Gravity Media engages Laura Podolak Waddell to manage North American strategic partnerships

Gravity Media,  provider of live broadcast facilities and production services to content owners, creators and distributors, has appointed former Pac-12 Networks senior director of content production, Laura Podolak Waddell, as its new director of strategic partnership management for North America.

Podolak Waddell joins the team to enhance brand relationships with a focus on an ongoing studio operations project that Gravity Media is overseeing for a major media and technology brand.

After nearly a decade of local news production for radio stations in Colorado and California, Podolak Waddell became part of Pac-12 Networks’ launch team in 2012. The considerable amount of broadcasting experience she gained during her time there has led her to join Gravity Media where she will bring teams across the country closer together to streamline production processes and improve content output for clients. Podolak Waddell said the role comprises everything that fascinates her about production, “compelling content, a fast-paced environment and all the unique personalities of content creators”.

Podolak Waddell’s past seven years at Pac-12 Networks were focused on relationship building, enhancing communication across content teams and implementing production best practices. The biggest challenge she’s seen in the broadcasting industry over that time was engaging a young audience, finding out where the younger viewers are consuming content and what sports they’re most interested in watching to entice the next generation of fans. “Nobody can predict exactly where media consumption is going, but what we do know, is that people want to watch engaging content,” she noted.

Podolak Waddell added: “With Gravity Media, I feel I’ve taken a major step in my journey. I’m grateful to be part of this successful and growing international company that has entrusted me to manage important client relationships and develop new workflows and best practices for our production teams. I’m also very pleased to be back working with Michael Harabin, who I’ve previously operated with at Pac-12 Networks.”

Harabin, president of Gravity Media (USA), commented: “Having Laura on our team means we can continue to further develop and perfect our key account service delivery model. Her extensive expertise of operating in the field and passion and enthusiasm for broadcasting will be a great asset and makes her a perfect fit for Gravity Media.”

On October 31, 2019 Gravity Media Group transitioned its renowned broadcast and production houses Gearhouse Broadcast, Hyperactive Broadcast, Input Media and Chief Entertainment into a single brand: Gravity Media. The new brand offers content owners, creators and distributors three broad categories of expertise: media services and facilities; production and content; and equipment rental and sales. By combining its forces under one roof, it can better use its breadth and scale to offer more end to end solutions and drive greater value for its clients.