Racecourse Media Group appoints Andrew Demaria as Chief Content Officer

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has appointed Andrew Demaria as its first Chief Content Officer, creating a senior position dedicated to content strategy, audience development and digital growth. Demaria is scheduled to take up the role on October 6, 2026, following more than 25 years in media and senior positions at CNN and NBCUniversal.

The new role gives content a more central place within RMG’s wider commercial and audience strategy. RMG manages broadcast and data rights for its racecourse shareholders and distributes racing content across broadcast, digital and international channels. Its current corporate information states that the business is owned by its racecourse partners with operating profit returned to racing.

The appointment also follows RMG’s recent agreement on long-term extensions for the audio-visual and data rights of 33 British racecourse shareholders through December 2033. That development provides a longer-term platform for content investment and audience initiatives.

A new content leadership role for RMG

Andrew Demaria will oversee content strategy, audience development, digital growth, data and insights, marketing integration and content partnerships. His remit is designed to bring several audience-facing functions together under a single strategic framework.

The position will also support subscriber growth and engagement while contributing to commercial performance. For RMG, that means connecting the creative side of racing coverage with the way fans discover, consume and return to content across different platforms.

The appointment reflects a wider shift in sports media toward integrated content operations. Live events remain central, but digital storytelling, audience data and platform distribution increasingly influence how sports properties compete for attention.

Russell Ferris, Managing Director of RMG, said:

“This appointment reflects our ambition to further strengthen our wider content offering. Andrew combines world-class editorial expertise with an exceptional track record in audience growth, digital innovation and commercial content. Throughout his career he has built and transformed media brands that engage audiences at scale while delivering measurable commercial success.

Andrew will play a pivotal role in bringing together our broadcast, digital, marketing and data capabilities to help us reach new audiences, deepen engagement with existing fans and create even greater value for our racecourse shareholders.”

Demaria’s international media background

Demaria brings experience across news, sport, entertainment and digital publishing. Public career records and CNN material show that he spent more than 16 years with CNN and held senior roles linked to digital editorial operations and international audience development.

His CNN work included leadership involving CNN Travel and CNN Style. In 2013, CNN announced that Demaria would take responsibility for its digital editorial team in Asia alongside CNN Travel. In 2015, CNN identified him as Vice President and Managing Editor of CNN Digital as CNN Style was introduced as a new international digital destination.

That experience is relevant to RMG because it combines editorial leadership with digital product thinking. Building and growing international media brands requires decisions about formats, platforms, audience behaviour and commercial priorities, all of which are important to a modern sports content operation.

Demaria later moved to NBCUniversal. In 2021, he joined Catalyst as Vice President and Executive Creative Director with responsibilities spanning brand and creative strategy, content studio activity and events across Singapore and London. His role also involved collaboration with teams in the United States.

His more recent public professional profile describes almost five years at NBCUniversal leading content, events and brand strategy for clients across a broad international portfolio. That work adds commercial and partnership experience to his earlier editorial career.

A focus on audiences and digital distribution

RMG’s new Chief Content Officer role is broader than a traditional editorial position. It links content development with audience growth, marketing, data and commercial activity.

That approach could help RMG build clearer connections between its racing coverage and the different ways audiences now follow the sport. Television remains important, but fans also use streaming services, websites, mobile devices and social platforms to discover results, personalities, analysis and behind-the-scenes stories.

Demaria has indicated that he sees substantial room to widen how racing stories are presented and distributed. He said:

“Racing possesses all the ingredients of a great media property: elite sporting competition, compelling personalities, passionate fans and a year-round calendar of major events. The opportunity is to tell those stories in more ways, across more platforms and to more audiences than ever before.

Racing TV and RMG already occupy a key position at the heart of the sport and I look forward to working with racecourses, broadcasters, partners and colleagues to build a truly integrated content operation that drives audience growth, subscriber engagement and long-term value for racing.”

The statement points toward a strategy centred on broader storytelling rather than relying exclusively on conventional race-day presentation. It also suggests closer coordination between the creative, digital and commercial sides of the organisation.

Supporting long-term value for racing

RMG’s ownership structure gives the content strategy a direct connection to its racecourse shareholders. The group says it manages media and data rights on behalf of its racecourse owners and returns operating profit through that shareholder structure.

Recent rights extensions strengthen that long-term framework. The 33 racecourse agreements announced in October extend key audio-visual and data rights through 2033, giving RMG greater continuity as it develops distribution and audience plans.

The wider British racing ecosystem also includes the British Horseracing Authority, which oversees the governance and regulation of the sport. RMG’s role is different, with its focus on media rights, content distribution and commercial exploitation of racing assets.

What the appointment means for RMG

For RMG, appointing Andrew Demaria creates a dedicated senior position for content at a time when sports organisations face increasingly fragmented audience habits.

For Demaria, the move places his editorial, digital and commercial experience inside a specialist racing business with direct relationships to racecourses, broadcasters and other rights partners.

His international background may also support RMG’s ambitions beyond the UK. The company distributes racing content internationally and its business model relies on turning media and data rights into sustainable returns for its shareholders. Demaria has previously worked across London and Hong Kong and with audiences and partners spanning Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

The central test will be execution. The value of the new position will ultimately be reflected in how effectively RMG turns racing’s established appeal into content that attracts new audiences, keeps existing fans engaged and supports the commercial objectives of the wider business.

Conclusion

Andrew Demaria’s appointment as Racecourse Media Group’s first Chief Content Officer represents a clear move to strengthen the connection between editorial content, digital audiences and commercial strategy.

His career across CNN and NBCUniversal provides experience in international media, digital brand development, audience growth and commercial content. RMG now has the opportunity to apply that experience to a specialist sports environment backed by an established racecourse shareholder structure and long-term media rights.

With the new position beginning on October 6, 2026, attention will turn to how the strategy develops in practice. For RMG, the priority is likely to be creating stronger content experiences across platforms while extending audience engagement and supporting sustainable value for the racecourses behind the organisation.

FAQs

Who is Andrew Demaria?
Andrew Demaria is a media executive with more than 25 years of experience across news, sport, entertainment and digital content. His previous senior roles include positions at CNN and NBCUniversal.

What new role has Andrew Demaria taken at RMG?
Andrew Demaria has been appointed Racecourse Media Group’s first Chief Content Officer. He is scheduled to begin the role on October 6, 2026.

What will Andrew Demaria do at Racecourse Media Group?
His responsibilities will include content strategy, audience development, digital growth, data and insights, marketing integration and content partnerships.

Why has RMG created a Chief Content Officer role?
The newly created position is intended to bring content, digital, audience and commercial functions into a more integrated strategic operation.

How long did Andrew Demaria work at CNN?
Public career information indicates that Demaria spent more than 16 years at CNN, where he held senior digital and editorial leadership roles.

Which CNN brands did Andrew Demaria work with?
His CNN career included leadership connected with CNN Travel and CNN Style. He was also identified by CNN as Vice President and Managing Editor of CNN Digital.

What was Andrew Demaria’s role at NBCUniversal?
Demaria joined Catalyst at NBCUniversal as Vice President and Executive Creative Director. His responsibilities included brand and creative strategy, content studio work and events across international markets.

What is Racecourse Media Group?
Racecourse Media Group is a racecourse-owned media organisation that manages and distributes broadcast and data rights. RMG states that it operates on behalf of its racecourse shareholders.

How could Andrew Demaria’s appointment affect RMG?
The appointment could help RMG develop a more integrated approach to content, audience engagement, digital distribution and commercial opportunities across its racing media operations.

When will Andrew Demaria officially start at RMG?
Andrew Demaria is scheduled to take up the Chief Content Officer position on October 6, 2026.