EXCLUSIVE: Mark Rober, the former NASA engineer turned YouTube creator, launched science and engineering media company CrunchLabs in 2022 and has now just hired its first ever Chief Content Officer.
Scott Lewers, who was most recently EVP of Content & Digital Strategy at Lionsgate Alternative, has been named to the role.
Lewers and Rober, who has over 68M YouTube subscribers, go way back, having previously worked together on Discovery series Revengineers, exec produced by Jimmy Kimmel, when Lewers was at the factual cable group.
Lewers exec produced series including Hasbro’s Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble for The CW during his time at Lionsgate Alternative. Prior to that, he was at Warner Bros. Discovery, where he oversaw franchise series expansions and tentpole programming at the Discovery channels and Turner networks with series such as Space Launch Live and Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda. In 2020, he was promoted to run the Science Channel following the exit of Marc Etkind.
He also spearheaded the expansion of Discovery & Science Channel’s presence on TikTok, making the brands among the firsts to launch on TikTok’s STEM tab, which ties in nicely with his new role given CrunchLabs STEM focus.
In his new role, Lewers will help expand CrunchLabs’ portfolio of original content, foster collaborations with STEM creators and global talent, and lead the development of educational content and curriculum that can be translated and localized for global classrooms. He will oversee its studio division.
“What I love about Scott is that he gets it—I’ve worked on big projects with him before and he knows how to tell real stories that make science feel exciting,” said Rober. “With Scott leading our studio teams, we’re building something awesome that spans YouTube, education, and now film & television to reach as many brains as possible.”
“Long before collaborating with Mark on Discovery’s Shark Week more than five years ago, I was a fan of his smart, engaging content. I’m thrilled to join Mark, Jim, and the incredible CrunchLabs team to help build on the impressive foundation they’ve laid”, added Lewers. “Our shared vision and deep passion for accelerating the impact we can have on the future of STEM is what makes this an especially exciting opportunity for me.”
“CrunchLabs is at a pivotal moment,” added Jim Lee, President of CrunchLabs and the Mark Rober YouTube Channel. “We’re growing from YouTube and subscription products to become the leading brand in STEM worldwide. With Scott’s leadership, we’ll expand our original content production, launch a comprehensive science curriculum for schools, and ignite curiosity and resilience in millions more people.”
The post Ex-Lionsgate & Discovery Exec Scott Lewers Joins Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs As Chief Content Officer appeared first on Deadline.
