Speaker Betsy Ayala

You are not currently viewing the most recent Realscreen Summit. Go to Realscreen Summit 2025.

Betsy Ayala

Head of Content, Food Network, Interim Head of Content, HGTV

Food Network

Betsy Sanner Ayala currently serves as Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery where she oversees all Food Network programming, development and operations. Series under her oversight include such long-running hits as Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Guy’s Grocery Games, as well as annual tentpoles such as BBQ
Brawl, Tournament of Champions, Worst Cooks in America and seasonal stunts like Halloween Wars, Holiday Baking Championship, Spring Baking Championship and more.

Prior to this role Ayala was Senior Vice President, Production & Development, HGTV and Food Network, with oversight of development and production teams at both brands. She is credited with the success of such HGTV hit series as Rock the Block, Home Town Takeover, Good Bones, Windy City Rehab and No Demo Reno, as well as discovery+ returning series
Selling the Hamptons, Kendra Sells Hollywood and Queen of Versailles Reigns Again.

HGTV and Food Network are two of the biggest and most valuable brands in the industry, ranking as Top 10 cable networks among A25-54 and W25-54 every night of the week. In 2022, Food Network and HGTV reached more than 63 million combined viewers per month in total day.

Last year, Ayala’s efforts helped position HGTV and Food Network as leaders in the industry with the launch of nearly half of the top 20 freshman hits among A25-54 and W25-54, including such titles as HGTV’s Home Town Kickstart, Ugliest House in America, Fixer to Fabulous: Welcome Inn, Tough Love with Hilary Farr, Holmes Family Rescue, Good Bones:
Risky Business and Married to Real Estate and Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown—more than any other cable networks.

Ayala joined Scripps Networks Interactive in 2016 as Vice President of Programming, HGTV and eventually worked across multiple networks including Food Network, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and the Polish network TVN where she created the series, Mediterranean Life.

With more than 20 years of television and digital programming experience, Ayala is adept at creating and producing all genres of programming from competition and live dailies to event series and docu-soaps. Previously, Ayala was Head of Production at PTA Networks, a digital streaming television travel network and served as an Executive Producer for YouTube/Google channels. She also served as Executive Producer and Head of New Development for Moxie Pictures, home of such multi-season successes as Animal Planet’s Ice Cold Gold and FYI’s Arranged.

Her previous television experience includes developing and producing programming for the NFL Network, CBS Sports Network, NBC Sports and ESPN, including such major events as The XXVI Olympic Games and X Games. She also managed programming development and production for Plum TV, the luxury lifestyle network.