Streaming video giant Netflix Inc. is beefing up its programming team by naming Bela Bajaria vice president of content, a wide-ranging role that will include developing original shows and acquiring the rights to existing ones.

A former president of NBCUniversal's Universal Television, Ms. Bajaria worked closely with Netflix on such shows as "Master of None" and "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," both of which are produced by the NBC production unit. She succeeds Sean Carey who is leaving the company.

In her new role, Ms. Bajaria will lead Netflix's licensing of television shows and movies from the major Hollywood studios and networks.

Netflix has been spending heavily on both acquired content and original series and movies. The company has said it would spend more than $5 billion creating and buying content this year. It is becoming more aggressive in acquiring television series from broadcast and cable networks and securing international rights. For example, the company recently bought international rights to a new "Star Trek" series that CBS will be streaming on its digital platform CBS All Access next year.

Given its importance to the profitability of shows—Netflix commitments can help ensure a show is in the black even before it airs—the streaming service is looking to have a say in the production process. In announcing Ms. Bajaria's hiring, the company said it wants to move "spending away from traditional licensing into co-production and development partnerships with studios and networks."

"We know we have found the perfect executive to lead this new effort," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, to whom Ms. Bajaria will report. She will assume her new position on Nov. 1.

On the creative front, Ms. Bajaria will oversee development of original unscripted content for Netflix. The service has had great success with documentaries and recently launched a talk show from Chelsea Handler. Ms. Bajaria is being tasked with pushing Netflix further into the unscripted world with regular series.

Ms. Bajaria left Universal Television earlier this year after clashing with executives at the studio's sister network NBC. While Universal Television had become very successful selling shows to Fox and CBS, its output for NBC wasn't as strong, which became a sticking point. Prior to NBC, Ms. Bajaria held senior programming posts at CBS.

Write to Joe Flint at joe.flint@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 05, 2016 12:25 ET (16:25 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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