ESPN has tapped former Business Insider and Sports Illustrated executive Josh Oshinsky to serve as its new Senior Director of Original Content Development.
In his new role, Oshinsky will oversee the development of ESPN’s multiplatform storytelling efforts across “30 for 30,” ESPN Films, ESPN Originals, podcasts and scripted projects. He will head the sports network’s creative strategy, talent partnerships and the creation of its global master content slate.
“I’m thrilled to join an iconic brand like ESPN at such a pivotal moment for the industry,” Oshinsky said in a statement Monday. “I look forward to shaping the next chapter of ESPN’s original storytelling, marrying ambitious creative vision with formats and partnerships that meet audiences where they are.”
Oshinsky comes to ESPN having mostly recently served for six months as the Vice President of Creative Strategy at Business Insider. Prior to that, he worked as the Vice President of Global Content & Digital at PepsiCo, a position he held for three years after having previously served as an executive producer at the company and Senior Director of Global Communications.
Oshinsky’s other experience includes working as a director and executive producer at Time Studios, a two-year stint as Vice President of Sports Illustrated from 2017 through 2019 and a supervising producer at Time Inc. He returns to ESPN after having worked as an editor at the company for several months in 2005. He got his start in the sports entertainment world working as a producer for Major League Baseball.
Over the course of his 20+ year career, Oshinsky has received 14 Emmy Awards as well as multiple Webby, Telly and Anthem Awards. He previously produced and edited the 2010 ESPN “30 for 30” documentary “Four Days in October,” which charts the four games in the 2004 American League Championship Series when the Boston Red Sox became the first MLB team in history to win a best-of-seven playoff series after falling behind 0-3 to the New York Yankees.
Oshinsky’s appointment comes just a few months after ESPN officially closed its deal to acquire the NFL Network. Last week, ESPN also confirmed that longtime NBA and college football announcer Mark Jones was set to leave the network after 36 years. His last game as an ESPN play-by-play announcer came this past Sunday when the Orlando Magic traveled to Boston to take on the Boston Celtics. Jones’ departure was reportedly his decision.
