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A PLACE TO DISCU SS A C HA L L EN G I N G T I M E F O R TV
Keshet Media Group organized the fifth edition of the Innovative TV Conference (INTV), the annual event that took place on March 12th and 13th in Jerusalem, Israel. For the first time, Señal Internacional covered the conference,
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that gathered more than 500 attendants including writers, directors, producers, and key global executives of the television industry who discussed the challenges and changes that the television industry is facing today.
The Merge & Acquisition
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Boom 24
A W ORLDWIDE TV EV EN T
T HE G L O B A L M E R G E B O O M
TH E N E W U K R A N I A N MARKET
“History of Football” is a History´s groundbreaking production that will be aired in over 160 territories. The masterminds behind the project, Patrick Vien and Dan Korn, describes the main appeal of the show.
Ownership of TV content rights has become a vital asset in the international arena, so production company mergers and acquisitions have continued to rise over the past five years. Deal activity spiked in 2017.
Ukraine is a fast-developing production market, including films and animation. Locally produced shows tripled during the last four years, and broadcasters started commissioning more inexpensive content, ceasing foreign acquisitions.
YEAR 17 - EDITION 147 APRIL 2018 Redacción & diseño: ESI Impreso por: imprenta 2.0 Los artículos firmados no reflejan necesariamente la opinión de los editores. Para la reproducción total o parcial deberá hacerse expresa mención de la fuente. “Señal Internacional” es marca registrada de Fernando Calviño. Queda hecho el depósito que marca la ley 11.723. Registro Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual en trámite. Revista Señal Internacional es una publicación bimensual de Editorial Señal Internacional S.R.L.
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2ble Click US PAY TV MARKET TO FALL 26% IN 2015-2023
$27
BILLION DOLLARS WILL BE THE FORECASTED INDUSTRY´S DECLINE, TO TAKE THE DOWN TO $75.13 BILLION.
12 16%
• MILLION SUBSCRIBERS WILL DISSAPEAR FROM US CABLE TV BETWEEN 2010 AND 2023.
• SATELLITE TV REVENUES WILL FALL FROM $39.78 BILLION IN 2017 TO $33.61 BILLION IN 2023, OR DOWN BY 16%.
CANADA POWER • PAY TV PENETRATION IN CANADA REACHED A HIGHPOINT IN 2013 AT 85.1%. THE LEVEL WILL FALL TO 74.8% BY 2023.
IMAGINA AND IMAGEN TV MEXICO TO ADAPT “PEPES´S BEACH BAR”
RECORD TV “APOCALYPSE” BREAKS RATINGS IN BRAZIL The last bilical drama of Record TV, “Apocalypse” rached great ratings in Brazil and consolidated in the second place in local Free TV. The show had the best audience of the year with 11 average points for the second time of the year on March 12th, with highs of 15 points and 15% of share. With 170 episodes and written by Vivián de Olvieria, “Apocalypse” imagines how the last book of the New Testament, The Book of Revelations or San Juan’s Apocalypse, could come to life: with a choral, ambitious and international plot set in Brazil, Italy, the US and Israel.
Imagina International Sales has closed an agreement with Imagen Televisión for the Mexican adaptation of the series “Pepe’s Beach Bar”. The series, produced by Mediaset España together with Mediapro Group’s 100 Balas production company, was broadcasted on Telecinco’s primetime, and achieved excellent audience ratings, becoming the leading primetime show throughout the entire first season. With the provisional title of “Changarrito de Pepe”, the Mexican adaptation will have 60 episodes and will start to be shot in 2018 in some emblematic spot of the Mexican coast, still to be determined. “Pepe’s Beach Bar” tells the story of the adventures of a world famous chef who was awarded several Michelin stars and must refloat his father’s beach bar business.
AMAZON TO STREAM MEXICAN VERSION OF “FALCO” Spiral International signed an agreement with Amazon Prime Video to bring the Mexican adaptation of “Falco”, the German crime story, exclusively to its streaming service in Latin America. The show is currently in production in Mexico City and is set to premiere later this year. It is produced by Spiral International and production powerhouse Dynamo (“Narcos”, “American Made”), and will feature Michel Brown (“Sr. Ávila”) in the lead role. The series is showrun and directed by acclaimed Mexican filmmaker, director and screenwriter Ernesto Contreras (“Blue Eyelids”, “I Dream in Another Language”, etc.) 12 · SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL
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FOX SECURES SCRIPTED FORMAT DEAL WITH MAJOR US NETWORK
“SANDRO” REVOLUTIONS ARGENTINEAN PRIMETIME The premiere of “Sandro of América” on Telefe became the most watched broadcast of 2018. The show debuted on March 5th with an average of 15.4 rating points and 49.8% of share. Rather than the traditional format of running weekly, the show premiered starting on Monday and airing nightly through Thursday, at 10:30 p.m. The movie-quality series features a well-known cast, including Agustín Sullivan, Marco Antonio Caponi and Antonio Grimau, who play Sandro throughout three different stages of his life. “Sandro of América” is co-produced by The Magic Eye and General Video, with the support of the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA). The show is based on the book “Sandro de América” by Graciela Guiñazú and is directed by Israel Adrián Caetano. Esther Feldman wrote the scripts alongside a team of writers. The project began three years ago when The Magic Eye Director, Juan Parodi, realized the power of biopics genre.
PATRICIO WILLS, NEW PRESIDENT OF TELEVISA STUDIOS The bonds between Univision and Televisa are becoming tighter as both companies undergo major restructuring and share resources and managers. Patricio Wills, who helped Univision launch joint venture W Studios, was named President of Televisa Studios, a new unit within the Mexican media company. In his new role, he’ll supervise talent and oversee all development and content production, except news and sports. He’ll be reporting to Isaac Lee, Chief Content Officer for Televisa and Univision. His arrival displaces Rosy Ocampo, a longtime Corporate VP of Content at Televisa.
Fox Networks Group Content Distribution confirmed that a US version of its popular Latin American series “Lynch” will be going to pilot for The CW this year. “Lynch” ran three seasons and 30 hour-long episodes on Fox Latin America, is a dark comedy telling the story of a funeral home owner who sets up a sideline in helping people who need to disappear. The show was produced by Fox Telecolombia, with Paula Massa as executive producer across all three seasons. The American pilot of the format will be called “Playing Dead” and will be written by Rina Mimoun and Josh Reims, who will also executive produce along with Tariq Jalil and Lucas Carter of Intrigue Entertainment. CBS Television Studios will produce in association with Intrigue Entertainment.
UNIVERSAL CINERGIA OPENS A NEW STUDIO IN BRAZIL Universal Cinergia has officially opened its new dubbing studio in São Paulo, starting operations with the dubbing of the successful series “El Señor de Los Cielos” to Portuguese. Luciene Andreotti will be the Artistic Director of the new studio. The new Brazilian facilites are a necessary movement for the company since Universal Cinergia signed a contract with Netflix as a “Dubbing Vendor Whitelist” for the Portuguese language. The providers on that list are recommended to the clients of the platform when they search for specific services. “It is a tremendous achievement for our company because we work with great effort and professionalism,” Liliam Hernandez, President and CEO of Universal Cinergia said. “Although that does not guarantee projects, it puts us in a position of much more visibility and potential to obtain new clients from different territories, who need Portuguese dubbing, “ she added. SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL 2018
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KEY DATA Amazon’s top shows drew more than 5 million people worldwide to its Prime service in 2017, according to company documents, revealing for the first time how the retailer’s bet on original video is paying off.
FILMAX BRINGS ITS LATEST HIT TO MIPTV “Welcome to the Family” is the latest launch from Filmax’s TV production outfit Arca Audiovisual for TV3, and it has became the network’s most successful fiction premiere in ten years. The show started January 22nd and as the most-watched programme of the day in Catalonia. The Catalan TV channel’s new comedy racked up a spectacular average of 777,000 viewers, with more than 10% of the whole population of Catalonia tuned in to watch the series premiere. With an outstanding 25.8% audience share, it was TV3’s most successful premiere in ten years. In the last few weeks, the series produced by the creators of “I Know Who You Are” and “The Red Band Society” continued to perform well locally, proving that they are filmmakers who know how to connect with their audience, no matter what genre they are working with. “Welcome to the Family” stars Melani Olivares as Angela, a courageous single mom, who’s struggling to provide for her three kids, Fran, David, and Sara. 14 · SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL
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ANIMATION AND LIVE ACTION, THE MONDO MIX Mondo TV will have a new slate for MIPTV this year, catering to a range of ages, from preschoolers to teens, with “Invention Story” and the “Heidi Bienvenida” franchise among the highlights. For the preschool set, “Invention Story” is a co-production from Henan York Animation and Mondo TV that tells the tale of an intelligent and creative fox who creates a new invention in each episode. At the same time, Mondo TV will showcase the first season of the “Heidi Bienvenida” franchise, “Heidi Bienvenida a Casa”, as well as the second season, “Heidi Bienvenida al Show”. “The first season of ‘Heidi’ made its entry into the markets of Europe and the Middle East with additional sales to Russia, Israel and the pay TV channel DSTV Kids, of Portuguese Africa,” Maria Bonaria Fois, General Manager of Mondo TV Iberoamérica, anticipated.
FREMANTLE LOCKS RIGHTS FOR THE FIRST “AMERICAN IDOL” IN THE UK The iconic series that revolutionized the US television landscape by pioneering the music competition genre, goes global as FremantleMedia International completes deals for the new series in 150 territories. The latest deal to have been completed is with Amazon Prime Video UK, which will see American Idol air exclusively in the UK the day after it first airs in the US. “To see one of the biggest entertainment shows on a streaming service is a not only a first, but testament to the appetite for ‘American Idol’ and will be a whole new way to reach fans of the series,” Jamie Lynn, EVP, Head of Sales and Distribution, EMEA for Fremantle said. /senalint
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BANIJAY EXPANDS ITS GERMAN PRESENCE
DISCOVERY COMPLETES $12 BILLION TAKEOVER OF SCRIPPS NETWORKS
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS COMPLETED ITS MERGER WITH SCRIPPS NETWORKS INTERACTIVE AND ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE SCRIPPS TELEVISION CHANNELS HGTV, FOOD NETWORK AND TRAVEL CHANNEL.
All3media sets
up first “Families at the Crossroads”
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Latin American Adaptation All3media International concluded a landmark new deal, as Filmpool’s “Families at the Crossroads” was acquired for local adaptation by Chilean national broadcaster TVN. Filmpool is the German-based sister company to All3media international. This marks the first commission in the region for the Constructed Reality genre, defined by its production technique, which has proven to be highly successful in Central and Eastern Europe. TVN has picked up 60 scripts for adaptation by producer Bowen DDRio, with the series set to launch later this year. The deal is the first commission for Filmpool’s portfolio of constructed reality titles outside the CEE region.
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Banijay Group created a brand new production company in Germany, Banijay Productions Germany. Award-winning industry veteran Arno Schneppenheim, former founder of Endemol Shine-owned German production company Florida TV, will run Banijay Productions Germany from its headquarters in Cologne.
“Conspiracy of Silence” to premiere at MIPTV
Brand new Viaplay original “Conspiracy of Silence” will have an exclusive premiere screening at MIPTV, giving international buyers a first opportunity to see the series before its launch later this year on Viaplay’s platforms across Scandinavia. Produced by Brain Academy, “Conspiracy of Silence” is a thrilling drama that shines a light on the corrupt Swedish weapons industry. The series highlights both the shattered personal lives that the weapons business leaves in its wake, and the moral hypocrisy that allows the trade to flourish. Eccho Rights will have the international distribution of the series.
billion dollars will be Netflix´s investment on new content for 2018. The streaming company will boost its number of original shows by 700 during this year.
GLOBO SHOOTS THE SECOND SEASON FOR “UNDER PRESSURE” Season two of “Under Pressure” is now being filmed in Brazil, coproduced between Globo and Conspiração Filmes. Available in Globo’s 4K catalog, the first season was overwhelmingly successful in Brazil, reaching an average of 40.2 million viewers per episode, and 44 million in its first episode.
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PRODUCTION “History of Football” is a History´s groundbreaking production that will be aired in over 160 territories. Patrick Vien, Executive Managing Director at A+E Networks International, and Dan Korn, Executive Producer and VP of Programming at A+E UK, describes the show.
m Dan Korn, David Villa, and Patrick Vien
A Worldwide TV Event in the Run-Up to the World Cup
A
+E Networks International launched the worldwide broadcast of “History of Football”, a 14-day, 24/7, mega television event, running from May 28 to June 10. Set to broadcast on History, the event will have David Villa, Spanish player and World Cup Winner, as the global press spokesperson. “As one of the world’s leading non-fiction media brands, History is continually looking for ways of cutting through the ‘clutter’, to tell stories of genuine global and cultural significance in an entirely unique way. There is no bigger, more popular global sport than football and no bigger, more iconic sporting spectacle than The World Cup. It’s rich history, heritage, and importance in people’s lives, is tailor-made for History to unpack and capture in a unique collection of immersive documentaries and stories, distributed in all forms of media and across its many platforms in over 160 countries,” Patrick Vien, Executive Managing Director at A+E Networks International said. “To fans, football is so much more than just a game. Key moments in football history symbolize the conflict in the hearts of communities around the world. As such, ‘History of Football’ will give fans extraordinary opportunities to engage with History in new and exciting ways. Social media activations including polls, Q+A with experts, discussions, and interactions with local
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football brands will help inspire entire countries to join the conversation to debate and share opinions on some of the most influential players, managers and moments in the game’s history,” Vien added. “History of Football” will air in over 160 territories around Europe, Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Every major territory will present over 40 hours of content which will be a blend of global and local programming. “Whilst we have a core of three major documentary series and a short-form series in common to all 160 territories, it was clearly important that each territory be able to overlay that with bespoke local programming and positioning, specific to its own history and culture,” Dan Korn, Executive Producer of ‘History of Football’ and VP Programming for A+E UK, said.
“There is no bigger, more popular global sport than football and no bigger, more iconic sporting spectacle than The World Cup”
“As we expand our international businesses, our mantra is to think global and act local, to reinforce the notion that, while the World Cup is a global celebration of the world’s greatest game, football has its own brand of cultural and social significance, and its own identity, in each country where it is played. What makes it so fascinating is that it’s invariably an extension of national character that manifests itself in the way the different teams, their leading players and their fans, express themselves on and off the pitch,” Patrick Vien said.
GLOBAL AND LOCAL History channels around the world will also broadcast locally-sourced television series and documentaries that will offer a unique lens into each country’s particular passions for football. Supported by David Villa and many other established players, coaches, journalists and experts, “History of Football” will be a deep exploration of the sport from multiple perspectives. “The show embodies the History brand, which prides itself on telling the world’s greatest stories. With our heritage and integrity in historic documentary production, only History can bring a global event like this together. It’s the kind of epic story that our brand thrives on. We are reinforcing History by creating and curating a unique collection of hitherto untold stories, that have never been seen or heard in this way before, from a 360 perspective,” Vien described. By Diego Alfagemez /senalint
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OVERVIEW
A place to discuss a challenging
time for TV
Señal Internacional covered INTV 2018, the annual conference organized by the Keshet Media Group. The event included presentations of leading global executives who expressed their strategies to adapt to an entirely new business scenario.
K
eshet Media Group organized the fifth edition of the Innovative TV Conference (INTV), the annual event that took place on March 12th and 13th in Jerusalem, Israel. For the first time, Señal Internacional covered the conference, that gathered more than 500 attendants including writers, directors, producers, and key global executives of the television industry who discussed the challenges and changes that the television industry is facing today. During the event, speakers alluded to the moment of transition that television lives today, with new consuming trends, global audiences that demand premium content, new players, and a new determined competition. That new context defined a complicated panorama, but also an opportunity, not only for networks and emerging platforms, but also for producers, writers, directors, and talents. The most important panel of INTV 2018 took place on the first day of the event, starring four of the most outstanding Hollywood executives: Casey Bloys, q “Women Wonder. What´s Next for Them”
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m YMCA facilities in Jerusalem.
Programming President at HBO; David Nevins, CEO at Showtime; Gary Newman, Chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group; and Kevin Reilly, President of TBS & TNT, and CCO at Turner. “Competition is every company that can be listed and so are our buyers, including Netflix. It’s a complicated landscape, you cannot hurt feelings or hold grudges because today we compete against them, but tomorrow they can buy us something,” Gary New-
“Competition is every company that can be listed and so are our buyers, including Netflix”
man explained. David Nevins remarked that all the panel members represent a competition and that today they are fighting for the attention and intention of the audience, but also for the talents, and subscriber´s dollars. “At the same time, we can have complementary business as well. Streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon have also been good for business in general. I don’t think that someone’s success is to the detriment of another,” he expressed. Diversity was a big topic at INTV 2018. In an industry that is still ruled mostly by white man, the event tried to break that model. Sigal Avin, Executive Producer of “The Crown”; Jeanne Newman, Partner at HJTH; Sandra Stern, President of Lionsgate Television Group, referred to the #Metoo movement. They all agreed that something is changing in the audiovisual industry, and women must fight for greater inclusion and for never tolerating sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior. Eleonora Andreatta, Director of Rai Fiction; Kristin Jones, Senior International Programming of AMC Networks; Francesca Orsi, EVP, Co-Head of Drama /senalint
m Avir Nir (KESHET), Rick Rosen (WME), Casey Bloys (HBO), Kevin Reilly (TURNER), Gary Newman (FOX), David Nevins (SHOWTIME).
m “The Ultimate Power Panel. Five Hollywood Chiefs on One Stage of HBO; and Christian Wikander, Co-Production Director at Twelve Town discussed the future of international coproduction. All executives remarked that they are all working in a global market, where launches are globally simultaneous, and the competition is very aggressive. “This scenario also allows us to reach markets that were previously unthinkable for us,” Eleonora Andreatta said. NEW MODELS The new consumption and programming trends were a big topic at the event as well. New players (digital platforms and social media) are playing a fundamental role in reaching global audiences. For that reason, Snapchat’s Original Content Director, Sean Mills, explained how the storytelling process is evolving on the platform, and reaffirmed that terrific stories could be told in several chapters. “Many great novels are told in short bursts, and we believe that you can tell great stories on a mobile device,” he expressed. David Rhodes, President of CBS News, was another prominent executive at the event. He said that the fake news environment is a real problem for two main reasons: they spread rapidly through social media and reache an impressive amount of people. “Digital platforms do not invest much effort in detecting false news, they are not doing a good job in this sense,” Rhodes said. HBO had an exclusive panel with the presence of Casey Bloys, President of Programming; David Levine, EVP, CoHead of Drama; and Francesca Orsi, EVP, Co-Head of Drama and Partner at WME.
3 m Yonit Levi (Channel 2) and Rick Rosen (WME) They explained the details of the “Games of Thrones” project from its original roots. “We thought it was a good story, but a little bit strange, with incestuous relationships, dragons, and many characters involved,” Orsi said. The executive promised that the end of the series will not disappoint their fans. “When we read the last six scripts everyone stood up and clapped for twenty minutes. It was incredible”, she said.
m Marc Korman (WME) and Avi NIr (KESHET) the presence of Omri Givon from “When Heroes Fly,” Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky from “Autonomies,” Keren Margalit from “Sleeping Bears,” Adir Miller from “Miller’s Crossing,” who spoke about their experience on those shows. Later on the second day of INTV, David Levine of HBO discussed with Yoram Mokady, VP Content of HOT the future of Dark Drama. “We try to tell stories in the most real way possible, even in a fictio-
“Streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon have also been good for business in general” Gary Newman, Chairman & CEO at Fox Television Group, participated in a face-to-face talk with Danna Stern, Managing Director at Yes Studios. Newman talked about the return of iconic series such as “24,” “Prison Break,”, and “X -Files”. “It is, above all, a marketing opportunity, people are already aware of the shows, and there’s no need to create awareness. In the current world, getting an advantage over marketing is a precious opportunity,” he defined. ISRAEL POWER The host country made a special presentation with “Israel’s Drama Creators Show and Tell” panel. The session had
nal world. The worst TV moments were when we became cynical and stopped showing the world as a place that could be better. When we reversed that trend, we started to produce better television. The audience will not connect with a world without hope,” Levine stated. To finish the fifth edition of INTV, attendees enjoyed the “Behind the Scenes” of the acclaimed series “The Crown”. Martin Childs, Production Designer; Andy Harries, Executive Producer and CEO at Left Bank Pictures; and Suzanne Mackie, Executive Producer and Creative Director at Left Bank Pictures, lead the session. Por Romina Rodríguez SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL 2018
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OVERVIEW
The Merge & Acquisition
W Boom
ith ownerto 54 in 2017). In comparison, ship of TV acquisitions of unscripted proprogramducers have grown at a more m i n g modest 8%, due to the shift of rights bemerger and acquisition activicoming a vital asset in the ty to scripted producers. international TV market, proOwnership of TV content rights has duction company mergers LEADING COMPANIES become a vital asset in the international and acquisitions have conThe leading production netinued to rise over the past tworks for mergers and acarena, so production company mergers five years. This type of activiquisitions were ITV Studios and acquisitions have continued to rise ty has grown at a 19.4% comand Fremantle Media, both of over the past five years. Deal activity pound annual growth rate, which invested in a large numspiked in 2017, with 102 mergers and increasing from 42 deals in ber of start-up content-pro2013 to 102 deals in 2017, acduction companies in the past acquisitions. cording to IHS Markit, a world few years. Of the 77 start-up leader in critical information, companies launched between analytics and solutions. “The rising number of industry mergers 2013 and 2017, 32 were drama specialists. Nearly half of these 32 and acquisitions annually was fueled by a number of factors,” said drama specialists were launched in 2017, reflecting the very signiTim Westcott, Director of Research and Analysis for Programming ficant percent surge in scripted drama investment. “Start-ups are at IHS Markit. “As advertising comes under pressure and audienpredominantly launched by producers and creative talent with ces stray to on-demand platforms, broadcasters are exploring strong local market contacts, profile and channel commissioner new revenue sources from content production and distribution. relationships, vital ingredients for gaining the green light for new With increasing competition between traditional linear channels commissions,” said Aled Evans, Senior Research Analyst, Chanand online players, creating your own television content is a stronnels and Programming at IHS Markit. “The global producer neger option than licensing from third parties.” tworks offer these start-ups co-production finance mechanisms, Based on new information in the IHS Markit “Content Producer worldwide contacts and funding. In return, the investor company Mergers & Acquisitions” report, the United Kingdom ranked as the gains rights for programming to sell internationally.” most active market from 2013 to 2017, in terms of number of merGlobal production networks are not only buyers, but they are also gers and acquisitions. However, in terms of deal value, the United targets. Liberty Global has invested in established global produStates and China led the pack. “Both large and small companies cers All3Media, ITV, and Lionsgate, while Vivendi took an interest are trying to find ways to internationalize, which is why Chinese in Banijay Group and 21st Century Fox acquired a 50% stake in companies have been gobbling up production studios in the UniEndemol Shine. “These deals for global producer networks highlited States, and the major Hollywood studios have been building ght the strategic importance of owning content producers, for all local production networks in key foreign markets,” Westcott said. those wanting to attract and retain viewers, subscribers and the Increased investment in drama content by Netflix, Amazon, and revenues they deliver”. other content buyers has had a large hand in the rising volume of deals involving scripted producers. In fact, deals for scripted proBy IHS Markit ducers have grown at a significant 29.2% (from 15 deals in 2013
Content Producer Merge & Acquisitions Per Year, 2013 - 2017. Split by Genre
# OF MERGE AND ACQUISITIONS
120 100 28
80 60 33 40 20 0
19 24
15
12
11
2013
2014
2015
Both
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54 37
31
8
Source: IHS Markit
21
27
Scripted
15
20
2016
2017
Unscripted
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OVERVIEW war drama “Convoy” (ICTV/Victoria Film Studios/PRO-TV), and the historical drama “Mata Hari” (Inter and Star Media).
Ukrainian Content Production Boom
LOCAL SHARE
The quantity of locally produced shows tripled during the last four years, and broadcasters started commissioning more inexpensive content, ceasing foreign acquisitions.
A
udiovisual content production in Ukraine is a fast-developing industry, including feature-length films and animation. While the advertising market of the country is suffering a 300%+ currency devaluation, the quantity of locally produced content has tripled during the same period. Broadcasters started commissioning more inexpensive local content and dramatically ceased international acquisitions. Moreover, several years ago, before the devaluation, the average production cost of the local TV series varied from $50.000-100.000 per episode to the current $30.000-40.000. The boom of local series production started after the ban of airing large portion of Russia-produced content in mid-2015, which was dominant on Ukrainian TV for the last two and a half decades. The premiere of TV series in the air of Top-6 broadcasters (STB, Channel Ukraine, 1+1, ICTV, Inter and Novy Channel) and the growth of locally produced content are enormous. Research held by Media Resources Management (MRM) indicates that in 2013 there were 24 debuting series and mini-series of Ukrainian origin. Furthermore, in 2017 Top-
6 channels aired 57 new locally produced series. At the same time, the number of Russian premiere series on Ukrainian TV dropped from 2,680 episodes in 2013 to 36 episodes in 2017. Ratings indicate that the most popular shows on Ukrainian television are dramas. The best examples are “Captain-Girl” (Channel Ukraine/Abc-Film/Mercury Film/CB Cinema), “I Never Cry” (Channel Ukraine/ Ukrainian Production Studio), “Good Guy” (Korean “Nice Guy” adaptation), and “Happiness by Agreement” (STB/Valentin Opalev Studio). Ukraine is also producing new genres, like the second season of the comedy “Servant of the People” (1+1/ Kvartal 95), the
Premiere TV Series Produced by Ukraine and Russia on Top 6 Ukranian Channels 2013
2014
Number Number of series of episodes
Ukraine produced 24 Russia produced
176
24
519
32
732
60
1028
57
893
1524
30
422
3
12
3
36
Ukraine Russia coproduction
11
168
9
100
3
40
9
156
10
88
Total
211
3146
140
2143
65
1196
72
1196
70
1017
Source: Media Resources management
35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2015
2016
2017
2018
a year, while in 2015 the country had 29 local releases. According to the Ukrainian State Film Agency, in 2018 the number will grow to 49. The local films gathered more interest between local movie-goers. In 2017, four local releases made about 20 million hryvnas ($770,000): “Servant of the People 2,” “Dzidzio Contrabass,” “Cyborgs: Heroes Never Die,” and “The Stronghold”. In 2018 the Ukrainian-Latvian comedy “The Svingers” earned more than 22 million hryvnas ($840,000). Last March, the animation “The Stolen Princes” set a new box-office record for a Ukranian movie premiere, earning 21.5 million hryvnas ($820,000) at its opening weekend. By Media Resources Management
Source: Media Resources management
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Number Number of series of episodes
107
40
2014
2017
298
45
2013
2016
2680
50
2012
2015
Number Number Number Number Number Number of series of of series of of series of episodes episodes episodes
Ukranian Cinema Releases 2011 - 2018
2011
MRM data shows that the share of Ukrainian scripted TV in the country was 7% of all series aired in 2014, while the Russian series totaled 68%. Three years later, more than 39% of all televised series are from Ukraine (Russian – 33%). The share of non-scripted content TV grew from 20% to 30%, while the number of premiere non-scripted shows slightly decreased. Scripted content production boom in Ukraine will continue at least for the next few years too. Channel Ukraine launched 60 premiere series and mini-series, while STB twisted from non-scripted to drama series production, planning the shift for spring 2019. Other broadcasters are also starting to produce large volumes of scripted content. Last year, 2+2 channel aired seven premiere series with 134 episodes. Feature films production is also on the rise in Ukraine, due to the increase of state financial support. In 2011, Ukrainian cinemas released only one Ukranian film
2018
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DISTRIBUTION
“We are very selective with our slate of formats” İzzet Pinto, Founder & CEO of Global Agency, reveals the secrets behind the company’s success with formats and describes his objectives for the current year, which started with a major deal with Amazon Prime Video.
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lobal Agency started the year with a major deal. Amazon Prime Video began to air an Indian version of Turkish distributor’s music show “The Remix”. The format is the first ever unscripted Prime Original series of Amazon Prime Video and started to stream on March 9th across 200 countries worldwide. “‘The Remix’ has always been one of our most attractive formats for the buyers and its launch on Amazon Prime will be a milestone for us. It has already proved its success in Asia, especially in Vietnam, and achieved to be a massive hit with great ratings, beating the popular shows ‘The Voice’ and ‘The X Factor’,” says Izzet Pinto, Founder & CEO of Global Agency. Financially speaking, 2017 was a sales record year for Global Agency. “Even though we had a great year in 2016, we surpass it in 2017. I think 2018 will be much better. We closed a couple of deals, and some of the shows that we launched in 2017 came up very strong, especially ‘Evermore’,” Pinto declares. The success of Global Agency with the
“We are trying to grow in the French market. Europe is a core business for us in terms of formats, but for dramas we are focused on Latin America”
formats is not a coincidence, but a result of a business strategy. “If we watch a trailer and it catches us right away, we take it. That is why we are very selective when it comes to formats, because we want to make sure that they fits on a worldwide audience,” Pinto says. The Founder & CEO of Global Agency considers that the size of the format is not vital for its global expansion. “Sometimes, smaller daily formats open new business. For example, our biggest daily fomat is ‘Shopping Monsters’. Our clients produce over 200 episodes per year, so suddenly it became a big format. It doesn’t have to be primetime,” the executive says. However, Pinto confesses himself as a big fan of some huge formats. “We launched ‘The Legend’ last year and it will be huge. It is taking more time than I expected, but once it becomes a success in one territory, then you know it is going to be sold to different countries,” Pinto adds.
m Izzet Pinto
DIFFERENT GENRES In Izzet Pinto’s words, when it comes to formats, talent shows are second to none. “In an entertainment show we can pass the emotions and that is the factor that make them reach a global scale”. However, he highlighted other genres too: “When we look at our bestselling formats, they are either styling formats or cooking shows, which also do great.” Nevertheless, Global Agency is doing well on scripted shows too, specially dramas. The company closed deals for its show “Evermore” in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Greece and Georgia. Broadcasters like Tring TV Albania, Nova TV Croatia, Televizija Vijesti Montenegro, BTV Bulgaria, Hayat Bosnia, Kanal D Romania, Rustavi 2 Georgia, and Mega TV Greece bought the drama. “When we acquire dramas, we have to make sure that they have an international well-known cast. That is a big plus,” Pinto assures. The Founder & CEO of Global Agency explained that the company is trying to reach new markets in Europe and Latin America. “We are trying to grow in the French market. Europe is a core business for us in terms of formats, but for dramas we focused on Latin America. Several Turkish stars became famous in the region, which is a great help for the expansion of our shows”, Pinto concluded. By Federico Marzullo
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/senalint
DISTRIBUTION
“We will find and provide the best premium content” m Patricia Jasin
Patricia Jasin, the new VP of International Sales at TV Azteca International, analyzes the challenges of her new position and explains her contribution to a renewed company.
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arly this year, Patricia Jasin was named VP of International Sales at TV Azteca International. The executive has a vast experience in the audiovisual industry and is now in charge of content sales and the distribution of Pay TV channels of the Mexican company. Jasin talked with Señal Internacional and described the challenges and advantages that TV Azteca will face this year. “For me, it’s both a challenge and a pleasure to integrate the team of TV Azteca in the midst of the group’s rebirth, regarding its production and distribution strategy. I will have the opportunity of working together with very talented and respected professionals,” Jasin expressed about her new responsibilities. By the end of 2017, Azteca began to change its directive structure. Alberto Ciurana is be now responsible for pro-
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“I am here to add dynamism to the international division, from the content production to the Pay TV department” gramming, operations, and production at the company, including other changes in Azteca Uno and Azteca 7. Jasin considered that Azteca is prepared to keep its leadership position in the new international landscape, guaranteeing the same innovative and alternative content it has delivered to its audience in the last 25 years. “We will expand the limits of our catalog, and one example of this strategy is the reality competition ‘Exatlon,’ which became the leader show in Mexico. We will have several big news in the next months”. The VP of International Sales highlighted that TV Azteca’s global strategy for 2018 consists in looking for “new solutions to find and provide the best premium content. At the same time, we want to increase our
links with international companies who share our expansion objective”. At the same time, Jasin specified that her experience as an independent business woman and her work with smaller organizations would help her to have a “sharp eye for new commercial solutions and opportunities that may not be perceived from the perspective of the corporate world. I am here to add dynamism to the international division, from the content production to the Pay TV department”. NEW DEALS TV Azteca recently sold its super-production “Iron Lady” (80×60’) to the Dominican media company Telecentro, and to Kana TV in Ethiopia. The show tells the story of Silvana Durán (Iliana Fox), a lawyer who climbs to the highest ranks of the General Secretariat of Justice with the intention of capturing her father’s murderer, Diego Trujillo (Alejandro Camacho), one of the most dangerous men in the country. The series has launched in a prime-time slot in Ethiopia. Another big highlight at MIPTV for the division led by Patricia Jasin will be “Indomable by Nature,” a television series of wild nature, which deals with the endemic fauna of Mexico, narrated by the actor and naturalist Arturo Islas. By Lucila Rivadeneira Cuvry
/senalint
DISTRIBUTION
The meaning of blending the best
global content
Özge Bulut Maraşlı, CEO of Kanal D Internacional, explains the international appeal of “Mehmed the Conqueror” and describes the company’s new content development strategy.
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anal D International launched four new dramas this year, “Wildrose,” “Broken,” “Fallen Apart 2,” and “Mehmed the Conqueror”, which is the Turkish company greatest launch for 2018. “‘Mehmed the Conqueror’ will be the most significant success of 2018,” Özge Bulut Maraşlı, CEO of Kanal D International, explained to Señal Internacional. “All our dramas are also important for our strategy. We hope that those titles allow us to grow in the regions where we have a business and expand into territories that we never penetrated yet,” she added. Kanal D has enormous expectations around the potential of “Mehmed the Conqueror,” but Bulut Maraşlı explained that the company would release two new dramas during the year since they already started to work on the summer programming strategy. “Kanal D is a leading broadcaster both in Turkey and internationally, so we are working very hard to have the best content,” Bulut Maraşlı said.
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The upcoming new launches will have the help of D Productions, a company owned by Doğan TV that produces a minimum of two new original contents per year. “Producing our own content is crucial for us. In addition, we established a co-production division with an important role in our future plans. That area is working on different business models for several completely new projects,” the CEO of Kanal D International explained. PAY TV DRAMA At the last NATPE Miami, Kanal D made the global launch of Kanal D Drama, a new pay TV channel for the United States and Latin America. The new project brings together the best Turkish dramas in Spanish and entirely in high definition. “Kanal D Drama is a completely new business for
“Producing our own content is crucial for us. In addition, we established a coproduction division with an important role in our future plans”
m Özge Bulut Maraslı
the company, and we thought it was a great idea to launch it in Latin America, which is a very healthy market for us,” Bulut Maraşlı said. “Our plans for this year include the consolidation of our existing clients because we always have something new for them,” she added. Kanal D Drama will begin airing in June 2018 and will only broadcast Kanal D’s dramas in Spanish. “We believe that the Spanish-speaking audience will embrace our new dramas quickly,” the CEO of Kanal D International said. The new signal will include 12 series a year, 8 of them entirely new, and 80% of its content will be released for the first time, competing with the series that Kanal D will broadcast on the open TV. “We do not see this as a problem; we have a large library that can solve different programming needs on several platforms. We are very flexible, and we hope to be very successful with this new channel,” Bulut Maraşlı highlighted. The biggest hits of Turkish television, such as “The Girls of the Sun,” “Sweet Hope,” “Gumus,” and “Forbidden Love” are just some of the titles of the programming strategy of Kanal D Drama. “Our stories will make audiences to live the love, hope, struggle, and endless universal emotions that make the scenarios of Turkey a familiar place with which they will easily identify,” Bulut Maraşlı defined. By Romina Rodriguez
2018
INTERVIEW
“Ware Developing Lots of New Content” Hans Ulrich Stoef, CEO of Studio 100 Media & m4e, highlights the new focus of the company in year one after its merger, and describes the key factors to consider when making a show that appeals broadly to both boys and girls.
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he Munich-based media companies Studio 100 Media and m4e started the year with several new projects. The company is developing the live-action series “Vicky” and closed a deal with the Brazilian distributor PlayArte Pictures for the theatrical, home video and free TV rights of “Maya the Bee – The Honey Games”. Hans Ulrich Stoef, CEO of Studio 100 Media & m4e, describes the strategy of the mereged company. Where are Studio 100 Media and m4e in year one after its merger? “Studio 100 Media and m4e have moved into new offices last fall and since then have indeed became one big family. Although we are still operating as single companies, having the staff under one common roof has the most positive effects on using all synergies concerning our national and international activities. During the last year we have set the path for an exciting future by bringing our activities and our
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m Hans Ulrich Stoef
production slates together and having added new company subsidiaries like Josh Selig’s Little Airplane Productions”. What was the strategy behind the acquisition of Little Airplane Productions? “By acquiring Josh Selig’s Little Airplane Productions, we have access to a portfolio of great preschool properties and add the expertise of an Emmy award winning team to our production environment consisting of Studio 100 Animation in Paris, France and Flying Bark Productions in Sydney, Australia. This step is completing our production efforts in terms of preschool content and at the same time it give us access to the huge and important US market”. Does the merge and acquisitions create a new production powerhouse? “Regarding our production efforts, we are developing lots of new content. Combining the strengths of two successful companies such as Studio 100 and m4e with all their properties, the library features more than 17,000 episodes of kids and family entertainment programs and adding a strong production slate with promising properties for the future, we are about to establish one of the leading company groups for kids & family entertainment worldwide”. What are key factors to consider when making a show 2018
might even decide to introduce elements for the other gender, but never to balance things out. When we do, it is more of adding a layer than trying to soften certain gender-specific elements with similar elements for the other gender. We don’t compromise for gender reasons. We only enrich for such reasons”.
m “Maya the Bee”
that appeals broadly to both boys and girls? “When developing a show for a pre-school audience, we always look at involving both genders in the main cast and try to put in elements that have a direct appeal to both genders individually. Preschool kids tend to have less issues with the gender theme. If we’re producing for an older target group, we don’t look at gender during the initial development, or we do, if we develop for a specific gender. Depending on the show’s concept, we
Which is the focus of the company for MIPTV? “We are coming to Cannes with a brand-new season of the preschool program ‘Tip the Mouse’, now offering 78 funny and adventure-driven episodes for kids and families. With ‘Arthur and the Minimoys’ we stay in a tiny environment and re-visit a fantastic world of the Minimoys. More titles that we feature at MIPTV are ‘Maya the Bee’ with the second season now broadcasted internationally, ‘Mia and me’ for which season four and a feature film are in pre-production, or ‘Wissper’ where a second season is in pre-production as well”. By Diego Alfagemez
“With promising properties for the future, we are about to establish one of the leading company groups for kids & family entertainment worldwide” /senalint
INTERVIEW
“‘The Pit’ is an exciting story, with high production values” Can Okan, Founder and CEO of Inter Medya, describes the global potential of the last Ay Yapim production, “The Pit”, and defines the company´s growing business on the formats genre.
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uring the last DISCOP Dubai, Inter Medya pre-launched its newest drama series, “The Pit”. Produced by Ay Yapim and broadcasted by Show TV in Turkey, the series received exceptional interest from buyers in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Can Okan, Founder and CEO of Inter Medya, dialogued with Señal Internacional and described the global potential of the show. What expectatinos do you have around the launch of the “The Pit”? “We soft-launched our newest title only a month ago at Discop. Produced by Ay Yapim and featuring actors Aras Bulut Iynemli and Dilan Cicek Deniz, ‘ThePit’ is the story of a young man named Yamac, who comes from an influential family ruling over Cukur, a neighborhood in Istanbul. Torn between his love, his family, and his district, Yamac has no idea that his life is never going to be the same when he has to go back to Cukur to become the head of the family. Since Discop, it has attracted the attention of
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buyers from various territories with deals in Georgia and Chile. We firmly believe that the exciting story, high production values, and great acting will appeal to the international market and with the actual launch planned during MIPTV, we are confident to finalize some sales in Cannes”. How would you describe the importance of the partnership between Inter Medya and Ay Yapim? “Our partnership with Ay Yapim started in 2013 when we started distributing ‘Red Scarf’. After that, we expanded our cooperation representing ‘20 Minutes’, ‘Black Money Love’, and ‘Endless Love’. Over the years, we have proudly sold these titles in over 130 countries, and at MIPTV we will be launching another Ay Yapim production, which will achieve high international sales shortly”. How would you describe the features that “The Perfect Couple” will offer at MIPTV? “The format is an original dating reality format, developed by DMT Producciones, a successful production company based in Bogota, Colombia. Besides the international distribution of the show, we entered a coproduction deal. What makes the show so unique and interesting is that participants must only compete at physical challenges, but they need to build emotional relations with each other in order not to be eliminated. We believe that it’s a huge advantage to have the production hub already set on a private island near Cartagena, a city famous for its white beaches and turquoise water. The hub includes not only the beach house and the various spots for games but also a house for
m Can Okan
the crew with easy access to the mainland, greatly facilitating the shooting and production of the show”. What trends do you observe in the format business? “It’s beyond doubt that we are in an age of technology. In the recent years, we have seen an inevitable tendency for formats with technological content. The use of second screens for voting systems or gaming are high in demand. On the other hand, the oldest genre in format business, high-quality quiz shows are still popular and continue to be on air with strong ratings in many countries. Action, realities, and dating formats are back on screens, and they are becoming trendy again in the global TV market”. By Diego Alfagemez
“Our partnership with Ay Yapim started in 2013, and we have proudly sold their shows to more than 130 countries” /senalint
DISTRIBUTION
A New International
Brand Awareness Scott Kirkpatrick, Senior Vice President of North and South America at DRG, unveils the critical elements of the reloaded strategy of the company, with the Americas as a new crucial region.
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ast September, the independent distributor DRG appointed 7A Media as its first-ever agent for Latin America and US Hispanic. The new approach of the company around the region is a crucial element in the reloaded global strategy. “We will respond to the specific demands of the clients and build relationships with local broadcasters,” Scott Kirkpatrick, Senior Vice President of North and South America for DRG, explained. Kirkpatrick’s original position in DRG was to oversee sales to North America, but since the company noticed that they were not getting much revenue from South America, the region was added to the executive’s responsibilities. “It doesn’t work to use the same approach for North and South America. The business structure of deals and the ability to choose content are very different in both territories”, Kirkpatrick explained. The executive observed that to create long-term partnerships, it is necessary to invest. “Latin America has an excellent economy and infrastructure for media. Now it is more lucrative to produce content locally. That’s why, rather than forcing international content in, we are introdu-
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“It doesn’t work to use the same approach for North and South America. The business structure of deals and the ability to choose content are very different” cing local entertainment formats and bring shows that are already dubbed”. Kirkpatrick also emphasized the US and UK markets “work on other episode counts and other themes. Comedy doesn’t perform well, for example”. The goal of the partnership with 7A Media is to create opportunities and maximize returns in the region from the wide-ranging DRG catalog. “César Díaz has the right connections, he knows the language and the sensibilities of the territory, and he has been working in the region for a very long time,” Kirkpatrick highlighted. “My hope is not only to find the right home for all our programs, but also to build brand awareness of our company. We need to build partnerships and trust relationships with each of the channels, leverage our library, see if it meets the standards of each
m Scott Kikpatrick
channel, and engineer the selling and buying process,” he added.
RENEWED APPROACH DRG’s business has been multiplying in the Americas. Last year, the company made some significant sales such as “Kate Middleton’s Wardrobe Secrets” to DirecTV, “My Mother Diana” to Telefe and “Honey I Bought the House” to Discovery Latin America. “In our growth path, we will invest a lot in dubbing. It is one of the main tools to find new partners. It’s costly to dub content, but it is incorrect to expect small Free TV channels throughout the region to incur in that expense or pay for extra license fees. Instead, we are investing in neutral dubs, developed by respectable Mexican and US companies that already work with Latin American TV channels,” Kirkpatrick said. The Senior Vice President of North and South America for DRG mentioned that the company is also renovating its library. “It is ready for success for Free TV, Pay TV, SVOD and streaming platforms of the region.” He also said that those new contents have great potential in South America. “We will offer universal themes and things we all understand. We found growth in the US with that model, which we will adapt to the US Hispanic and Latin American values,” Kirkpatrick concluded. By Lucila Rivadeneira Cuvry /senalint
INTERVIEW
“We attract the attention of buyers from all around the world”
m Aysegul Tuzun
Aysegul Tuzun, VP of Sales & Marketing at Mistco, describes the recent global sales of the Turkish TRT dramas, and the new focus over genres like animation, documentaries, and TV movies.
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istco started 2018 with huge deals around the world. “Resurrection: Ertugrul” period drama will arrive to TVN Chile, which is already promoting the series under the local title “Ertugrul, su corazón grita libertad”. Since the Turkish distributor is now facing many new deals, Aysegul Tuzun, VP of Sales & Marketing of the company, talked with Señal Internacional. What does it mean for Mistco to reach new deals for “Resurrection: Ertugrul” in Chile, Bolivia, and US Hispanic? “We are very proud to entered Latin America with the highest-rated Turkish drama ever. We have signed three deals at the same time; with TVN in Chile, ATB in Bolivia, and VME for the US
Hispanic. It means a lot for us. ‘Resurrection: Ertugrul’ has fans all around the world and after our worldwide sales we acknowledged how people perceived the story and its emotions. We sincerely believe that these three last sales in the Americas will be followed by many new deals in the territory with our other successful titles”. Which will be the next expansion steps of the series after the recent deals? “We are the exclusive sales agent of the biggest Turkish TV network, TRT. We don´t offer only top-rated dramas, but also animation, documentaries, and TV movies. We attract the attention of buyers from all around the world. It is undeniable that ‘Resurrection: Ertugrul’ is still our most important content, since we entered to new territories like Mongolia, Kirghizstan, Tunisia, and Iraq with the show”. What are the recent global businesses of the “The Last Emperor”? “We signed a deal in Albania and we are about to announce new deals in new regions. The series has a unique story and
“We can consider and evaluate any coproduction deal from any part of the world”
What is the new catalog and focus of Mistco for MIPTV? “Regarding our recent sales worldwide, we must highlight the deals for ‘To Better Days’ and ‘The Prisoner of Love’. We sold both titles to Africa. Although they have a lot of competition they are performing great in terms of global sales. ‘The Prisoner of Love’ has a great romantic story and we have just closed deals with Imedi TV in Georgia and Astana TV in Kazakhstan. The series is a modern drama and the story of a contractual marriage between a rich man, who has no trust in women, and a poor girl, who desperately needs money for her father’s surgery. TRT animation will be an important highlight at MIPTV. Following our package deal with Netflix and new business in China and the Balkans, we sold a new package deal in MENA region for the best TRT kids animation series”. Does the company look forward to co-producing with global broadcasters? “We are always open to co-production projects, since TRT is the state channel, and now they are more interested on those kinds of projects than any other private channel. At Mistco we can consider and evaluate any co-production deal from any part of the world”. By Diego Alfagemez
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a high-end production. It is based on the real story of the strongest Ottoman Emperor in the 19th century, Abdulhamid Han, and contains all the elements of a successful TV show: power, hatred, love, rivalry, and treason. The series is currently airing second season in Turkey with huge ratings”.
2018
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SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL 2018
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INTERVIEW
“Xilam brings
cartoons with an
international appeal”
Morgann Favennec, EVP of Development and Global Sales at Xilam, explains the company’s goals for 2018 and analyses the current trends of the market regarding programming for kids and family.
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ilam is now producing and distributing original children’s and family entertainment content in both 2D and CGI formats across TV, film and digital media platforms. The company owns a catalog of more than 2,000 animated episodes and three feature films. In conversation with Señal Internacional, Morgann Favennec, Xilam’s EVP of Development and Global Sales, explained the company’s strategy, its goals for 2018 and analyses the current trends of the market. What is Xilam’s strategy when it comes to shaping its catalogue? “Since its creation more than 20 years ago, Xilam is renowned for bringing cartoons with an international appeal to the market. Today, as the worldwide demand for our content grows and as the company evolves, we aim to expand our catalog to new genres. Examples of how we have strategically diversified our offering include our new preschool show ‘Paprika,’ the documentary series for kids ‘If I Were An Animal.’ and our comedy reboot of ‘Mr. Magoo’”.
What are the primary expansion goals for 2018? “Our primary goals for 2018 are to finish securing strong and strategic partnerships for our reboot of ‘Mr. Magoo’ and to close pre-sales for a couple of projects currently in development. MIP Junior will also be a significant market for us as we are launching two new series. We will use the event as an opportunity for insightful meetings surrounding these launches”. How does the distribution of these shows change according to each client? “Distribution has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. In the late 1990, people would start the sales process by approaching a pay TV broadcaster first, following by a free TV broadcaster, and finally would finalize the sales cycle with a home video deal. Today, windowing has become crucial to harmonizing everyone’s demands, and understanding that what applies to one region or country will be completely different to another country.
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Do you observe any particular trend in the kids and family genre? “Globally, the appetite for animated comedies remains very strong. This trend also applies to classic educational shows for preschoolers. Recently we have also seen a return and increase in the popularity of the action and adventure genre”.
2018
m Morgann Favennec
“Globally, the appetite for animated comedies remains very strong. This trend also applies to educational shows for preschoolers” You cannot barely duplicate scenarios as each program demands a tailored strategy. It´s crucial to work collaboratively with your colleagues across legal, marketing, licensing, and merchandising to define the best approach for each case”. Why have you decided to take “Oggy & the Cockroaches” to the gaming world? “‘Oggy & the Cockroaches’ is a cartoon that has racing and chasing embedded within the DNA of the show. It has created a natural transition for the show to translate into a game format and provides the fans with the perfect extension to the TV show”. How important are Xilam’s digital platforms in the company’s strategy? “With more than three million fans on Facebook, four apps generating six million downloads, two million subscribers and six billion views on YouTube, digital and social networks, in general, are key in our development strategy. They are vital in that they are the most direct line of communication between us and the viewers and fans of our content”. By Federico Marzullo /senalint
DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUCIÓN
m Muge Akar, Emre Gorentas y Ziyad Varol (ATV)
The Power of the Great Turkish Love Stories Muge Akar, Content Sales Deputy Manager at ATV, highlights the most recent launch of the company, “Lifeline,” and describes its international potential after the local success in Turkey.
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urkish free TV channel ATV recently took over the country’s primetime with its new drama “Lifeline”. The company first launched the production at NATPE 2018 and Muge Akar, Content Sales Deputy Manager of the company, hopes it will attract the interest of international buyers at MIPTV this year. In a chat with Señal Internacional, the executive explained the potential of the company’s dramas in the Latin American region, ATV distribution strategy for this year and she commented on the latest international deals. “Lifeline” debuted last January 31st, and during February the new Turkish drama won over Wednesday’s primetime slot in Turkish television and achieved 34% of share. “Lifeline” is the story of Nefes, a young woman sold to a psychopath and locked up in a house for eight years along with her son. At a certain moment, she meets the brave and handsome Tahir, who motivates her to fight for survival, freedom, and love. “We have big international projections around this show after its local performance in Turkey,” Akar said. At the same time, the executive announced the launch of ATV’s first daily series. “We have a powerful daytime programming and we have done re-runs of our best series. Now we are introducing a new drama that will air from Monday to Friday”, she anticipated.
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The Content Sales Deputy Manager at ATV also highlighted the power of “Orphan Flowers” and “Love and Hate,” since both will launch their second seasons. Both shows will be a key focus for the company at MIPTV. “‘Orphan Flowers’ has already been sold to Chile, Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, Mexico, and Uruguay. We are also dubbing ‘Love and Hate,’ for Mexico’s Imagen Television,” Akar described.
m “Lifeline”
conflicts, and women-oriented content,” she said. The executive explained the strategic diversification for Latin America. “Together with drama, there are other products that we want to introduce to the region. The main one is entertainment formats. Even though we don’t have our productions in Turkey, we hold the rights for many international titles,” Akar said.
“There are other products that we want to introduce to the region. The main one is entertainment formats” A year ago, ATV sold “Orphan Flowers” to Canal 13 in Chile along with “Wedlock” and “Don’t Worry about Me”. “Both shows can be aired in different time slots. It depends on the channels programming grid and the target of each audience,” Akar added.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES Muge Akar assured that the Latin American audiences are demanding the same kind of Turkish content they have been consuming over the last years. “The trend is to have love stories with young
Regarding the digital potential of ATV’s catalog in the digital platforms, the executive said that they are working with multiple offers for streaming rights. “We are working with Netflix in Turkey. For example, ‘Orphan Flowers’ is available there and we are open to any platform or technology,” Akar labeled. The first episode of “Orphan Flowers” was also a success on YouTube, gathering three million viewers in one week, apart from becoming trending topic on Twitter. By Lucila Rivadeneira Cuvry /senalint
INTERVIEW
“We will continue to push into scripted distribution” Charo Penedo, VP Sales, France, Italy, Iberia and Latin America at Cineflix Rights, explains the company’s worldwide strategy, describes its catalogue and analyses the current trends of the market.
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ineflix Rights is one the UK’s largest independent TV content distributors with a growing catalogue of 4,500 hours of sought-after programs from some of the world’s most creative producers. Its diversified factual and scripted shows cover a wide range of genres, including crime & investigation, documentaries & specials, history, factual entertainment, lifestyle, science & technology, wildlife & natural history, as well as formats. Charo Penedo, VP Sales, France, Italy, Iberia and Latin America at Cineflix Rights, explains Señal Internacional the company’s strategy. How do you analyse the potential of Cineflix Rights’ business in the Americas? “Both US Hispanic and Latin American markets are becoming more and more relevant for Cineflix’s overall business. In such fastgrowing markets, the opportunities of new partnerships are multiplying and becoming more real with every step. We have evolved from securing homes for some of our star franchises such as ‘Property Brothers’ (Discovery) and ‘Border Security’ (A&E) at a pan-regional level to go directly to local channels in individual territories, closing deals (Televisa in Mexico) and starting conversations for new partnerships (Colombia, Argentina, Brazil). In the US Hispanic particularly, several Spanish networks and platforms are evaluating our content and guiding us through their audiences’ preferences, particularly among factual genres and programming strategies. Our aim is to help our clients to cover these needs, whether with programs already aired in English, and now in Spanish, or brand-new shows never aired in the US and which are appea-
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ling to the Spanish speaking audiences.” What is Cineflix Rights’ strategy when it comes to shaping its catalogue? “Cineflix Rights is continuing its push into scripted distribution, working with Cineflix Productions, Cineflix Media partners such as Tony Wood’s Buccaneer Media and the recently launched Connect 3 Productions, and with third party producers. Alongside scripted, we’ll continue to expand our catalogue of high quality factual, with a mix of timely one-off specials, with long running series and brands across all the main non-scripted genres. Cineflix’s mission is to respond to the needs of a changing market.” Which genres are you focusing on right now and why? “Right now, our buyers are on the look-out for high-end blue-chip documentaries, history, science, quality crime content and lifestyle. We’ll be launching new shows covering all these genres at the upcoming markets. Highlights include: ‘The Queen’s
“Our buyers are on the look-out for high-end blue-chip documentaries, history, science, quality crime content and lifestyle”
m Charo Penedo
Green Planet,’ ‘Sinking Cities,’ ‘Secrets of the Morgue,’ ‘Naturally, Danny Seo’ and ‘Expecting’.” Do you observe any particular trend in the market regarding genres? “The real crime genre is growing in both Latin American and US Hispanic markets and Cineflix Rights is well placed to meet demand as we are a leading supplier of this genre. As well as premiering crime shows at MIPTV 2018 such as ‘Secrets of the Morgue,’ ‘Homicide: Hours to Kill,’ ‘Bizarre Murders,’ ‘Ted Bundy: Serial Monsters’ and ‘Dead of Winter,’ we have other recent shows such as ‘The Detectives Club: New Orleans’, together with long running volume series such as ‘Border Security’ – which we recently sold to A&E Latin America.” What are the primary goals for 2018? “Our primary goal for 2018 is to continue to grow and diversify our slate to provide quality content to our buyers worldwide. We will continue to push into scripted distribution, and expand our factual slate to provide the best mix of programming across all the main non-scripted genres.” Por Federico Marzullo /senalint
PHOTOGALLERY
NATPE MIAMI 2018 The market has completely evolved into a Latin American event. While studios and US stations still meet and make deals, that’s become just one small part of the three-day annual conference .
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2018
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/16 1_Carlos Bardasano (UNIVISION), Patricio Wills (WE), LuisSilberwasser (NBC), Marcos Santana (TELEMUNDO) 2_Eduardo Lebrija (VIACOM), Adrián Ortega Echegollén (AZTECA), Darío Turovelzky (VIACOM), Pedro Lascurain (AZTECA), JC Acosta, Pierluigi Gazzolo (VIACOM) and Alberto Ciurana (AZTE) 3_Bruce Boren (THR3 MEDIA), Ricardo Costianovsky (TELEFILMS), El Santo and Tomás Darcyl (TELEFILMS) 4_ Gabriel Segat, Xavier Aristimuño, Emilio Rubio (HBO), Klaudia Bermudez and Marcello Coltro
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(NBC) 5_ The whole new international team of TV AZTECA. 6_Marcos Santana (TELEMUNDO) and “El Recluso” cast. 7_Miguel Gutierrez, Fidela Navarro and Jose Miguel Barrera (DOPAMINE) 8_Patrick Rivet (THEMA), Özge Bulut MaraslI (KANAL D) and Fabrice Faux (THEMA). 9_The complete international sales team of GLOBO. 10_Elliot Chalkey (BANIJAY) 11_Sylvia Viljoen y Andrea Hugemann (DW)
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12_Ezequiel Olsanzki and Vanessa Shapiro (GAUMONT) 13_Delmar Andrade (RECORD) 14 _Pablo Ghiglione (GLOBO) and Magdalena Godio (TURNER) 15_Federico Vargas (9 STORY) 16_Diego Reck, Sergio Veiga, Carlos Martinez, Edgar Spielmann and Eduardo Zebini (FOX) 17 _ Gonzalo Cilley (RESONANT) and Laura Tapias (APPLICASTER) 18_Aysegul Tuzun (MISTCO)
SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL 2018
· 49
TV DATA
Insight Stats to Understand Current and Future Trends
THE NEW CONTENT BUDGET SCENARIO ANNUAL BUDGETS FOR ORIGINAL TV PROGRAMMING ($ Millions) $7,000 $6000 $5000
$6000
$4000
$4300
$4500
$3000
Ne t
fli
x
az on
S CB
BO H
C BB
V IT
Am
$1400
$1350
$1000
oo k Fa ce b
Sk y
$0
Ap pl e
$750
$1000
$1000
$2500
$2000
Source: Juniper Research
TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW DIGITAL ORIGINAL SERIES RELEASED EACH YEAR 120
114
100
94
80
60
45 40
21 20
16 8 2
0
2011 Amazon Video Hulu
2012
2013
CBS All Access Crackle
2014
2015
Facebook Apple Music
2016
Seeso Youtube Red
2017 Netflix Yahoo!
NUMBER OF MOVIES AND TV SHOWS AVAILABLE ON MOST POPULAR OTT PLATFORMS US
UK
Germany
Australia
Netflix
4,740 (of which 975 TV)
4,005 (893 TV)
2,621 (583 TV)
3,531 (839 TV)
Amazon Prime Video
10,799 (of which 732 TV)
5,412 (413 TV)
5,1451 (525 TV)
1,340 (112 TV)
Hulu
2,710 (of which 1,226 TV)
-
-
-
50 · SEÑAL INTERNACIONAL
2018
Source: Juniper Research
/senalint