CHRIS PARNELL LEAVES SONY PICTURES TELEVISION AND GOES TO APPLE

Chris Parnell, Co-President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, will be departing the studio later this month after more than 16 years, Deadline reported. He will be joining Apple TV+ in a senior programming role on the domestic development team, reporting to Matt Cherniss, Head of Scripted Development and Current Programming at Apple.

In light of Parnell’s departure, Jason Clodfelter will become the only President of SPT Studios. He will continue to report to Jeff Frost, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, who announced Parnell’s pending exit and outlined the studio’s leadership structure going forward in an internal memo this morning.

“Chris has been a tremendous partner, leader, collaborator and friend during his more than 16-year tenure at the studio. He will be greatly missed. We have multiple projects with Apple and we look forward to working with him closely in his new capacity,”  the memo said.

As Co-President of SPT Studios, the production side of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s television business, Parnell guided all creative aspects of the studio’s domestic television business alongside fellow Co-President, Clodfelter. The duo was elevated to the post in July 2017 from EVPs and Co-Heads of U.S. Drama Development and Programming for Sony Pictures Television.