TV Real MIPTV 2016

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APRIL 2016

MIPDOC & MIPTV EDITION

4K Docs / Crime Shows Morgan Freeman / Discovery’s Rich Ross / Factual Trendsetter Awards

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CONTENTS FEATURES

The Appeal of the Real World

16 4K TAKES OFF

Explores the advantages and challenges of filming factual TV in 4K.

A few months ago I was visiting my sister who lives in Italy. After dinner, we decided to relax in front of the TV.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Joanna Padovano Managing Editor Sara Alessi Joel Marino Associate Editors Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Elizabeth Walsh Sales & Marketing Manager Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Real © 2016 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvreal.ws

I was hoping to surf the channels and get a taste of the various prime-time shows, but my sister took hold of the remote control and went straight to Rai 3’s hit series Cui L’ha Visto?, which translates to Who Saw Him? The show tracks missing persons and tackles unsolved cases; it has been riveting audiences for the nearly 30 years it’s been on the air.

True crime has been immensely popular with audiences in several countries. People are fascinated by evil and what compels individuals to commit horrible acts of violence. The audience has an insatiable curiosity for not only catching the bad guys but also the process and personalities involved in tracking them down. Making a Murderer on Netflix, which looks at two men allegedly wrongly convicted of killing a woman, captivated viewers and prompted many to petition a pardon from President Obama. The president, however, can only pardon people who committed federal crimes, which was not the case of the two men in the documentary series. The show does illustrate the hold true crime can have on audiences and one of the features in this issue of TV Real examines the endless appeal of the genre.

One such popular series was Discovery Channel’s Killing Fields, which followed an actual ongoing investigation, the reopening of a cold case of the murder of a young woman in Louisiana. I interviewed Rich Ross, the network’s president, for this issue and he said that crime is one of the genres that is reinvigorating Discovery’s programming lineup.

The other two are animals and science, as well as high-end documentaries like Racing Extinction.

Shows that tackle the big questions are forever intriguing.

A new one on National Geographic Channel is The Story of God with Morgan Freeman. I spoke to Freeman, who traveled to several countries to see for himself how faith shapes people’s lives. I must say it was quite a treat to speak to Freeman and hear that distinctive, authoritative, velvety, deep voice, and I couldn’t push out of my mind the fact that Freeman actually played God in movies!

Our other feature looks at the 4K Ultra HD standard, which is offering producers of factual programming and viewers the highest quality possible. High-end visuals and production values will continue to make factual programming, whether it’s exploration or science, natural history or true crime, all the more compelling.

—Anna Carugati

16 22 CRIME TIME

Complex storytelling and an embrace of timely topics are helping true-crime titles find a wider base of support.

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FACTUAL TRENDSETTER AWARDS Smithsonian’s David Royle, Discovery’s Nesta Owens, RMC Découverte’s Corentin Glutron and ZDF/ZDF Enterprises’s Kristina Hollstein are the recipients of the inaugural World Screen Factual Trendsetter Awards, being presented at MIPDoc.

INTERVIEWS

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Morgan Freeman

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Discovery’s Rich Ross

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A+E Networks 60 Days In / The Curse of Oak Island / Pawn Stars Seven innocent people volunteer to go undercover in a U.S. jail, exposing what life is like behind bars in A+E Networks’s new docuseries 60 Days In, which the company is presenting at MIPTV. Joel Denton, the managing director of international content sales and partnerships at A+E Networks, says, “It’s a brave show, both for the sheriff who authorized them to go into a facility that has recently had a very corrupt history, and also for the people who are going [into the jail].” Another title on the MIPTV roster is Pawn Stars, which Denton calls a “crucial show for A+E Networks” that recently launched in syndication in the U.S. The lineup also includes the treasurehunting series The Curse of Oak Island, about the search for buried treasure on an isle off the coast of Nova Scotia.

“Everyone is looking for the next big thing, so MIPTV offers a great chance to converse with other members of the industry.”

—Joel Denton Pawn Stars

ARTE Sales Anatomy of Crime Fiction / Egypt’s Modern Pharaohs / The Adventurers of Modern Art The three-parter Anatomy of Crime Fiction, one of ARTE Sales’s highlights, explores the whodunit genre and what makes it so successful. There’s also Egypt’s Modern Pharaohs, which provides historical insight into the current political and religious upheaval in the Middle East.

Further Middle East-focused documentaries include “three new, very timely titles about Daesh deserters, Syria and Western families who have lost children to Jihadism,” says Heidi Fleisher, the company’s head of international sales and catalogue acquisitions. The Adventurers of Modern Art, meanwhile, combines animation, illustrations and original archives to immerse the viewer in Parisian life at the dawn of the 20th century.

“We have a rich and diverse lineup of fresh programs this year.”

—Heidi Fleisher Egypt’s Modern Pharaohs

Blue Ant International Bigfoot Commando /Airport Impossible /Africa’s Hunters The Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization is on a mission to prove giant ape-like creatures exist in Bigfoot Commando, which Blue Ant International is presenting at MIPTV. The Blue Ant slate also features Airport Impossible, taking viewers behind the scenes of one of the world’s major airports. The 4K and HD six-parter Africa’s Hunters, meanwhile, reveals the “amazing adaptations of Africa’s top predators,” says Solange Attwood, the company’s senior VP of international. She adds, “Whether it is neverbefore-seen UHD natural history, big character-driven factual or blockbuster formats, our success depends on dynamic content creators and their remarkable stories that break through to audiences worldwide.”

“We remain focused on providing toptier content and delivering the highest quality of reliable customer service to our global clients.”

—Solange Attwood Africa’s Hunters 362 World Screen 4/16

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Distribution360 Tales by Light / Britain’s Ultimate Pilots: Inside the RAF / Messages from Spirit Among the factual titles Distribution360 (D360) is showcasing is the documentary Tales by Light. Filmed in 4K, it features the work of world-renowned photographers, blurring the lines between science, art and photography. In addition, D360’s offerings include Britain’s Ultimate Pilots: Inside the RAF. Diane Rankin, the senior VP of international sales and acquisitions at Distribution360, says the title “showcases the skills of the Royal Air Force in action from the sky.” Another highlight is Messages from Spirit, which sees Colette BaronReid make powerful and emotional connections through her mediumship. Rankin says these new programs “take viewers on captivating, worldly and otherworldly explorations from the comfort of their own homes.”

“D360’s latest documentary acquisitions bring exclusive access, stunning visuals and emotional encounters to global buyers.”

—Diane Rankin Tales by Light

New Dominion Pictures FantomWorks / A Haunting / The FBI Files Scary stories are at the center of the docudrama A Haunting, a key highlight for New Dominion Pictures. Kristen Eppley, the company’s senior VP of international distribution, says, “Everyone loves a good ghost story. Every culture has their spirits and demons.” New Dominion also presents the reality car series FantomWorks, which sees former Green Beret and test pilot Dan Short and his team restore neglected cars to their original state, and “sometimes better [condition] than when they were first built,” Eppley adds. In the true-crime space, The FBI Files is a docudrama produced with the cooperation of the FBI that looks on as “agents relentlessly comb through evidence to narrow their search, ultimately prevailing over the perpetrators and bringing them to justice,” Eppley says.

“We are currently developing a few crime and paranormal shows.”

—Kristen Eppley The FBI Files

NHK Enterprises A Century on Film / Ring of Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Asia / Origins of Land: Nishinoshima History comes to life in NHK Enterprises’s A Century on Film.

“This series cuts deep into each piece of history by presenting real stories of people who helped shape the times they lived in through moving images, which have shaped humankind’s shared visual experiences and wisdom,” says Noriko Aratani, executive producer and head of program sales and development for the international business center at NHK Enterprises.

The company is also offering the 4K series Ring of Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Asia, exploring ancient ruins. In the science category, the documentary Origins of Land: Nishinoshima illustrates how continents are formed, as NHK and scientists filmed “this natural spectacle from the air, land and sea in 4K, while collecting important scientific data,” Aratani says.

“By making full use of 4K and 8K highdefinition video, as well as the latest technology, NHK provides content that resonates with viewers worldwide.”

—Noriko Aratani Ring of Civilizations: Rediscovering Ancient Asia 364 World Screen 4/16

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Off the Fence Close to Death / Sacred Sites of the World / Alaska Air Crash Investigations Off the Fence has a range of history, science, travel, lifestyle, and nature and wildlife titles. The documentary Close to Death features animals stopping their hearts and brains in the risky survival mechanism known as deep sleep. There is also Sacred Sites of the World, offering a unique glimpse into some of the most hallowed shrines, temples and monuments. The sixparter was filmed in 4K and “unlocks new scientific breakthroughs, looking at compelling archaeological and historical research,” says Mette Kanne-Behrendsen, Off the Fence’s VP of acquisitions. Alaska Air Crash Investigations is another MIPTV highlight. The six-part series follows the NTSB Crash Investigation team as it attempts to discover why so many planes crash each year in one of the most dangerous places to fly.

“We are continuing to expand in all areas and are looking forward to another successful year ahead.”

—Mette Kanne-Behrendsen Close to Death

Scripps Networks Interactive Food Network / Travel Channel / HGTV Scripps Networks Interactive has a portfolio of eight lifestyle networks, including its global flagship channels Food Network, Travel Channel and HGTV. Food Network is “our most widely distributed global brand,” says Simone Nardi, the company’s managing director of international finance and operations. “Investment in local productions will remain a key area of focus with the launch of Paul Hollywood City Bakes across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.” The company recently acquired the remaining 35 percent of Travel Channel Media, and according to Nardi, the network “will continue to be another main area of focus.” HGTV, meanwhile, is the most recent addition to the company’s international distribution portfolio.

“There is more room for expansion across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific and Latin America. We will continue to evaluate these growth opportunities, whether it be new channel launches, equity partnerships or joint ventures.”

—Simone Nardi Paul Hollywood City Bakes on Food Network

Sky Vision Dogs Might Fly / The Secret Life of the Zoo / Walking the Himalayas The question “Can a dog fly a plane?” is the focus of Dogs Might Fly, a top factual highlight from Sky Vision at MIPTV. “It’s just the sort of question that gets viewers excited about a TV series, and the process of getting a dog into a cockpit and at the controls is a remarkable one, which combines not only a huge amount of effort on the part of the dogs, but also the scientists and dog trainers involved,” says Barnaby Shingleton, the director of entertainment and factual at Sky Vision. The relationship between animals and their keepers takes center stage in The Secret Life of the Zoo, another title the company is showcasing at MIPTV. Sky Vision is also presenting Levison Wood’s journey from Afghanistan to Bhutan in Walking the Himalayas.

“Populist factual programming continues to be a core priority for Sky Vision.”

—Barnaby Shingleton Walking the Himalayas 366 World Screen 4/16

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TCB Media Rights The Cruise / Money for Nothing / Secrets of the Underworld TCB Media Rights is showcasing The Cruise, chronicling life aboard the Regal Princess and giving viewers exclusive access to one of the largest luxury cruise liners. Similarly, Secrets of the Underworld pulls back the curtain on some of the most dangerous clandestine societies in history, including the Ku Klux Klan. This brand-new show is “a sign of the resurgence of history series that have a contemporary feel,” says Paul Heaney, the company’s CEO. Another highlight is Money for Nothing, which he says is “bulletproof [and] doing great ratings on BBC One.” Heaney adds, “Our shows are nearly all prime time.... We reckon we are the main distributor around now to illustrate the sheer breadth of factual programming at the moment, [with] some innovative shows and ridiculous titles.”

“TCB is the fastest-growing distributor in the U.K. and is committed to unearthing series that buyers want and working with producers at the earliest stage possible.”

—Paul Heaney Money for Nothing

Terra Mater Factual Studios David Attenborough’s Light on Earth / Brazil: A Natural History / Ostrich: Born to Run A top highlight for Terra Mater Factual Studios, David Attenborough’s Light on Earth explores the natural phenomenon of bioluminescence. The lineup also includes Brazil: A Natural History, which takes viewers on a journey through the country’s varied landscapes to see how animal species survive in different environments. Ostrich: Born to Run, meanwhile, offers insight into the world’s largest birds, venturing into the deserts of Namibia to see how ostriches are able to survive in such harsh conditions.

“By making use of new technologies, working with unusual perspectives and finding new angles of storytelling, we’re providing cutting-edge docs for the market,” says Sabine Holzer, Terra Mater’s head of television.

“Our films captivate with compelling stories and stunning visuals, and for our company, bluechip docs with unique visual concepts are king.”

—Sabine Holzer

Brazil: A Natural History

Tricon Films & Television Food’s Greatest Hits / Humble Home Hunters / Sugar Showdown Popular eats are the focus of the lifestyle title Food’s Greatest Hits, which Tricon Films & Television is presenting. There’s also the food-themed Sugar Showdown, a competition series that sees top bakers go head-to-head in a timed bake-off. In Humble Home Hunters, move-in-ready abodes are always within the house hunters’ budgets. “All three [highlights] are in the lifestyle category, which continues to work well internationally, specifically the competition-based titles such as Sugar Showdown,” says Karthiga Ratnasabapathy, Tricon’s VP of worldwide sales and acquisitions. “There has recently been an increase in appetite from broadcasters for more documentaries and non-scripted programming, so we are happy to be coming to the market with a new slate of these programs.”

“Tricon is focusing on non-scripted factual and lifestyle programming this MIPTV and MIPDoc.” —Karthiga Ratnasabapathy Sugar Showdown 368 World Screen 4/16

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ORF-Enterprise’s The Canary Islands.

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4K

TAKES OFF Jay Stuart reports on the advantages and challenges of filming factual TV in 4K. here’s a strong element of déjà vu about the transition to the 4K Ultra-HD (UHD) standard in production. The resolution may be sharper, but the moving picture is quite similar to the market’s shift to traditional HD during the past decade.

“4K is to HD what HD was to SD,” says Chris Knight, the president and CEO of Canada’s Gusto TV, whose company produced some 80 hours of food-focused programming in 4K in 2015. “We are a broadcaster as well as a producer and distributor. Our channel is HD, but we decided to produce all content in 4K for international distribution. There is a big demand [for 4K] internationally, which will only grow.”

In the U.S., the proportion of TV households with 4K—which delivers four times as many pixels as HD—will reach 34 percent in 2019, according to research firm IHS. Penetration in European Union countries will hit 25 percent by then. More than half of Western European shoppers planning to buy a flat-screen TV this year are open to buying a 4K set, according to Parks Associates.

The same research firm predicted that 330 million 4K TV sets will be sold globally by the end of 2019, up from just 2 million sold by the end of 2013. Penetration of 4K will get a limited push from the Olympic Games in Rio this summer. Olympic Broadcasting Services has said that about 130 hours will be covered in 8K Super Hi-Vision for Japan, and 4K versions will be created.

The area in which 4K is most quickly establishing itself as a production norm is factual TV. High-end documentary production leads the way. While the 4K format greatly improves the image quality of all content, nature and wildlife programs showcase its benefits in breathtaking detail.

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WILD THINGS “Given headlong technical change in general, the adoption of 4K is essential to being on top of the latest developments and also being visible in the market,” says Andrew Solomon, the head of natural history at Austrian broadcaster ORF, where 4K is now the norm for about 10 hours of nature programming per year. “Natural-history [filmmaking] has been vastly affected by technology, including drones, extreme low-light cameras, timelapse, as well as 4K. And audience expectations are advancing

just as quickly as the technology. New technology is [aiding] science too; filmmakers are discovering behavior that had been invisible to the top specialists, so it’s in everyone’s interest to move with the technology. The appeal of an even more detailed image was obvious in wildlife production. It satisfies audience expectations for stunning images with more detailed behavior. It also future-proofs library material, and allows post-production reframing to HD quality.”

The very first UHD production for Universum, ORF’s wildlife slot, was done five years ago, when Vienna’s Kubefilm decided on their own account to shoot the prizewinning Return of the Hoopoe in 4K. Post-production was in HD. ORF first invested in 4K three years ago with epo-film’s Wild Venice, by Klaus Steindl, for ORF, ARTE and NDR. Wild Istanbul is now in production. “These city-set projects are ideal for 4K,” Solomon says. “The sharp edges of the buildings contrast with the more flowing lines of wildlife and water.”

FUTURE-PROOFING The shift to 4K is about the dual attractions of being able to deliver the highest available quality to the market while futureproofing content.

“We’re always paying close attention to changing technology, and we see 4K as an opportunity to offer consumers the best picture quality for our natural-history slate,” says Vanessa Case, the executive VP of content at Blue Ant Media, which produces and distributes more 4K content than any other company. The group’s recent joint venture with Smithsonian Networks has positioned its Love Nature library of 4K as the largest in the world, with series such as Land of Gremlins and Undiscovered Vistas. Love Nature rolled out as a direct-to-consumer content platform in February in a host of international markets.

“We’re producing this evergreen content with an eye to viewers enjoying it for years to come as technology rapidly evolves, and even [years from now], it will look stunning,” Case adds.

“We’ve moved into 4K to future-proof the masters of our films for UHD TV for when 4K broadcasting becomes the norm,” states Anthony Geffen, the CEO and creative director of Atlantic Productions. “It also gives us the ability to protect our archive of rushes for future productions.”

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Atlantic Productions, the producer of Conquest of the Skies, has taken a lead in 4K and 3D doc filmmaking.

Future-proofing is especially relevant for documentary companies because their programs can remain saleable for many years. “Most documentary programs of the sort that we do have a long shelf life, so using 4K is a form of futureproofing,” observes Sabine Holzer, the head of TV at Viennabased Terra Mater Factual Studios, which started using 4K about two years ago with natural history and now makes everything (about 20 hours per year) in 4K. “Our history programs are mostly about ancient history, so they have potentially long lives too.”

Japan’s NHK, which produced about 60 hours in 4K during the past year, aims to increase 4K production by 50 to 100 percent this year in drama, nature, travel, science, space, culture, performing arts, history, concerts, musicals and stopmotion animation. NHK even uses 4K to shoot news events.

While Japanese TV manufacturers have been driving 4K, penetration in Japan is expected to reach just 14 percent by 2019, IHS reports, even though UHD broadcasts are slated to begin in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games the following year. This may be because Japanese families prefer smaller TV screens and the unique selling point of 4K is a better bigscreen picture.

DEMANDING TIMES Conventional wisdom has it that 4K on big screens could be a differentiator for traditional broadcasters in fending off Netflix, Amazon and other OTT major players. However, sports rights aside, the distinction might not hold, as the disruptors show a willingness to invest in 4K content, too. Netflix has commissioned Silverback Films to produce one of the most ambitious nature series ever done in 4K. The eight episodes of Our Planet, being made in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund, won’t be ready until 2019.

Most broadcasters have digested the 100 percent transfer to HD—including multi-camera operations and workflows—too recently to contemplate a complete retooling in 4K, at least until worldwide standards have been established.

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And the transition to 4K has its own challenges. “It’s more demanding to produce,” says Gusto’s Knight. “It takes a lot of time and effort, but the results are worth it.”

Keisuke Tsutsumi, the deputy head of NHK’s programming department, reports that “4K requires much more in terms of people, facilities and money. There are still not many camera operators, directors or other production personnel who are skilled in 4K. It’s vital to increase the number of people who have experience with it and to build up a base of production know-how. There’s a pressing need to get more 4K equipment such as cameras and monitors and to build more 4K-capable post-production facilities.”

Some companies use external facilities for their 4K edits.

Many have 4K-capable cameras, but 4K-specific lenses are usually hired and remain a high cost factor.

In the early days of the format, the lack of portable 4K monitors for use in the field was a hurdle, ORF’s Solomon says. A year ago Austrian filmmaker Erich Pröll bought his first underwater 4K monitor for Universum’s Giants of the Atlantic: The Azores. The monitor provides a red outline around the part of the picture that is in focus, clearly visible even in low light.

Atlantic’s Geffen mentions larger file sizes, which mean more storage, higher costs and longer transfer time for backing up media. “4K requires increasing digital library RAID 5 storage, investing in faster editing suites and using faster servers to handle the bandwidth of the media,” Geffen says.

Blue Ant, a big early adopter of 4K, took things one step at a time. “Before we started production on our first 4K series, we met with post-production studios and camera manufacturers to learn about 4K,” Case says. “We inspected the technical specs for processing 4K, but there was limited detailed information in the market. We continue to learn and develop our process and technical standards and will never stop evolving as the equipment continues to evolve.”

There are of course cost implications, beginning with an initial investment in cameras and lenses, which are very expensive. Companies tend to rent lenses, and that costs more.

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Wild Canada is among the 4K productions from Terra Mater Factual Studios.

Investing in 4K editing is also very expensive, but that cost is coming down as computers become more powerful and reduce the difficulty of handling the additional data.

“Many Japanese companies are rapidly developing 4Kcapable post-production facilities,” says NHK’s Tsutsumi. “This is reducing the cost of 4K production. Nevertheless, it is still much more expensive and time-consuming. The exact difference [in cost] depends on each program, but broadly speaking, 4K production costs at least 50 percent more than 2K production.”

The producer of Wild Venice, epo-film, references a 10percent budget hike needed for 4K over HD, depending on the length of production. The biggest cost in 4K production is in post-production and media storage.

“I would say there is a 20-percent increase in the cost of postproduction and 10-percent increase in production,” Gusto’s Knight says. “For a show costing $3.5 million, that kind of increase is not just walking-around money.”

“There are higher costs along the [production] chain,” Terra Mater’s Holzer notes. “For example, mastering takes more time.

At present, distributors are able to charge a premium for 4K as they pass along the added costs. In two or three years, buyers are not going to pay more. But by then technical costs will have come down. It was the same with HD.”

Meanwhile, 4K is now included in the initial dialogue in co-production discussions.

“Not all of our co-producers are using 4K already,” says Holzer of Terra Mater. “Some are still HD, so we make the program in HD for them. They know that we will have the 4K version when they need it. Blue-chip natural-history and science programs are expensive, so that’s an added measure of value. In a way, it’s even better for us because we are able to forge partnerships.”

Terra Mater’s biggest launch at MIPTV will be David Attenborough’s Light on Earth. The company also has a big, new three-part natural-history series being done in Southeast Asia.

“We are starting co-production conversations and will be pursuing those at MIPTV,” Gusto’s Knight says. “Thanks to the Canadian incentives, when you consider that we can get 50 percent in benefits, if you’re splitting the cost two ways, we can create content for twenty-five cents on the dollar. A show costing $3 million comes in at more like $700,000, so the added cost of 4K is offset nicely.”

PROCEED WITH CAUTION When Atlantic began to experiment with 4K production, Geffen expressed caution. Two years ago he was saying, “It’s a bit like 3D. We have got to be careful that 4K doesn’t get a bad reputation because there isn’t any content.” While he sees the 4K market “growing day by day, mainly in Asian territories,” his realism remains. “Use of 4K is building all the time, but it won’t reach a critical mass for several years yet.”

“I don’t know whether 4K will replace HD everywhere in the world,” NHK’s Tsutsumi says. “In Japan, trial 4K/8K broadcasts will begin on broadcast-satellite TV channels this year, with regular 4K/8K broadcasts to follow in 2018. Japanese households will eventually switch to monitors that are 4K or better, and 4K will completely replace HD.” But once 4K truly arrives, it will only be a step toward the even higher standard of 8K. “If people who have only seen 2K are amazed when they see 4K for the first time, people who have only seen 4K will be lost for words when they see 8K,” Tsutsumi says.

It’s a safe bet documentary producers will be among the first in the as-yet uncharted 8K space too.

BUYING TIME From a distributor’s viewpoint, the international market for 4K is taking off.

“4K channels are joining both the linear and OTT landscape at a rapid rate,” says Case at Blue Ant. To get started, “these channels need content in bulk and we can offer that.

As sales of 4K TV sets continue to increase year after year, we will see this demand for native 4K content and services increase significantly. There is greatest interest for 4K content across North America, Europe and Asia. Brazil and India are up-and-coming territories in the 4K market.”

The fact that most buyers are not currently delivering 4K is no obstacle to delivering a ready-to-use product. A distributor can still supply a version in HD.

Blue Ant Media has made a significant committment to 4K, rolling out titles like Strange Creatures.

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Beyond’s Deadly Women.

TV REAL

CRIME TIME Complex storytelling and an embrace of timely topics are helping true-crime titles find a wider base of support.

By Joel Marino s it turns out, crime does pay. Factual distributors the world over are gradually boosting their true-crime catalogues in order to meet swelling demands from consumers and broadcasters for content delving into the darker side of life. But run-of-the-mill whodunits and weekly capers covering open-and-shut cases, which for years defined the genre, are no longer enough to satisfy an increasingly sophisticated audience. These savvy armchair sleuths are on the lookout for fare that cuts through the police tape, delivering behind-thescenes footage and morally ambiguous storytelling in the vein of recent hits such as Netflix’s Making a Murderer and HBO’s The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.

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DRAMATIC APPEAL “People are fascinated with crime, especially murder,” says Paul Heaney, the CEO of TCB Media Rights. “However, like any universally attractive unscripted [genre], you have to be able to offer more than just shock value. These days at least, there has to be some amount of empathy.”

Though Heaney acknowledges that the popularity of Making a Murderer and The Jinx has changed the way true crime is

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produced, he says those specific titles and the genre in general are actually taking a page from dramas when it comes to storytelling choices.

“We had a lot of really good crime-related scripted appear a few years ago, like [HBO’s] True Detective, which became one of the finest pieces of TV,” Heaney says. “These shows had ginormous budgets and felt like movies. So now true crime is being produced like this, except they manage to keep the cinematic feel while being made on [smaller] budgets.”

As an example, he points to his catalogue’s Copycat Killers, a Story House Productions title for REELZ Channel about murderers inspired by blockbuster movies and TV shows.

The series was filmed to look less like a documentary and more like a film, “so it has that glossy, movie-like feel that is currently doing very well.”

“I do think there is a link between the rise of top-quality drama and this reawakened interest in the darker side of things within true-crime programming,” says Elin Thomas, the director of global sales for Passion Distribution. “There has always been a demand and appetite for true crime, but now you also have productions like The Bridge, The Killing and Broadchurch, and this has all lit a match under it.”

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Citing as an example Beyond’s Deadly Women, which has already shot more than 130 hours, Kanna-Konsek says expertly produced storytelling is what’s needed to hook a viewer in an ever more cluttered true-crime field.

DEADLY TALES

I Didn’t Do It is among the crop of crime series in the Tricon catalogue.

Thomas explains that this shift toward dramatic complexity has fundamentally changed the way the genre is viewed.

“I think the trend is for more engagement, where the audience can actually follow a story and become invested in it,” she says. “People can get behind a case because it’s true, and that adds a layer of fascination over and above drama, which, at the end of the day, is a made-up story.”

Thomas says that the two seasons of Passion’s Mind of a Murderer, produced for Investigation Discovery, have proven successful precisely because of this dynamic.

“The show follows criminal psychologist Dr. Michelle Ward as she secures face-to-face access to convicted murderers,” Thomas explains. “She only has 90 minutes with these felons to use her research into predatory criminals to uncover the real truth about what drove them to commit the crime. So you’re placing the viewer right in the middle of this faceoff between the criminal psychologist and the murderer.”

In fact, having a host or lead steeped in the grit of the most heinous of crimes can go a long way in fostering audience engagement. “You have to have someone the viewer can follow on a weekly basis,” says Jon Kramer, the CEO of Rive Gauche Television. Among his top true-crime titles is Homicide Hunter, which tracks veteran investigator Joe Kenda and his team of specialists as they recreate some of his biggest cases.

“This guy has solved some 387 crimes, and in the show he takes you through how he solved those crimes,” Kramer says.

“It’s not serialized, since it’s still one murder per hour, but he’s serialized, in that the audience tunes in to follow him.”

Karthiga Ratnasabapathy, the VP of worldwide sales and acquisitions at Tricon Films & Television, also believes that a guide is important when it comes to ushering the audience through the underbelly of the criminal world. “It always helps to have someone familiar with the topic, especially if it’s somebody that the audience knows,” she says.

Ratnasabapathy adds that a title such as To Catch a Killer , which originally aired on OWN Canada, has met with success mainly on the strength of lead investigator Mike Arntfield’s commitment to solving cold cases, as well as his knowledge and use of the most recent forensic technology. However, she states that that element alone isn’t enough to guarantee viewer approval.

“To Catch a Killer makes use of reenactments and expert testimonials, which are storytelling methods that have always done well, especially in this genre,” Ratnasabapathy says.

According to Munia Kanna-Konsek, the head of sales for Beyond Distribution, “reenactments, exceptional production values and gripping story lines make for a deadly combination.”

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“Deadly Women uses reenactments as well as interviews with real-life criminals and experts,” she says. “It does help you to visualize what would have taken place. If you can’t show something real like a trial, or if you don’t have the perpetrators right there, then you need to make sure the audience can see something else. The audience then becomes mesmerized by all these elements.”

But as with all tools, it’s important not to overdo specific narrative shortcuts. “Reenactments are very important parts of the market, but there’s a certain level of cheesiness they have to avoid,” says TCB’s Heaney. “Sometimes these shows don’t have the budgets you’d expect, but they’re able to put together a style of reconstruction that makes it look big budget. They just have to make sure to avoid being slightly too dark or too gritty or too local in tone, otherwise they’re not going to sell as well.”

The narrative heft and moral complexity of newer truecrime titles are also helping push the genre beyond its traditional niche-channel association.

GRB distributes On the Case with Paula Zahn, which airs in the U.S. on ID.

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speaking territories. “It’s much more a phenomenon in the U.S. because we’re a gun culture,” he says. “From a distribution standpoint, crime has not spread in every territory around the world for very different reasons, but slowly and surely it will.”

DIGITAL FRONTIERS

Homicide Hunter is one of the top-selling crime titles for Rive Gauche.

“There’s always been an interest in true crime, but productions like Making a Murderer have forced the programming to branch out, so now there’s this incredible popularity and interest in it,” says Mike Lolato, the senior VP of international distribution at GRB Entertainment. “Now you don’t have to be a fan of just Investigation Discovery or a similar channel to enjoy this type of show. People are taking a very personal interest in these series, especially with issues of injustice currently at the forefront, and I think that’s why these types of shows are no longer constrained to one specific genre.”

At the start of the year, GRB introduced the one-off documentary Nelson Serrano: I’m Innocent, which takes a Making a Murderer-type approach to the case of an Ecuadorian citizen currently sitting on death row after being convicted of a Florida slaying nearly two decades ago. Lolato says growing interest in that title has led to talks of using leftover footage (and taking advantage of the fact that the highlighted case is still ongoing) to produce a new multi-episode series.

“There is definitely a bigger audience for something like Nelson Serrano, and not just a specific demographic,” Lolato says. “There was always an idea that these types of shows tended to be more female-skewing, but that’s changed. I don’t think there’s a male or female skew because these stories are real life. That crosses all demographics.”

MARKET DISTINCTIONS Despite the mounting broad appeal of true crime, distributors say that specific markets still request some tailoring in order to reach local audiences. Central and Eastern European and Asian audiences, for example, are averse to talking heads and prefer reconstructions. Meanwhile, crimes of passion are popular go-to’s in Germany, says Passion’s Thomas.

Kramer of Rive Gauche agrees that Germany is a country where true crime is currently making headway, though he stresses that the genre remains particularly strong in English-

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One area where distributors agree true-crime has made fewer inroads is OTT, despite Making a Murderer launching as a Netflix original.

“We don’t want to get a title on SVOD just yet, unless it’s a world player, because enough of the big traditional delivery services want the show,” says TCB’s Heaney. “So unless something comes in early on the SVOD side, we’re looking to traditional methods first, and then SVOD is something we’ll fit around it.”

Figuring out exactly what a digital platform wants in terms of true crime can be difficult.

“Streaming services have always been the type to say, ‘Come to us with a great idea or a great show,’ but they don’t necessarily tell you what it is they’re looking for,” says Tricon’s Ratnasabapathy. “This is something that we do get from traditional broadcasters. Since they are airing it on a specific network, they need to be sure the content they’re programming aligns with who they’re programming for.”

However, despite the hurdles in trying to deal with nontraditional platforms, distributors aren’t completely leaving them off the table.

“OTT is something to watch for the future,” says Passion’s Thomas. “Clearly the big players are commissioning, and I’m imagining that has something to do with the success of Netflix’s Making a Murderer. The genre is on the map now.”

No matter the platform, though, distributors say that producers must align the right storytelling tools with a timely focus in order to guarantee the broadest viewership possible.

“I think the police shootings over the last few years have caused society to reevaluate what is going on in our justice system,” says Kristen Eppley, the senior VP of international distribution at New Dominion Pictures, whose The New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science airs on ID and Justice Network in the U.S., plus Hulu, Amazon and Netflix.

“It [also] comes down to great storytelling, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and not revealing too much too soon.”

Kanna-Konsek of Beyond stresses that as long as factual productions can tap into that natural human curiosity, the genre will continue to flourish.

“I don’t know if it’s a terrible reflection of our society that we’re so immersed in crime and that we are so intrigued by it,” she says. “People want to see really good, powerful documentaries. You want to see high production quality values and something that’s going to keep the viewer involved and really intrigued. The more they want, the more we can produce and distribute. It’s the circle of crime life.”

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In 2009, Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary, co-founders and partners in Revelations Entertainment, were in Istanbul visiting the Hagia Sophia, a former Christian basilica, later a mosque and today a museum. As they marveled at the beauty of the mosaics, they noticed scenes from the life of Christ and were surprised to learn from their guide that during the years that the Hagia Sophia was a mosque, the depictions of Christ were not covered or destroyed because Islam recognizes him as a prophet. This sparked their curiosity about religion, faith and big questions such as, Who is God? Where do we come from? The result is the six-part series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, produced by Revelations Entertainment and National Geographic Channel, in which Freeman visits some 20 cities in seven countries to understand how faith shapes our lives. Academy Award-winning Freeman talks to TV Real about the series.

By Anna Carugati TV REAL: What did you find most surprising or unexpected in your travels for the show?

FREEMAN: There were a couple things. Hindus, for instance, are not all that enamored with reincarnation [as I had previously believed]. It’s not something to look forward to, it’s something almost to dread, because a guy has to go through the whole thing again trying to reach some sort of perfection. So every time you are here on Earth, you have to go through this chore. They would rather not; they would rather just be here once and get it right and then be able to not have to come back. Because if you don’t have to come back, it means that you’ve become pure energy; you’ve done it right and you’ve moved on, you’ve been liberated. You’ve become godlike. I found that surprising because I had been going through the whole of my questionable, questioning life thinking that [reincarnation] was something to look forward to.

Then there was the whole idea that the Catholic Church established a Pontifical Academy of Sciences to look into questions of science. I don’t know if they were looking to see if there was something counter to God and religion, but I think what they found is that science and religion—it all works together. For example, Georges Lemaître, the guy who came up with the theory of the Big Bang, was a priest.

TV REAL: Religion is often seen today as more of a divisive force than a unifying force. Did you find that there is more that we as a people have in common or is there more that divides us?

FREEMAN: I think there is much more that we have in common. You only have to go to Jerusalem and see the numbers of people there who share the same belief system. Go to India. There are two main religious groups that exist side by side in India without any apparent strife at all: the Hindus and the Muslims. I think the strife that we see today is more political than religious.

TV REAL: You host the Revelations Entertainment science series Through the Wormhole. In one episode, a scientist simulates impulses in a girl’s brain that could simulate the presence of a godlike force. Now I am confused: do I imagine God or does he exist?

FREEMAN: [Laughs] There is no answer to that one! There was a neurologist in Philadelphia who had done hundreds of brain scans of people of different religions to see if it was possible to see the presence of God—their belief in God—in a brain scan. Of course, he is still working on that idea. He took a scan of my brain while I was just lying there, and took another one while I was meditating. And the answer, for all intents and purposes, is yes you can see it, you can find God in the brain scans. [In the brain scans of believers, a certain part of the brain lights up. The neurologist did the same experiment with atheists; he asked them to meditate while he scanned their brains, and the same area of the brain did not light up.]

TV REAL: Has this journey changed your beliefs?

FREEMAN: No, no. When I went to the Zoroastrian temple in Los Angeles I discovered that I, along with many, many, many, many people who don’t realize it, am a Zoroastrian. My beliefs line up with Zoroastrianism back to the days, 3,000 years ago, of Zarathustra.

TV REAL: While filming, what was it like to be able to be yourself instead of playing a character? And how did people relate to you in the many places you visited? I believe it’s 20 cities you visited?

FREEMAN: I have no ideas how many cities; it seems to have gone on forever! I found no difference between playing a character and being myself. Playing a character is pretty much doing that—it’s inculcating the character into yourself. In this series I’m just the interlocutor.

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When Rich Ross took over as president of Discovery Channel in January 2015, he made it his mission to bring back to the channel the best of factual programming—world-class documentaries and authentic real-world stories in the areas of true crime, science and animals.

Formerly the CEO of Shine America, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios and president of Disney Channels Worldwide, Ross has tapped into his contacts within the creative community to bring in notable filmmakers and producers who had never worked for Discovery and others who had not worked for the channel in quite some time. As a result, Discovery had record-setting ratings in 2015. Ross was recently given responsibility for Science Channel and Animal Planet as well. He talks to TV Real about his vision for these channels and his desire to program shows that reflect diversity, have an aspirational quality and help viewers better understand the world around them.

TV REAL: When you first joined Discovery, what did you consider to be the strengths of the channel and brand?

ROSS: Discovery had a long history of being a purpose-driven channel that meant something to people, and that to me was really important. When I was asked to join, it was very clear to me that returning to do more in the world of documentaries and activating viewers to do something about the world around them was an important opportunity. It would also possibly affect the brand, which people felt strongly about, and I wanted them to watch more. We knew there was an opportunity to tell stories we were proud of and were not just ratings-getters but on-brand, great stories, and authentic wherever possible. We did that right from January 2015 and we had a record-setting year. This year is building upon that, which is exciting.

TV REAL: What did you feel needed to be changed?

ROSS: [We needed to reinforce our] message for authenticity in storytelling but also respect for producers. We needed to give them the time and the money to do their best work because if you are just telling them how fast you need something and exactly how you need it, then it’s probably not surprising that the result may not be as authentic as it should be.

You always have to look at the root cause for what goes on and often the root cause was people fearing risk and demanding expediency. It’s not that I didn’t realize that things needed to be done on a budget or on a schedule, but we have some incredible storytellers in the business, and they clearly said to me, even before I started, Give us a shot to tell our story. That is the job that I have always had throughout my career: give people shots to tell their stories and tell them in a way that they are proud of. And the results continue to speak for themselves.

TV REAL: Given that you have extensive contacts within the creative community, what new voices are you bringing to Discovery?

ROSS: What I’ve learned, frankly in every job I’ve had, is that there are three categories of new voices. The first is folks who haven’t worked at the network, who are legendary storytellers, but operate in the sphere. Louie Psihoyos won an Oscar for The Cove, we brought him on with his film Racing Extinction.

He would be the first person to say Discovery was not where he would have initially looked, but he felt strongly that we had put out a call for what we wanted and we would be incredibly supportive. And his film was the highest-rated documentary in three years on [cable] television. That’s a perfect example, or Tom Fontana [Oz, Borgia] and Barry Levinson [Diner, The Natural, Rain Man], who came aboard on Killing Fields, a

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DISCOVERY CHANNEL show that has come out really strong this year. They had never done unscripted work—they had done legendary scripted television and films—but they felt that the stories we were trying to tell with the producers who had brought in the property would give them something new to flex different muscles. They worked really hard and came out with something that is incredible and doing really well. So this first group is the likely suspects, but ones that had not worked here.

The second group, which I think is great, [come from] lesserknown but very successful production companies that hadn’t worked for Discovery for some time and now they are.

And lastly it’s new voices, for example, a small company called Park Slope Productions from Brooklyn. They are the producers of Alaskan Bush People. The producers are young and ambitious and this was their first big show. It was an opportunity for us to say, We don’t treat you any differently from the big guys, we just treat big stories the same way—we promote them and we support them.

TV REAL: You mentioned Killing Fields. How did that come together and how did Tom and Barry became involved?

ROSS: Crime had been a very big element of the channel up to about three years ago. My boss, Mr. Zaslav [David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery Communications] was very clear that he didn’t understand one thing: if channels like Animal Planet or Science Channel or ID could be launched off the back of Discovery, why couldn’t their genres—animals, science and investigation—be brought back into Discovery Channel? So he gave me the road map. We knew that crime on Discovery had to be about the job and the process and not about the victim.

While the story would be emotional, the emotion would have to

come from those who seek the answers. So Sirens Media, a company out of the D.C. area who had done a lot of work in crime, brought in the show and it was very focused on the milieu of these areas where people dump bodies, which was captivating.

Originally it was going to be an anthology, with some finished stories in each series, and maybe story arcs across six or seven episodes. Denise Contis, who runs our original series group, said, That is well and good, but relevancy is always with the characters. I also knew that it had to be about the characters, if not about the place, and I am the president of the Tom Fontana fan club, and all I wanted was to reach out to him to see if he would be interested. He had never done an unscripted show. He partnered with Barry Levinson, who is an Oscar-winning director [Rain Man] and TV producer. They saw the footage of the detective we follow in Killing Fields, Rodie Sanchez, and they said, We’re in! So having the combination of the team at Sirens who knows how to do this cold, and the intensity and elegance of what Tom and Barry bring to it, and focus on character, to me was a dream. We ultimately covered one story, one murder.

Fortunately there is a lot of story, and we’ve had a very substantial audience. We went into it without the knowledge of where it was going to end up. When you tell crime stories from the documentary standpoint, you are telling how it happened.

We thought it would be exciting to tell a story in real time. We had an active tip line, but it was done in a way that was not exploitative. We didn’t want to do Cops. I’m very proud that we have the adrenaline of a Discovery series in an area that had been successful—true crime and the world around it—and now is back being successful.

TV REAL: What are some of the other shows you are bringing to Discovery Channel?

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By Anna Carugati

Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove is coming to Discovery Channel this fall.

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without any of the modern tools that we come to expect and they created a brand that is global in its appeal. The company is now having some challenges and The Wall Street Journal recently wrote a piece about the challenge of encouraging people to buy new bikes versus used bikes. They had the same problem back in the 1930s, when they had to sell new bikes and realized people loved old bikes. To think that almost 100 years later the company is facing the same conundrum, speaks to the relatability of the story.

It’s also been reported that we have a big true-crime anthology called Manifesto, which is about catching the Unabomber.

It’s the story of a beat cop from Philly, who went back to school to learn forensics and linguistics, and figured out who Ted Kaczynski was. He actually went into the woods and tracked him down when the case was cold for almost 20 years.

Discovery has the leading motor shows, so a scripted series about bikes makes sense. We have true-crime shows, so Manifesto makes sense. I don’t really believe scripted should be one-offs and you should expect people to find them. The universe is littered with failures when channels try to say who they are through the incidental scheduling of related shows.

I’d rather people said, Oh I get it, and they watch it even though it’s fiction instead of the nonfiction we do.

Rich Ross on location with Parker Schnabel, one of the stars of Discovery’s megahit Gold Rush.

ROSS: This is the year that you will see spin-offs of our big shows. We announced a spin-off of the granddaddy of all unscripted shows, the one that started it all, Deadliest Catch.

We have Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove and Deadliest Job Interview. When you look at our shows, whether Killing Fields or Diesel Brothers, they feel relevant, the characters are relatable, the casts are diverse and so are the places we shoot. I don’t understand why aspiration and inspiration can’t be built into shows. We have enough tough times for people to deal with in the real world. Discovery shows the real world, but it’s a real world where hopefully people will [find something that] helps them understand their world—and not just men but [also] their families. When we looked at the census we found that the percentage of men 18 to 34 living at home [with their parents] now is nearly 60 percent. People ask me, how do you reach younger men? People are expecting younger men, the Millennials, to be living alone and thereby making their own entertainment choices. But so many are still living at home. So what is more likely to happen is, Dad turns on the TV, mom or stepmom and girlfriend step into the room and sit down if there is something for them, too. And for the sons it’s not about their laptops in their bedrooms, it’s about a shared common experience. Discovery can provide that, has always done that, and it’s a part of American culture to be able to create that. So that’s what we’re doing.

TV REAL: How does scripted programming fit into the mix?

ROSS: It was toes in the water in the past, but I wanted to create a consistent pipeline and look at them as specials, with maybe 10 to 12 hours each. Scripted needs to be really consistent with who we are. Harley and the Davidsons is about the iconic Harley-Davidson and the story of these two brothers and their friend who created something that made Steve Jobs look like he wasn’t brilliant! But they did it at the turn of the [20th] century and they did everything faster and smarter

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TV REAL: You now oversee Science Channel and Animal Planet in addition to Discovery Channel.

ROSS: The great thing about Science Channel, which had record ratings last year, too, is the breadth of the offering.

Science has never been more important and technology is the obsession of every Millennial, or God knows, my 81-year-old mother, too!

Since Science Channel is the one place you can go for everything from pop science to answers to the big and small questions, I wanted to connect science back to Discovery Channel, as we did with true-crime and Killing Fields. We launched our first-ever Science Channel Weekend on Discovery and we showcased Academy Award-nominee Nathaniel Kahn’s film Telescope. It aired on Discovery and Science Channel on the same weekend. It was a great opportunity to continue to hone the broader world of science, space and engineering and at the same time make sure that we tie it back to Discovery, because that’s where it comes from and science entertainment is helpful to Discovery. I have a new general manager at Science Channel, Marc Etkind, and he is doing a great job.

We’re going through somewhat of a revamp of Animal Planet and the reason is to make sure that we are programming the right nights. This is because we know it’s a very big brand on television, so we are busy greenlighting shows that are more for the whole family, more diverse, whether it’s pets or wild animals. And we’re lucky we still have the second-highest-rated show on Super Bowl Sunday with the Puppy Bowl.

One of the big issues I want to tackle involves kids and Millennials. While they might seem more connected environmentally [than previous generations], they are less connected to the animal world, outside of their own pets, which is very inward thinking. I believe Animal Planet is for the whole family and when parents see their kids excited about saving wildlife and respecting animal welfare, it’s so vital to humanity, and I think we have an opportunity with it.

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FAC T UA L TRENDSETTER

AWA R D S e live in a complex ever-changing world, but television, with its inimitable combination of words, images, special effects and immediacy, is uniquely positioned to shed light on intricate topics. It can take us to different lands, allow us to revisit the past and analyze current events.

Factual programming embodies the best of what television has to offer: whether inside an atom, on the bottom of the ocean or at the far reaches of the universe; whether examining historical events, solving today’s most staggering crimes or exploring the endless astonishing advances of technology.

Executives in charge of sourcing and commissioning nonfiction programming need to blend factual accuracy with entertaining elements in order to inspire, inform and even spark a sense of wonder among viewers.

In acknowledgment of this vital segment of the television industry, World Screen, in partnership with Reed MIDEM, is launching the Factual Trendsetter Awards to honor four individuals who have made significant contributions to the television business.

The honorees represent services that offer the best in factual programming: Corentin Glutron of RMC Découverte in France, Kristina Hollstein of ZDF and ZDF Enterprises in Germany, Nesta Owens of Discovery Networks CEEMEA and David Royle of Smithsonian Networks in the U.S.

W

These four programming executives will take part in the panel View From the Top: What Do Buyers Want? at MIPDoc on Saturday, April 2, from 10:45 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., in the Conference Room of the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez. World Screen’s group editorial director, Anna Carugati, will moderate a lively discussion that will focus on identifying ideas for shows that will satisfy viewers’ curiosity about the world around them.

“We’ve been thrilled with our partnership with Reed MIDEM over the last six years to honor programming wizards who are tasked with building compelling schedules for audiences,” says Ricardo Guise, president and publisher of World Screen.

“Given the complexities of today’s world there is a premium on factual programming that accurately informs, engages and entertains, helping viewers understand issues and topics that are not sufficiently well served by quick headlines or brief news reports. These executives have developed keen eyes for spotting top-notch, on-brand shows to satisfy their demanding audiences. We look forward to celebrating their discerning tastes with this award. At the View From the Top: What Do Buyers Want? session at MIPDoc we’ll hear them share insights into their approaches to finding the best the global market has to offer. The must-attend session will surely provide plenty of useful information for anyone in the business of producing, buying or selling factual content in the new golden age of television. We are delighted to be honoring their achievements at MIPDoc.”

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FA C T U A L T R E N D S E T T E R AWA R D S DAVID ROYLE Executive VP of Programming and Production Smithsonian Networks Smithsonian Networks is a joint venture between Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum and research complex. As a result, programming on the networks, which consists of the linear service Smithsonian Channel and its on-demand and online versions, is in great part inspired by the activities of the Institution. But, as David Royle, the executive VP of programming and production, points out, his channels are not museum TV. He looks for history, science, natural history, aviation and space, art and even music that is entertaining and thought-provoking. Past co-productions have included Angkor Wat: Land of the Gods with Korea’s EBS and a current one is Sacred Sites with Tile Films in Ireland. The air disaster series Mayday has been a successful acquisition.

NESTA OWENS Director of Programs Discovery Networks CEEMEA Nesta Owens is responsible for programming nine brands, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, ID Xtra, Discovery Science and Fatafeat, across 109 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, regions whose audience tastes and preferences are quite varied. She sources more than 4,000 hours of nonfiction content each year, through co-productions, commissions and acquisitions. When looking for product, she is interested in titles that will complement the programming the Discovery brands produce in the U.S. While she and her team had mainly been acquiring from the U.S. and the U.K., they have recently widened the net and are looking for content from other countries as well. Diamond River Hunters for Discovery Channel, Undressed for TLC and Detective’s Club for ID Xtra are among the popular acquired shows.

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FA C T U A L T R E N D S E T T E R AWA R D S CORENTIN GLUTRON Head of Acquisitions RMC Découverte, France The mission of the French digital terrestrial channel RMC Découverte is to bring factual entertainment to the freeTV audience in France. While pay-TV viewers can select from a number of channels offering nonfiction programming, in the free-TV space the choice is slim and usually limited to historical documentaries. Although RMC Découverte performs particularly well among male viewers, Corentin Glutron, the channel’s head of acquisitions, looks for entertaining factual programs for the whole family that focus on discovery, understanding, learning and having fun. The genres he is interested in include science, treasure hunters, cars, tough jobs as well as anniversaries and special events. Among his recent acquisitions are Wheeler Dealers, Outback Truckers and Building Wild, while La France des Mystères and Top Gear France are some of the recent prebuys for the channel.

KRISTINA HOLLSTEIN Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Documentaries ZDF and ZDF Enterprises, Germany The German public broadcaster ZDF is renowned for its quality documentaries. In fact, it has regular prime-time slots for high-end factual programming on a variety of topics, from expeditions to legends and mysteries, from the wonders of nature to the evolution of mankind and key events of the 20th century. As the director of acquisitions and co-productions of documentaries for ZDF and ZDF Enterprises, the broadcaster’s commercial arm, Kristina Hollstein works closely with ZDF commissioners in identifying shows in the categories of history, geology, science and archaeology. She also acquires product for ZDF’s digital channels. When sourcing content, she looks for factual accuracy and feature-film quality storytelling.

Recent acquisitions include the upcoming Planet Earth II. ZDF is also working on a version of the ARTE co-production of Dawn of Humanity with National Geographic.

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