• Adweek, Friday, October 31, 2008 11 AM

Sony first bought online video hub Crackle back in 2006, when it was a repository for user-generated clips known as Grouper. But attempts to transform the site into a programmed channel have been slow to materialize, so now Sony is shaking things up.

The site is getting a new management team, new headquarters and an infusion of full-length TV shows and movies from the Sony library to complement the increasing slate of short-form originals already rolling out. Previously based in San Francisco, Crackle will move to Culver City, Calif., and be formally folded into Sony's digital content operations, which include brands Minisode Network and Pix.

"What we want to do with Crackle is make it a next-generation TV network," said Eric Berger, who formerly oversaw mobile entertainment at Sony, but will now extend his oversight to Crackle, replacing Jonathan Shambroom. "We're controlling our own distribution and building direct consumer relationships and that's critical for an independent studio."

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