www.broadcastnow.co.uk
9 May 2014
INTERVIEW
WOMEN DIRECTORS
DISCOVERY UK AT 25
Page 16
Page 5
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Roger Graef on keeping documentaries honest
Lifting the lid on the industry’s failings
Eight shows that defined a channel
C5 part of Viacom’s global vision Group to increase spend on original series, with an eye on its networks around the world BY PETER WHITE
Viacom is keen to bolster links between its US and UK assets once it completes its £450m acquisition of Channel 5, ramping up coproduction opportunities between the British broadcaster and the likes of MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. The US giant has committed to boosting C5’s spend on originations, but will do so with one eye on its global network. Viacom chief executive Philippe Dauman said: “There’s a lot of possible co-operation between the US and the UK in both directions for Channel 5.” MTV US is developing more scripted content, such as a remake of horror film Scream, and male-skewing stablemate Spike TV is working on a 6 x 60-minute drama about ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun. Both could play on C5, alongside younger-skewing comedies such
There’s a lot of possible co-operation between the US and the UK for Channel 5 Philippe Dauman, Viacom
Hens Behaving Badly: Channel 5 reality series could air overseas
as Comedy Central’s Amy Poehlerproduced Broad City. The Viacom deal also paves the way for originated scripted series to return to C5, with UK projects
ALAMY
OWNERSHIP WHO IS SUMNER REDSTONE? Viacom owner and executive chairman Sumner Redstone is a mercurial figure in American media. The 90-yearold billionaire owns both Viacom (including the Paramount movie studio) and CBS, the US broadcast network and studio operated by Les Moonves. Viacom chief exec Philippe Dauman
is widely considered to be Redstone’s chief lieutenant, although he does not possess the showbusiness sparkle of Moonves. Redstone has had corporate tussles with Rupert Murdoch, John Malone and Barry Diller over the years, and famously fired MTV boss Tom Freston after he failed to buy social networking site MySpace.
receiving backing from US channels, and for C5’s reality and popular factual shows to air overseas. Viacom’s US channels, particularly MTV, have commissioned
VIACOM A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE US Selling C5 for £450m represented a tidy profit for Northern & Shell, but the deal was small fry for Viacom. The latter turned over $2.38bn (£1.44bn) in the last quarter, generating profits of $502m (£303m). It also operates in a US market in which channel deals can be far larger. Scripps paid $1.1bn (£666m) for 65% of the Travel Channel in 2009, for example.
a slew of content from British indies in recent months, including Alaskan reality series Slednecks from All3Media America, One Bad Choice from Optomen and competition series Beyond Dance from Zodiak USA, while key supplier 495 Productions, which makes Jersey Shore, has been acquired by UK-based Fremantle Media. One indie boss with several projects in development across MTV’s US channels said it will be interesting to see whether any of these projects migrate back to the UK. “Historically, there’s not been too many links between MTV in the US and the commissioners in the UK,” said the producer. There will also be scope for C5, MTV and Comedy Central to work together on acquisitions. Viacom will look to bolster C5’s daytime acquisitions, which largely comprise older series such as Columbo. Many of C5’s major US acquisitions, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and NCIS, are sold globally by CBS Studios International, a sister company to Viacom, also owned by Sumner Redstone (see box), meaning that they are unlikely to be affected by a change in ownership. ➤ See page 3 for more analysis