Sony Pictures Television is undergoing a leadership change in its nonfiction division. Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman are departing after four years, with Katherine Pope assuming oversight of unscripted programming alongside her existing responsibilities. The move aims to align creative operations across the studio.
Eli Holzman, president of nonfiction, and Aaron Saidman, co-president of nonfiction, are leaving Sony Pictures TV to pursue their next entrepreneurial venture, as confirmed in a staff memo from chairman Keith Le Goy.
Holzman and Saidman joined the company in 2022 through Sony's $350 million acquisition of Industrial Media, which encompassed entities such as 19 Entertainment, B17 Entertainment, House of NonFiction, Sharp Entertainment, the Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC), This Machine Filmworks, This Radicle Act, and Trilogy Films. Prior to the acquisition, Holzman served as CEO of Industrial Media and founder/CEO of IPC, while Saidman was president of Industrial Media and co-founder/president of IPC. The pair oversaw day-to-day operations of Sony Pictures Television Nonfiction.
In the memo, Le Goy praised their contributions: "Over the past four years, Eli and Aaron have played a critical role in shaping and expanding our nonfiction portfolio. Their leadership elevated the division and enhanced our slate during a period of significant industry change. We are grateful for their partnership and look forward to continuing to work together in the future."
Katherine Pope, who joined Sony Pictures Television in August 2022 as president of Sony Pictures TV Studios, will now extend her oversight to the nonfiction division in addition to scripted and kids programming. Pope currently supervises successful series including “The Boys,” “The Last of Us,” “Twisted Metal,” “Outlander” and its prequel “Outlander: Blood of My Blood,” “Doc,” and “The Night Agent.” Upcoming projects under her include “God of War,” “Spider-Noir,” “American Hostage,” and “S.W.A.T.: Exiles.”
Le Goy highlighted Pope's strengths: "Katherine has built an incredible track record of bringing premium content to market and building enduring partnerships with top-tier talent that has consistently positioned the studio at the forefront of the industry. Integrating nonfiction under her leadership will further align our creative operations, accelerate collaboration across teams, and enable us to unlock greater long-term value across the portfolio."
The nonfiction division maintains a strong lineup, featuring companies like Sharp Entertainment, Embassy Row, B17 Entertainment, 19 Entertainment, This Machine, Maxine Productions, Brass Monkeys Media, and Rebel Minds Media. These produce popular series such as “American Idol,” “Shark Tank,” the “90 Day Fiancé” franchise, “Watch What Happens Live,” “Extracted,” “On Brand with Jimmy Fallon,” “Quiet on Set,” “Martha,” and an upcoming unscripted adaptation of “Clue.” Le Goy noted that the division remains "a dynamic and growing part of our business," poised for continued expansion under Pope's guidance.
