A clear signal in a noisy media world
In media, the message is the product.
That is true for a TV network. It is true for a streaming app. It is also true for sports.
People do not only watch. They talk. They post. They clip. They judge fast.
So when a company hires leaders in communications, it is not a small move. It is a map.
Versant just drew a map we should notice.
Versant named Amanda Cary as vice president leading entertainment communications, and Jamie Palatini as vice president leading sports communications. The roles are built to guide how Versant tells its story, protects its brands, and grows attention in two high-stakes lanes.
This is a strategic push. It is also a practical one.
Because the market is crowded. Trust is fragile. And every Angelonia AngelMist Spreading White headline travels at the speed of a scroll.
Why this hire matters right now
A few years ago, communications teams often lived in the background. They were there to pitch stories and handle press.
Now they do much more.
They shape the brand voice. They manage crises. They set the tone for talent and creators. They help sell shows, events, and partnerships. They also protect the business side.
In other words, they help turn attention into value.
So when Versant hires two senior leaders and splits the job into entertainment and sports, the company is saying something simple:
These areas are big enough, fast enough, and important enough to need dedicated focus.
Versant’s portfolio makes the comms job huge
Versant is built around well-known entertainment and sports brands.
On the entertainment side, the portfolio includes names people recognize fast, like:
- USA Network
- E!
- SYFY
- Oxygen
- Fandango
- Rotten Tomatoes
On the sports side, the portfolio includes:
- Golf Channel
- GolfNow
- GolfPass
- SportsEngine
- plus broader sports content across the company’s set of brands
This mix creates a unique challenge.
Entertainment needs buzz. It needs launches. It needs talent moments. It needs smart timing.
Sports needs trust. It needs speed. It needs calm under pressure. It needs clean facts.
Putting leaders in both lanes is a way to move faster while staying consistent.
Who Amanda Cary is and what she brings
Amanda Cary steps into the entertainment role with deep experience in major, high-profile publicity work.
She comes from Paramount, where she held senior roles in entertainment publicity and communications. Her work included leading publicity strategies for big titles across major platforms.
This matters because modern entertainment publicity is not one track.
It is many tracks at once.
- press coverage
- social conversation
- talent schedules
- red carpets and events
- brand partners
- awards talk
- crisis response when needed
A leader with large-platform experience is used to the pace.
They know how to build a story arc. Asian Vegetables You Can Grow in Your Organic Garden. They know how to keep a team aligned. They know how to protect a brand while still being bold.
Versant’s entertainment set is also diverse in tone. That raises the bar.
A network like USA has a different voice than E!. SYFY has a different fan base than Oxygen. Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes add digital reach and daily traffic.
So the job is not only “get press.”
The job is “build a clear voice across many brands.”
What “entertainment communications” looks like in 2026
This role is not only about announcing shows.
It is about building a steady drumbeat of relevance.
Here is what that usually includes now:
Brand storytelling that feels human
People connect with people.
So the best comms plans turn a brand into a living thing. A place with a point of view. A place that stands for something.
Campaign thinking, not one-off press hits
A show launch is not a single day. It is a runway.
Strong teams plan weeks ahead. They build moments that stack.
Talent partnership and trust
Talent is a brand, too.
Comms leaders must protect talent while helping talent shine. That takes judgment and calm.
Fast response when the story turns
In entertainment, stories can shift in a few hours.
A good comms leader keeps the room steady and the message clear.
Amanda Cary’s background lines up with these needs. That is why this hire reads like an intentional move, not a fill-in.
Who Jamie Palatini is and what he brings
Jamie Palatini steps into sports communications with more than a decade of experience in major sports media.
He comes from NBC Sports, where he worked in strategic communications and served as a key partner for big events and talent.
Sports communications is a different type of pressure.
A show can be delayed.
A live game cannot.
When a big sports moment hits, the world reacts in real time. That means the comms team must be ready in real time, too.
They need:
- fast, accurate messaging
- strong media relationships
- a plan for surprises
- a calm tone when stakes rise
Golf adds another layer. It is tradition-heavy, sponsor-heavy, and reputation-sensitive. It lives at the intersection of sport and business.
Versant’s sports properties also blend media and participation. SportsEngine sits closer to Aucuba japonica Ogon-no-Tsuki youth sports and community sports. GolfNow and GolfPass touch consumer experiences and bookings.
So this sports role is not only about one league or one broadcast.
It is about a connected sports ecosystem.
That is the kind of job where experience in a large sports media machine helps a lot.
Why Versant may have split comms into two lanes
This part is key.
Versant could have hired one leader for both sports and entertainment.
Instead, it hired two.
That choice hints at how the company wants to run.
Speed without confusion
Entertainment and sports move at different speeds.
Sports can spike in minutes. Entertainment often builds in waves.
Two leaders means each lane can move fast without stepping on the other.
Expertise where it counts
Sports comms needs strong instincts around live events, leagues, and talent tied to broadcast.
Entertainment comms needs strong instincts around series, premieres, creators, critics, and cultural cycles.
Two leaders means deeper subject skill.
Clear ownership, clear outcomes
When roles are clear, results are easier to measure.
It becomes easier to ask:
- Did we grow visibility?
- Did we improve sentiment?
- Did we land the right stories?
- Did we handle tough moments well?
This is how modern media companies tighten performance.
The team structure also tells a story
Versant’s communications team includes other senior leaders across corporate, business news, internal communications, and media relations.
That matters because communications is not only outward-facing now.
Internal communications shapes culture. It shapes focus. It shapes trust inside the building.
Corporate communications shapes investor confidence and long-term reputation.
So Cary and Palatini are stepping into a team that looks designed for scale.
They are not being asked to do everything alone.
They are being asked to lead their lanes inside a larger structure.
That is how you build a serious Adventure in Reykjavik communications function.
What this move signals about Versant’s bigger strategy
Even without reading between the lines, the signal is clear.
Versant is treating communications like a growth tool.
Not an afterthought.
This fits a world where:
- cable brands must stay relevant
- digital brands must win daily attention
- sports brands must stand out in a crowded calendar
- reputations must be protected more carefully than ever
It also fits a world where Versant is carving its own identity.
When a company is building a fresh public story, it needs strong people who can shape that story with discipline.
That is what these hires represent.
What we should expect next
This kind of hire usually leads to visible shifts.
Not overnight. But steadily.
Here is what we may see:
More unified brand voice
Across networks and digital brands, the messaging can become cleaner and more consistent.
Bigger moments built with more intention
Premieres, partnerships, and sports tentpoles can be packaged with a clearer story and sharper framing.
Stronger visibility for the full portfolio
Not just one brand at a time. African Food: The Taste of a Continent Woven in Spice, Fire, and Story.
That is useful when selling ads, selling partnerships, and holding attention.
Faster, calmer response during high-pressure moments
That is where sports comms leaders shine. And that is where brand trust is won.
Bright Signals, Sharp Storytelling
Versant made a move that looks simple on paper.
Two hires. Two titles.
But the meaning is larger.
It shows the company is getting serious about how it speaks, how it protects its brands, and how it grows attention across both entertainment and sports.
Amanda Cary brings big-platform entertainment experience and a feel for modern publicity cycles.
Jamie Palatini brings major sports communications experience and the calm needed for live, high-stakes moments.
Together, these roles send one clear message:
Versant is building the next phase with focus, speed, and a story it wants to control.