EXCLUSIVE: Terence Winter, a writer and producer known for his work on The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire, has teamed with media and tech veteran Joe Poletto to form Infamous Media.
Plans call for the independent company in early 2022 to launch multiple channels in the burgeoning streaming realm of free, ad-supported TV, or FAST. One of the new offerings will deliver Mob-related shows, movies and documentaries. Working alongside Poletto and Winter, a team of media and content experts and law enforcement advisors, among others. will help identify suitable acquisitions and also develop original titles.
Infamous Media’s channels have lined up distribution via Plex, KlowdTV and LG Europe, with additional deals in the offing. As smart-TV penetration continues and ad dollars shift from linear to streaming, a number of players have backed free channels both on the programming and distribution side. Early streaming outlets like Pluto TV established the lean-back appeal of 24-7 streaming channels, with the playbook replicated by Peacock, Redbox and other, more recent arrivals.
Poletto is the founder of independent production company Asterlight. Earlier in his career, he was VP of national ad sales at HBO and played a key role in the launch of the network’s comedy arm, which would become Comedy Central. Poletto joined WebTV Networks in 1996. After Microsoft acquired the company the following year, Poletto joined the executive team of Microsoft TV, helping found Microsoft’s interactive TV group.
In addition to his extensive TV work, Winter received an Oscar nomination for writing the screenplay for Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Terry Winter in this new partnership,” Poletto said. “Terry is one of the very best creative forces in the business, and audiences around the world appreciate him for the in-depth knowledge and shocking fresh perspective he brings to his work, especially when writing about the Mob and organized crime.”
Winter noted that America’s “fascination with the underworld and true crime continues to grow,” adding, “We’re excited to bring compelling and elevated new content from the genre to our audience through the branded channels of Infamous Media.”