Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
The exec, who created the Internet Movie Database in 1990, will step aside as CEO and will be succeeded by Nikki Santoro.
By Erik Hayden
Executive Editor, Business
In 1990, at age 23, Col Needham founded the Internet Movie Database, moving it officially online three years later and building it into an early resource for the type of searchable stats — “That actor also starred in those movies?” — that have become the subject of quick Google searches to settle debates, daily industry reporting and academic research. (And also, in recent years, it’s become a platform subject to some users “review bombing” its star rating system for shows and films).
In the beginning there was just actor and actress credits and two people uploading the titles. By 1995 there were 20 employees. Then in 1998, Needham sold IMDb to Amazon, at an undisclosed price. Asked about the price in 2005 by The Hollywood Reporter, the exec replied, “Given that this was 1998 and it involved shares of Amazon, we did very well.”
blogherads.adq.push(function () {
blogherads
.defineSlot( 'medrec', 'gpt-article-mid-article-uid0' )
.setTargeting( 'pos', ["mid-article1","mid-articleX","mid","mid-article"] )
.setTargeting( 'viewable', 'yes' ) .setSubAdUnitPath("ros/mid-article") .addSize([[300,250],[2,2],[300,251],[620,350],[2,4],[4,2],[320,480],[620,366]]) .setClsOptimization("minsize") ; });
Related Stories
Needham stayed on as the company grew, developed and launched the IMDb Pro offering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002 then bought rival Box Office Mojo in 2008 and absorbed the site several years later. Like its parent company, Amazon, IMDb is as an internet giant itself with more than 65 million monthly visitors to its flagship url.
Thirty-five years after launching IMDb, Needham is stepping back from the CEO role, with the site promoting chief operating officer Nikki Santoro as his successor, the company said on Tuesday. Santoro will become only the second CEO in IMDb’s history while Needham will transition to the title of founder and executive chair and still be based in the firm’s Bristol, England office.
“Nikki’s strategic vision, deep understanding of our customers and products, and commitment to innovation have already delivered impressive business results during her tenure as COO,” Needham stated. “Her track record of driving growth and enhancing our products and services makes her the ideal person to guide IMDb into a new era.”
The site’s revenue has been powered by advertising, subscriptions to IMDb Pro and licensing its database to third-parties. As a division of Amazon, IMDb has branched out and has further integrated itself into its parent company’s Prime Video service with its X-Ray feature, which shows the cast and credits of talent in a film or show when the title is paused.
“Taking on the role of CEO at IMDb is both a tremendous honor and an exciting challenge,” said Santoro, who joined IMDb in 2016 after prior roles at Amazon, Microsoft and The Weather Channel. “I’m committed to leading our global team as we continue to elevate IMDb as the world’s premier entertainment resource.”
The brand is once again returning to Park City, Utah this year, planning a Sundance-themed IMDb dinner on January 27 to mark the leadership transition point for the company.
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
Send us a tip using our anonymous form.
