Ira Rubenstein

Chief Digital & Marketing Officer,
PBS

Ira Rubenstein

Chief Digital & Marketing Officer,
PBS

Biography

As Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, Ira Rubenstein leads digital consumer experiences and marketing for PBS. In this role, Mr. Rubenstein focuses on continuing PBS’ digital evolution through the development, implementation and scaling of world-class digital services and marketing content strategies. He also oversees the business intelligence group and leads comprehensive marketing programs to acquire, retain and engage audiences across platforms for the benefit of member stations.

Mr. Rubenstein joined PBS in 2014 as Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS Digital, and led the expansion of PBS’ general audience and children’s content to mobile devices, over-the-top (OTT) services and other digital platforms. His accomplishments include an updated PBS.org, which yielded dramatic growth in traffic to station websites and online station donations. He spearheaded the development of Passport, a video offering available through member stations that provides donors on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. He also led the expansion of PBS Digital Studios, PBS’ network of online-original content.

Mr. Rubenstein has more than 20 years of experience leading digital entertainment businesses. Prior to PBS, he was Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors for mobile media company MeeMee Media. Mr. Rubenstein also served as Executive Vice President, Digital Marketing for 20th Century Fox where he established the Digital Marketing organization and led the team behind ground breaking social and mobile campaigns for PrometheusChronicleRise of the Planet of the ApesX-Men: First Class, and other major motion pictures.

Before joining Fox in 2011, Mr. Rubenstein was Executive Vice President of Marvel Entertainment’s Global Digital Media Group. During his tenure, he led strategic global digital initiatives related to websites, digital comics, games, digital video distribution, and launched the award-winning Marvel Digital Comics iPad app.

Mr. Rubenstein joined Marvel after more than 12 years at Sony, most recently as Executive Vice President, Content Strategy and Acquisitions. In that position, Mr. Rubenstein led the organization’s acquisition of content for all Sony devices and negotiated global content deals with major networks, movie studios, game companies and music labels. While at Sony, he also developed worldwide digital marketing, product and distribution strategy for Sony Pictures, and oversaw the rapid growth of sonypictures.com, which ultimately became a top 10 entertainment site. In addition, he led the establishment of Movielink, a first-of-its-kind online, video on-demand service, and managed the digital growth of the studio’s most important brands, including Wheel of FortuneJEOPARDY! and Seinfeld.

Mr. Rubenstein holds a B.A. in Management Science from the University of California, San Diego and has an M.F.A. from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Producers Guild of America. In addition to awards for his work from Clio, Promax, Key Art, the Webby Awards, and others, Mr. Rubenstein has twice appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Digital Power 50” list and has also been featured on the PGA’s “Digital 50” list, which recognizes new media innovators.

All session by Ira Rubenstein