ITVS Taps Royd Chung, MTV “True Life” Showrunner and OZY Media Exec, as VP of Production

(San Francisco, California) JUNE 10, 2019 — Today Independent Television Service (ITVS), the leading funder of U.S. independent public television productions, announced that Royd Chung will join the award-winning organization as Vice President of Production. In his new role, Chung will helm active co-productions, including the 2019/2020 season of Independent Lens and oversee cross-platform business development as well as content management that spans all audience destinations.

Chung will report to Jim Sommers, Senior Vice President of Content, and participate on ITVS’s Content Strategy and Senior Leadership Teams, which build strategies supporting independent filmmakers’ multi-platform footprint. “I am thrilled to have Royd join our ITVS team,” said Sommers, who leads the Content Strategy Team. “Royd’s wealth of production experience in both commercial and public media, and his leadership in cross-platform content strategies and distribution will help support our filmmakers and shape ITVS's future.”

The Harvard alum brings more than 20 years of television and digital video experience to ITVS. Recently, as Executive Director of TV & Video at OZY Media, he led production for OZY Studios and oversaw the PBS series Breaking Big and WORLD Channel series Take on America. Chung’s earlier credits include his role as Executive Producer for the Netflix docuseries Girls Incarcerated and MTV’s True Life, as well as showrunning and producer credits for various titles including A&E Biography, and TLC’s Trading Spaces and Miami Ink. 

"In these pivotal, often divisive times, ITVS’s commitment to inclusion and impact in filmmaking is more vital than ever. I’m honored to join its first-class team in giving a voice to underrepresented communities and storytellers," said Chung.

About ITVS 

ITVS is a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that has, for over 25 years, funded and partnered with a diverse range of documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. ITVS incubates and co-produces these award-winning films and then airs them for free on PBS via our weekly series, Independent Lens, as well as other series, and Indie Lens Storycast and our digital platform, OVEE. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For more information, visit itvs.org

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