was a “real pleasure to pay tribute to a great friend and inspirational leader, and someone who is a champion of HRTS and a rock star at Netflix.” Noting Bela’s global scope, he noted that “she’s not just an exporter of Hollywood to the world. She oversees teams that are truly exporting culture and storytelling from nearly anywhere in the world to nearly everywhere in the world”, going on to add that she is “the head of global TV for the largest streaming media company in the world.” In terms of success, in 2022 “Bela oversaw the launch of 5 of the 10 most-watched shows in the history of Netflix.”
A trailblazer, and a pioneer herself, Bela was the first person of color to ever lead the HRTS and she received a standing ovation as she took the stage to be honored as TV Executive of the Year.
Bela shared that as she reflected on her honor, “I thought of 3 moments from my career that I feel capture the spirit of what brings us all here tonight. The first moment I was in my mid-20s, a long time ago, and dreaming of working in entertainment, but with no connections and no mentors to guide me.” With no clear path into the industry, Bela took the initiative, saying “I wrote letters to hundreds of people who had no idea who I was, and I got a grand total of two replies. And because someone at CBS saw the potential in me, a young Indian woman with no experience in the industry, I got my first job as an assistant in the TV movies and Miniseries department, a job that really changed the course of my life.”
As for the second key moment, Bela outlined how it “was my first HRTS lunch. For years I had been on the outside, looking in as a young executive, knowing that this was the place to be. I read about the legendary lunches and panels in the trades, and I longed to be part of the community. And finally, because somebody canceled last minute, I got their seat for the coveted HRTS Presidents lunch and thought, wow, I’ve made it, because I knew this is where leaders share their insights about the industry and nurture the next generation.”
Last but not least, the third moment was a blessing in disguise, Bela sharing that “it’s not sad, just accept it for what it is: the day I got fired at Universal Television. It all works out fine, so we can talk about it now. But back then, it was very difficult and painful, but you know what in retrospect, a long time after, it was really an incredible learning experience, a chance to really think about my path and my purpose, and to remember that you can get knocked down and still get back up swinging”, and then “a few months later I was approached by Ted for a role at Netflix.”
In terms of the big picture, the light that shines, Bela said that “I share these three moments because they are a reminder of why we’re here tonight. Even as we build our own careers, we have to build relationships, so we can learn from each other. We can help each other. We can mentor each other. People have bet on me in the past, and it is a privilege and a responsibility to pass it on.” There are many diamonds in the rough, some of whom have gone unnoticed for years, decades, and Bela noted that it is time to change, since “our industry is much stronger when everyone has a chance to succeed.”
Diamonds are forever. And so, as the fates allow, is the HRTS.
About HRTS
Led by a Board of Directors comprising TV and entertainment’s most distinguished leaders, the Hollywood Radio & Television Society is the premier networking, education, and mentorship association in the industry. Our membership community includes 60+ Corporate Members and 2100+ individual members, representing the top companies across the landscape. We build on HRTS’ rich, 75-year tradition of providing an unparalleled forum for conversation and community through events, our best-in-class mentorship program, and other initiatives for professionals at all career stages — from student to C-suite — in Los Angeles, NYC, and around the world.