Bart Story Dies: Veteran Entertainment Research Executive Was 63

Bart Story, a veteran entertainment research executive best known for his work at MarketCast and SAG-AFTRA, has died. He was 63.

Story died on December 23, 2025, in Los Angeles from complications related to metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

The executive spent more than three decades helping studios and streamers better understand audiences. Since 2003, he served as Senior Director at MarketCast, where he guided creative testing and audience engagement for global entertainment brands.

Earlier, he led research at SAG-AFTRA and the Video Software Dealers Association, where he helped the home video industry evolve into a mainstay of modern distribution.

Story was a graduate of USC’s Annenberg School and Cal Poly Pomona. He began his career working in movie theaters, a start that defined his empathy for audiences and love of storytelling, leading him to shape marketing strategies for some of Hollywood‘s biggest films and television series.

He is survived by his husband, Patrick Jager, and their son, Brandt.

Jeremy Radisich, President of Entertainment at MarketCast, honored Story saying, “Across his two-decade career with MarketCast, Bart helped hundreds of movies achieve success, meaningfully connecting with thousands of clients, focus group respondents, and teammates along the way. His work was characterized by a thoughtful and gentle approach that made him not only an excellent collaborator and partner, but an incredible person who made an impact on everyone he met.”