World Screen MIPCOM 2012

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THE MAGAZINE OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA • OCTOBER 2012

www.worldscreen.com

MIPCOM Edition

The Comedy Issue Modern Family’s Steven Levitan The Office’s Ricky Gervais Veep’s Armando Iannucci Nurse Jackie’s Edie Falco Californication’s David Duchovny Episodes’ David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik Comedy Central’s Doug Herzog New Girl’s Liz Meriwether Devious Maids’ Marc Cherry Web Therapy’s Lisa Kudrow MIPCOM Honors Televisa’s

Emilio Azcárraga RTL Group’s

Anke Schäferkordt & Guillaume de Posch TV Globo’s

Octavio Florisbal ITV’s

Adam Crozier Fuji’s

Hisashi Hieda Saban Capital Group’s

Haim Saban Azteca’s

Ricardo Salinas Pliego Talpa’s

John de Mol FOX International Channels’

Hernán López KBS’s

Kim In-Kyu FremantleMedia’s

Cecile Frot-Coutaz

Gordon

Ramsay Storm!

COOKING UP A

Entertainment One’s

Darren Throop

Plus: Aaron Sorkin, David Attenborough,

Electus’s

Vince Gilligan, Christiane Amanpour, Mark Burnett, Russell T Davies, Michael Palin and Andrew Davies.

Ben Silverman GroupM’s

Irwin Gotlieb

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contents

OCTOBER 2012/MIPCOM EDITION

Publisher Ricardo Seguin Guise Editor Anna Carugati Executive Editor Mansha Daswani Managing Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Contributing Editor Elizabeth Guider Special Projects Editor Jay Stuart Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari Executive Editor, Spanish-Language Publications Rafael Blanco Associate Editor Joanna Padovano Online Director Simon Weaver Art Director Phyllis Q. Busell Production Directors Meredith Miller Chris Carline Sales & Marketing Director Cesar Suero Sales & Marketing Manager Vanessa Brand Business Affairs Manager Terry Acunzo Senior Editors Bill Dunlap Kate Norris Contributing Writers Chris Forrester Bob Jenkins Juliana Koranteng Joanna Stephens David Wood Copy Editor Grace Hernandez

Ricardo Seguin Guise, President Anna Carugati, Executive VP & Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani, Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development

WORLD SCREEN is a registered trademark of WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, Suite 1207 New York, NY 10010, U.S.A. Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.worldscreen.com ©2012 WSN INC. Printed by Fry Communications No part of this publication can be used, reprinted, copied or stored in any medium without the publisher’s authorization.

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Aaron Sorkin

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The writer talks about his new HBO series, The Newsroom.

—Anna Carugati

Gordon Ramsay

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The popular television personality on food, making great TV and being the most recognizable chef in the world.

in the news

—Mansha Daswani

Vince Gilligan

TELEVISA’S EMILIO AZCÁRRAGA

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The chairman and CEO of the Mexican media giant will receive MIPCOM’s Personality of the Year award.

A chat with the creator of AMC’s hit series Breaking Bad. —Kristin Brzoznowski

focus on canada

—Anna Carugati

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one-on-one

CANADIAN TREATS

In this in-depth interview, the new co-CEOs of the RTL Group discuss the strengths of the company’s broadcasting and content-creation businesses across Europe.

—Mansha Daswani & Anna Carugati

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—Anna Carugati

GRUPO SALINAS’S RICARDO SALINAS PLIEGO

on the record

Salinas Pliego leads a diversified media group that includes the Mexican broadcaster Azteca.

The chief executive of ITV plc discusses the British broadcaster’s priorities for the year ahead.

—Anna Carugati

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BUYING TIME

in conversation

This special report on the TV ad market includes interviews with RTL Group’s Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch, ITV’s Adam Crozier,TV Globo’s Octavio Florisbal, Fuji’s Hisashi Hieda, FOX International Channels’ Hernán López, Electus’s Ben Silverman, GroupM’s Irwin Gotlieb and Time Warner’s Kristen O’Hara.

The CEO of Brazil’s leading broadcaster on catering to the emerging market’s booming middle class, and gearing up for the 2014 soccer World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

—Anna Carugati

executive briefing

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The media tycoon on the U.S. Hispanic market and growth opportunities in Asia.

A look at comedy, including Q&As with Modern Family’s Steven Levitan, Episodes’ David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, Veep’s Armando Iannucci, Nurse Jackie’s Edie Falco, Comedy Central’s Doug Herzog, New Girl’s Liz Meriwether, The Office’s Ricky Gervais, Californication’s David Duchovny, Devious Maids’ Marc Cherry and Web Therapy’s Lisa Kudrow.

—Anna Carugati

departments WORLD VIEW GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE VIEWPOINT UPFRONT ADVERTISERS’ INDEX WORLD’S END

—Elizabeth Guider & Anna Carugati WORLD SCREEN is published eight times per year: January, March, April, May, June/July, October, November and December.

Annual subscription price: Inside the U.S.: $70.00 Outside the U.S.: $120.00 Send checks, company information and address corrections to: WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, Suite 1207, New York, NY 10010, U.S.A. For a free subscription to our newsletters, please visit www.worldscreen.com.

World Screen

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SABAN CAPITAL’S HAIM SABAN

FUNNY BUSINESS

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TV GLOBO’S OCTAVIO FLORISBAL

—Jay Stuart & Anna Carugati

industry trends

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ITV’S ADAM CROZIER

—Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari

special report

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RTL GROUP’S ANKE SCHÄFERKORDT & GUILLAUME DE POSCH

This report includes an interview with Entertainment One’s Darren Throop.

latin beat

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contents

OCTOBER 2012/MIPCOM EDITION

TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE Period dramas from Europe are receiving critical acclaim and devoted audiences across the globe 202… TURKISH DELIGHT With drama exports surging in popularity and a percolating demand for formats,Turkey is attracting a wealth of international attention 208…ITALIA 1 & RETE 4 AT 30 The Mediaset channels celebrate a milestone anniversary 216…INTERVIEWS Ricky Gervais 218…Andrew Davies 222…FremantleMedia’s Cecile Frot-Coutaz 224 CARTOON NETWORK’S 20TH Chronicles 20 years of the global kids’ broadcaster 251…HAPPY HOURS Successful comedies for kids 310…BRAND LICENSING L&M trends and an interview with Média-Participations’ Claude de Saint Vincent 311…DEMANDING KIDS On-demand platforms 332…INTERVIEWS Haim Saban 346…Russell T Davies 348…BBC’s Joe Godwin 350…The Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson 354…Alphanim’s Pierre Belaïsch 356…PROFILE BRB at 40 358 ZOOMING IN ON FORMATS A look at the state of the business today, as TV Formats celebrates its tenth anniversary 398…READY FOR LOVE Dating shows have proven to be successful and cost-effective buys for broadcasters 402…INTERVIEWS Talpa’s John de Mol 410…FremantleMedia’s Cecile Frot-Coutaz 414…One Three Media’s Mark Burnett 416 STAR GAZING The popularity of celebrity-based TV shows 452…

PAST PERFECTED Producers of historical programming are breathing new life into the genre 458…INTERVIEWS David Attenborough 462…Michael Palin 466…Christiane Amanpour 468…PROFILE National Geographic Channel 470 A CLEARER PICTURE The pan-regional brands heading to CASBAA are firmly focused on expanding their reach further into local markets and boosting ad revenues 488…INTERVIEWS Fuji’s

asia pacific

Hisashi Hieda 496…KBS’s Kim In-Kyu 497…FOX International Channels’ Zubin Gandevia 498 AFTER THE SANDSTORM The satellite-broadcasting business is coming to grips with channel jamming, fierce rivalries and increased competition 506…INTERVIEW Keshet Media’s Avi Nir 512…PROFILE South Africa To Go 514

LATIN DRAMA Distributors are making inroads with

high-quality

drama

series

548…

These targeted

BRAZILIAN APPETITE The latest media

magazines

developments in this evolving market 556…

INTERVIEW Televisa’s Emilio Azcárraga 567

appear both inside

THE LEADING SOURCE FOR

World Screen

PROGRAM INFORMATION Listings

and as separate

of numerous distributors attending MIPCOM 597

publications.

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world view

BY ANNA CARUGATI

The Importance of Laughter Over the last four months, while headlines were screaming about the collapse of the euro zone, nuclear Iran, the war in Syria, the severe drought in the U.S., the shrinking ice caps in the Artic, and the political mudslinging in the U.S. presidential campaign, I decided to check out of the 24-hour news cycle and dive into comedy.

One of the main features in this issue looks at television comedy. For several years, critics have been claiming we are in the second golden age of television drama. Now comedy is making a comeback. In its various incarnations, including variety, situation comedy and talk shows, comedy has been a staple of broadcast schedules around the world since the beginning of television. Nowadays, the genre has broadened considerably, from new takes on the traditional sitcom to the mockumentary, from animated series to shows that originate in webisodes.

While I was preparing for my interviews I got to thinking about the origins of comedy—have people always had a sense of humor, even when life was much more rudimentary and when civilizations existed at the mercy of weather, crop yields and invasions from enemies? Has there always been a need to look at the lighter side of daily life? I knew that comedy in the theater has its roots in Ancient Greece, but I wanted to learn more COMEDY IN ALL ITS about its origins. My research led to some surprising findings.

“Comedy” comes from the Greek word ELEMENTS IS HARD komoidia, which scholars believe comes from komos, groups or processions of men singing, WORK AND VERY dancing and drinking—basically boys behaving badly. Not only were these bands of brothers drunk and rowdy, I found that Aristotle claimed SERIOUS BUSINESS. that comedy originated from phallic songs or processions where men paraded about carrying a phallus pole. And apparently these phallus bearers went about and mocked and ridiculed the people watching them, to the great amusement of everyone. Onstage, comedy actors wore padded costumes, accentuating protruding bellies and butts. The Greeks exalted the beauty of the lean and fit human body, so these distortions—the fat paunch and backside—were sources of great laughter. I also found that at Greek fertility rituals, extremely sexual and scatological songs were often performed. Is it any wonder that sex, and even bathroom humor, continue to be such a big part of comedy today?

Since my research had taken a bit of a disturbing turn, I decided to look in a different direction. What about the benefits of laughter, which is a direct offshoot of comedy?

Well, the benefits are plentiful. Studies have revealed that laughter, aside from improving your mood, also helps relieve 30

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pain, reduce stress and strengthen the immune system and aids in healing a wide range of illnesses, from hypertension and heart disease to allergies, asthma, even migraines. And of course, it improves relationships.A person who can make others laugh, even, or especially, in tense or difficult situations, is always quite popular.

Armed with this background knowledge I set out to interview some of the leading comedians, showrunners, writers and actors today: Ricky Gervais, Steven Levitan (creator of Modern Family), Liz Meriwether (creator of New Girl), David Duchovny (star of Californication), David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik (creators of Episodes; Crane was a cocreator of Friends), Armando Iannucci (creator of The Thick of It and Veep), Lisa Kudrow (a.k.a. Pheobe on Friends and co-creator and star of Web Therapy) Edie Falco (a.k.a.

Carmela Soprano and star of Nurse Jackie), Marc Cherry (creator of Desperate Housewives and Devious Maids), and Doug Herzog, who heads up Comedy Central.

I didn’t really know what to expect.Would they answer the questions I had prepared or would they, as Ricky Gervais had in the past, venture off onto hilarious tangents? All of them, however, including Gervais, spoke forthrightly about their craft: that the best comedy comes from personal experience, that comedy so often speaks of truths about human nature, that writers and actors alike must feel free to fail, to get it wrong, before they can get it right. Many admitted to discovering a gift for comedy at a young age, either being class clown or trying to crack up mom and dad at the dinner table. From each of them I learned that comedy in all its elements—writing, delivery, timing, reaction and performance—is hard work and a very serious business.

We delve into other serious businesses in this issue: the power of television as an advertising medium for one.We interview the CEOs of the top commercial broadcasters in the U.K., Germany, Japan, Brazil, Mexico and Korea.We also speak to some of the major players in the television business, including Haim Saban; Gordon Ramsay; John de Mol; Mark Burnett; Cecile Frot-Coutaz; Sir David Attenborough;Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, widely considered one of the top dramas today; and Aaron Sorkin, who is credited with having changed the course of TV drama with The West Wing and who recently created The Newsroom. All good dramas nowadays have their comedic moments.The need to laugh is indeed universal.

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global perspective

BY BRUCE L. PAISNER

Renewal and Transformation I went to three countries this spring—Laos, China and Germany—that made me think about change and the way the world challenges and surprises us.

With the 40th anniversary of the International Emmy coming up this November, the year 1972 is very much on my mind. And what I realized was that a trip to any of these places 40 years ago would have been impossible or very different. China was still off limits to most Americans. Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger had made their transformative voyages only earlier that year. Laos was a battlefield, with American bombs decimating the Ho Chi Minh Trail daily; and Germany was a divided country, still feeling its way back from the total destruction of World War II and coping with the tension between communism and the free world. How different things are 40 years later.

Laos is increasingly a tourist destination, with a developing hydroelectric power industry. China is now the second-largest economy in the world. By almost any measure of manufacturing, exports or hitech innovation, Germany leads Europe. (In fact, the International Academy now THE FIRST has more members in Germany, its largest delegation in Europe, than it does in AWARDS CEREMONY the U.K.) And in our business, how things have changed in 40 HAD ONLY years—and, interestingly, how they have not. When TWO EMMYS: the first International Emmy award was handed out in 1972, American teleFICTION AND vision ruled the world.

There were so few quality NON-FICTION. programs from anywhere else that the first awards ceremony had only two Emmys: Fiction and Non-Fiction. Quite a difference from today where in the course of a year we award over 20 Emmys.

This is hardly surprising when one looks at television around the world and at the explosive growth of the quantity and quality of programming in virtually every country. American production often sets a standard for other countries to meet, but increasingly they are meeting and even surpassing it. Witness the number of programs now succeeding on U.S. television which began life someplace else and were imported into the U.S. as formats.

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What has not changed much about television—in the U.S. or the rest of the world—is the basic programming form: one-hour dramas; half-hour sitcoms, morning and evening chat shows, and even reality.

They have been with us since the dawn of the television age, and they continue to dominate the medium.

It’s stunning to realize that the network prime-time newscast still runs for a half hour, and still has exactly the same format as when it was introduced—in 1963!

Prime time on broadcast and cable is a mix of sitcoms, dramas and reality shows which, except for looser language, look and feel much the same as their predecessors from a generation ago.

But even that is changing, an increasing victim of new technology and ever shorter attention spans.

Keep a close eye on the Google/YouTube experiment with short-form programming networks. Look at what your children watch on their handheld devices. I’m pretty confident that when we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the International Emmy, television, either the physical box or what’s on it, won’t look anything like it does today. Technology will take us in exciting, new creative directions, and our world will change. Just one example: I had a chance to visit ZDF’s new news studio in Mainz, what they call the “green hell.” The walls are painted a bright green, and news hosts and correspondents explore a virtual world in an empty room. Everything is done with computers, so that, for example, a reporter can stroll through a new airplane without even leaving the studio. It’s a whole new approach to broadcast news, with obvious risks, but great potential for the viewer and enormous flexibility for the broadcaster.

I have always thought that it is in times like this that an organization like the International Academy is particularly important. We offer our members the opportunity to become more familiar with what works in different places and, in an interdependent world, we enable professionals in each country to understand what their media counterparts in other countries want. A very useful role.

Any 40th anniversary is a milestone, and on this one, in our industry, it is tantalizing to look back and exciting to look forward and to realize where we have been and where we could be going.

Bruce L. Paisner is the president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

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viewpoint

BY ROD PERTH

Beyond Disruption When NATPE 2013 convenes from January 28 to 30 to celebrate our 50th anniversary at the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami, it will be bigger, brighter, better and organized to maximize networking experiences.

Our conference and market, the first must-attend event of the year for the global TV business, will provide all who attend a chance to not only look back at NATPE’s important role in the history of the television business, but forward to all of the exciting opportunities and serious challenges that lie ahead for our industry.

Perhaps no subject better illustrates the potential risks and rewards confronting the television business in the future than the concept of “disruption” caused by new technologies replacing old business models. It will be a central theme at our milestone conference next year.

Since I took the reins of NATPE in May, technological disruption has been a leading NATPE WILL topic of my conversations with media leaders.

No wonder. I can’t remember the last time I CONTINUE ITS read a trade, The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal and didn’t see a headline about the latest big groundbreaking deal between a studio COMMITMENT TO and Netflix, Amazon or Hulu; a retransmission consent battle; a groundbreaking new syndicamodel; a significant development in overPOSITION CONTENT tion the-top technology; or so many other concepts designed to replace the revenue lost by changAS THE CENTERPIECE ing viewing habits in a multiplatform universe.

Some see “disruption” in pejorative terms, fearing these new technologies will completely OF THIS COLLECTIVE displace the TV business model in existence for more than a half century and destroy the costly, CONVERSATION. high-quality programming to which we have become accustomed to producing, distributing and watching. Even the most optimistic among us can’t help feel that way when we see our tech-savvy, “networkagnostic” kids shun TV viewing to watch their favorite shows on portable devices. But it’s not all gloom. Harvard Business School Professor Clayton M. Christensen rejects the “simplistic” common disruption hypothesis that established firms fail because they don’t keep up technologically. We already instinctively know this because, as the research indicates, it doesn’t mirror reality; there’s no comparison between the revenue the majors derive from traditional versus digital platforms. Disruptive technologies, Christensen notes, “rarely wipe older technologies off the face of the earth, or out of the business world altogether.

But they do often wipe out particular firms.”

The obvious advantage traditional media companies have over the tech startups is the quality of the content they 34

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produce, and the fact that advertisers are still willing to pay a premium for it. Top digital content companies, however, are slowly eating away at this equation with higher-quality programming. Not too long ago, it was all about traditional ad dollars versus digital pennies. But the divide is narrowing, with today’s leading performers in that space fetching quarters from advertisers for every dollar they spend with traditional distributors. And, in some instances, we’re even seeing digital providers migrate some of their series from platforms like YouTube to TV to help close the revenue gap even further.

Studios and networks, in turn, must now routinely weigh whether their content deals are additive or corrosive as a host of content-hungry digital platforms emerge.

Should they sell to them and risk massive back-end syndication profits and current licensing deals, or go for substantial yet far less digital dollars to boost profit ledgers and please shareholders? How to best craft the deals— exclusive or non-exclusive, short-term or long-term— and what about the windows, financial bubbles, new opportunities on mobile and other screens? So far, there’s no standard playbook. Everything is considered on a case-by-case basis.

With so many pressing disruption issues, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day minutiae and news of the moment, and lose sight of the notion that there is something beyond all of this. It is an uncertain and unsafe path ahead but one that we as an industry must navigate. Next January, NATPE will continue its commitment to position content as the centerpiece of this collective conversation, aspiring to be a dynamic catalyst for both connections and commerce among the entertainment, technology and advertising communities. The first part of this risktaking process will involve examining new strategies and tactics designed to clarify the vision, reconstitute the business and brands in new, fresh ways. We will ask top industry executives to think about what they would do to reinvent themselves if they started with a clean sheet of paper today to achieve modernization models that are real rather than hopeful.

We want to set a forward-looking agenda that makes us relevant to all sectors of the TV business so our attendees’ investment in time and money provides them with a measureable return on investment.

Rod Perth is the president and CEO of NATPE//Content First.

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upfronts 6Spokes Solutions www.6Spokes.com

The Toronto-based 6Spokes Solutions offers content suppliers a unique, integrated suite of solutions that can help optimize sales and revenue worldwide. Its content-sales development plan is fully integrated with digitization services, SD and HD conversion and delivery tools. “We started 6Spokes Solutions because we knew that we could deliver what every content owner wants: more potential sales leads for their properties,” says Derek Picard, the company’s CEO. “We also recognized that the rich media industry was looking for cost certainty on the support services to core creative and marketdevelopment activities. Industry executives told us that they are frustrated with the time-consuming reoccurring process of sourcing affordable solutions for modernization, conversions, storage and delivery of their product. We deliver this in a way that provides predictability, stability and value to their business.”

At MIPCOM, the company will be presenting clients its 6S-Plan, which Picard says is “an affordable fullservice sales, storage, modernization and delivery model that can be tailored to meet the needs of most businesses.”

“6Spokes Solutions has the sales tools

and modernization services that the entertainment industry needs in one easy-touse, worry-free package.

”

—Derek Picard

ALL3MEDIA International www.all3mediainternational.com • Coup/Secret State • Harley Street • Model Employee

From executive producer Stephen Lambert, the man behind the hit Undercover Boss, comes the brand-new series Model Employee. The show, which is one of ALL3MEDIA International’s lead titles for MIPCOM, sees tantrum-prone supermodels competing to become the face of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. “This is a job-challenge show that’s got it all: a glamorous cast, a shark pool, ten supermodels living under one roof and no elimination round to get them out of there,” says Liza Thompson, ALL3MEDIA’s senior VP of sales.

Drama is also on offer from the company, with Coup (working title). “My buyers in Scandinavia, Spain and Latin America have a real appetite for this type of miniseries,” Thompson says. She believes that the cosmeticsurgery observational doc Harley Street may be particularly appealing for female-skewing channels. “This series is unique in that you see the before and after surgical procedures with their ensuing interesting back stories.”

“We want to further

our relations with leading and new broadcasters and let them know about our expanding slate of great shows.

”

—Liza Thompson

Harley Street

THE LEADING ONLINE DAILY NEWS SERVICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA INDUSTRY. For a free subscription, visit www.worldscreen.com/pages/newsletter

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AMC/Sundance Channel Global www.amcnetworks.com • Sundance Channel • WE tv

Hell on Wheels on Sundance Channel

So far this year,AMC/Sundance Channel Global has struck new carriage deals for linear channels in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.The company also launched its Sundance Channel on VOD in China for the first time, along with expanding its on-demand offerings in Belgium and France.

“There is a strong appetite among pay-TV operators and consumers for high-quality, globally renowned entertainment, and we are focused on delivering this iconic content across multiple platforms,” says Bruce Tuchman, the president of AMC/Sundance Channel Global.“Looking ahead, we plan to expand the presence of both Sundance Channel and WE tv across platforms in existing countries as well as launch in new markets across the globe.”

Sundance Channel offers a diverse selection of independent films and original series, including the AMC hits Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead and Hell on Wheels.

Recently,WE tv Asia launched new seasons of Braxton Family Values, Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best? andTori & Dean.

“We’ve had terrific

momentum in the expansion of Sundance Channel and WE tv internationally over the last few months.

”

—Bruce Tuchman

Argentina Audiovisual www.argentina-audiovisual.com

The Argentine Pavilion at MIPCOM is organized by the Undersecretary of Investments, Development and Trade Promotion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina.

The organization works to support and strengthen the country’s audiovisual industry by promoting international sales and agreements. Under the banner of Argentina Audiovisual, small- and medium-sized companies from Argentina have the opportunity to participate in international content markets like MIPCOM, as they work to establish relationships with leading international companies. Argentina Audiovisual provides a platform for meetings, exhibiting material and presenting audiovisual products that were created in Argentina.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina works with other government agencies to support the promotion of the audiovisual sector.The Argentine Film Institute (INCAA), the Argentine Chamber of Audiovisual Exporters (CAEA) and the Argentine Chamber of Independent TV Producers (CAPIT) will be represented under the Argentina Audiovisual banner at MIPCOM, along with more than 50 of the country’s leading production companies.

VISIT HUNDREDS OF DISTRIBUTORS’ SCREENING ROOMS AT

www.worldscreenings.com

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Artist View Entertainment www.artistviewent.com • Fatal Call • Concrete Blondes • She Wants Me

The action in the thriller Concrete Blondes kicks into high gear when three women discover $3 million in missing drug money and decide to steal it.The 90-minute movie, one of the highlights of the Artist View Entertainment catalogue, stars Tony Alcantar, Samaire Armstrong and Diora Baird. Another action thriller, Fatal Call, features Jason London, Kevin Sorbo, Danielle Harris and Lochlyn Munro in a story wrapped up in romance and murder.

Artist View also has comedy to offer, including She Wants Me. Josh Gad, Hilary Duff and Kristen Ruhlin lead the cast of the 90-minute movie, which follows an upand-coming Hollywood screenwriter who finds himself in a tricky situation when an A-list actress shows interest in a role he has already promised to his girlfriend.

“As with all of our content, we believe these films will please the broadcasters because they have strong recognizable talent and each of the story lines are unique in their own way,” says Scott Jones, the president of Artist View Entertainment.

Concrete Blondes

“Our content will appeal to pay-TV and free-TV

buyers who have room in their schedules for mid- to high-level entertaining independent feature films.

—Scott Jones

”

Band Contents Distribution www.band.com.br/distribution • Panic • Little Grown-ups Talk • The Amazing Professor Ambrosius’ Mansion

Not only is Band Contents Distribution looking to build its business with traditional linear platforms like free TV and cable, but VOD, mobile and the Internet are also a priority for MIPCOM sales.The company is striving to generate additional business opportunities and establish strong relationships with new companies, according to Elisa Ayub, Band’s director of international content.

One of the shows Band is offering up at MIPCOM is Panic, a comedy with sarcastic humor geared toward young teenagers. The series is based on a radio program from the 1990s. Another title on the slate is Little Grownups Talk, a family-friendly series hosted by Marcelo Tas and presented through the point of view of children.

“Little Grown-ups Talk is a show that leaves guest stars with their hair raised [after] unexpected and truly frank questions from the little ones,” says Ayub. The company is also showcasing The Amazing Professor Ambrosius’ Mansion, a kids’ educational comedy about a professor and his two assistants.

Little Grown-ups Talk

“

We hope to expand our brand and our content through conventional media platforms and digital ones.

”

—Elisa Ayab

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BBC Worldwide www.bbcworldwide.com

“Increasingly, we use MIPCOM to explore

• The Paradise • Top of the Lake • Wonders of Life

co-production opportunities and to strike innovative new digital deals that have been so prevalent in the past year.

—Steve Macallister

”

Buyers have already shown a great deal of interest in the new drama series Top of the Lake, according to Steve Macallister, the president and managing director of BBC Worldwide Sales & Distribution. “I think buyers are being more adventurous and are looking for more edgy drama with great writers behind them, as witnessed by the success of series such as The Killing, Wallander and Sherlock,” he says. “Top of the Lake is exactly that, a powerful and haunting story written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee.” Macallister also has high hopes for the drama The Paradise, set in the Victorian era. “The U.K. has become synonymous with period dramas with engaging storytelling, and The Paradise certainly over-delivers on that front. I’m sure it will make for perfect prime-time drama viewing.”

The science-based Wonders of Life is “in a league of its own,” Macallister says, highlighting its use of the latest cutting-edge technology. “It’s beautifully shot, with universally relevant topics.”

The Paradise

Beyond Distribution www.beyond.com.au • Highway Thru Hell • The Mistress • Rod & Rucksack

There’s plenty of action and jeopardy in the observational documentary series Highway Thru Hell, which follows the Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue crew working on the mountainous Coquihalla Highway.The 8x1-hour series is among the highlights from Beyond Distribution, which is also offering The Mistress for buyers. The show features one of the world’s most famous ex-mistresses, who is on a mission to help other women looking to escape the trap of an extramarital affair.“The journey of each woman from being ‘the other woman’ to being ‘her own woman’ makes riveting viewing,” saysYvonne Body, the head of acquisitions and coproductions at Beyond Distribution.“There’s a big demand for character-driven workplace shows, but it’s hard to find one where both the work and the characters sustain the audience’s interest. The Mistress definitely fulfills those urges of curiosity and voyeurism we all have, but with a payoff.”

Body calls Rod & Rucksack pure “wow!” viewing: “I would never normally get excited about a fishing show, but in Rod & Rucksack you can’t help but get carried away.”

“The ultimate aim for

an acquisitions person is to see the programs you’ve tracked down and championed being aired all over the world.

”

—Yvonne Body

The Mistress

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BoPaul Media Worldwide www.bopaulmedia.com • Blood and Sand • House of Bad • RKO Library

“BoPaul has made a major leap from April’s MIPTV to MIPCOM, with a catalogue that now surpasses 1,000 titles.”

—Paul Rich

While classic films like Citizen Kane, King Kong and Ashanti are still the bread and butter of the BoPaul Media Worldwide catalogue, the company has ventured now into the independent film market. House of Bad marks its foray into co-financing low-budget films. “We believe Scott Frazelle [the producer] is a name to watch in the future, with this tale of three sisters returning to the scene of their parents’ mysterious disappearance,” says Paul Rich, the owner and CEO of BoPaul Media Worldwide. The company is also offering buyers Blood and Sand, which features Sharon Stone pre Basic Instinct. BoPaul offers an uncut version for pay-TV and DVD release as well as a softer free-TV version.

There are 720 titles from the film library of RKO Pictures that BoPaul can offer to buyers in Asia. “The fabled RKO library is the last of the great studio archives in the world being offered intact, all rights in perpetuity to the Asian market exclusively,” says Rich.

“We believe that it will be of particular interest to major pan-Asian networks.”

Ashanti

Breakthrough Entertainment www.breakthroughentertainment.com • Rocket Monkeys • Kinderzoo • My Really Cool Legs!

Breakthrough Entertainment is launching eight new programs in all genres at MIPCOM, along with several series treatments available for presale.The company is particularly excited about its newest animated production, Rocket Monkeys. Nat Abraham, Breakthrough’s president of distribution, says the show is “wacky” and “fun-filled.” It follows two monkeys who are best friends, as they explore strange new worlds on a unique and specially equipped rocket.“We challenged our creative team at every level to push the comedy without restrictions on the types of stories and ideas they went after,” Abraham says. For buyers after educational preschool fare, Breakthrough has Sunrise Entertainment’s Kinderzoo to offer.The green-themed series combines animation and live action “to promote strong social values and guide children to grow up as caring and responsible global citizens and yet be thoroughly entertained on the journey,” says Abraham.

My Really Cool Legs! is a doc that follows a team of pediatric amputees as they deal with their disability.

“We are very careful in selecting our content,

both on our production slate and equally importantly from our third-party producers.

”

—Nat Abraham

My Really Cool Legs!

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Canal Futura www.futura.org.br • Armed • Final Destination: Education • Students House

Canal Futura is celebrating 15 years of broadcasting this year. “It is a remarkable date!” says Lucia Araujo, the company’s general manager. “Along this time, Futura has followed its proposal of providing quality programming, combining deep content and high-quality productions.

Our programming promotes equality, entrepreneurship, cultural pluralism and public awareness of important issues reaching audiences not only within the Brazilian territory, but also all over the world.”

Programs being offered up from the Canal Futura slate include Armed, a documentary that showcases some of the harsher realities going on in Brazil: international drug trafficking, corruption and gun-control issues. Students House talks about one of the most urgent topics on the global agenda: sustainability and energy resources. “It shows how young people—the future decision-makers— deal with these issues,” Araujo says. She adds that she believes Final Destination: Education “arouses international interest.”

“We are looking forward to establishing stronger

relations with channels in the Americas, Europe and Portuguese-speaking countries, with whom we have a very strong connection.

”

—Lucia Araujo

Students House

Caracol Television www.caracolinternacional.com • Pablo Escobar, the Drug Lord • Made in Cartagena • Five Widows on the Loose

Following a successful past few years, Caracol Television is continuing its efforts to present innovative material to the market. “This varied offering of high-quality content will help reinforce our relations with the territories where we are already established and it will contribute to closing new negotiations in multiple territories in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East,” says Lisette Osorio, the company’s senior director of international sales.

At MIPCOM, Caracol is showcasing titles such as Pablo Escobar, the Drug Lord, Made in Cartagena and Five Widows on the Loose. “Pablo Escobar, the Drug Lord is a great story that includes drama, action and a lot of reality,” says Osorio.The series is based on actual testimonies from people who were acquainted with the Colombian criminal. “Made in Cartagena is a love story with action, Caribbean music, dance and a lot of sensuality,” Osorio continues. “Five Widows on the Loose is a great drama that develops the love stories of five different women whose lives are linked by the terrible fate of having their men in jail.”

Five Widows on the Loose

“We are armed

with television programming of the highest production quality and with very attractive story lines.

”

—Lisette Osorio

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CBS Studios International www.cbssi.com • Elementary • Emily Owens, M.D. • Beauty and the Beast

Putting a modern spin on a well-known character, Elementary features the famed detective Sherlock Holmes now living in present-day New York City. The British actor Jonny Lee Miller plays the legendary Sherlock, and, in an interesting twist, Watson is played by a female lead, Lucy Liu. The show made its U.S. debut this fall on CBS and is being offered to international broadcasters through CBS Studios International (CBSSI).“We’ve had incredible reaction from buyers to our programming for The CW, Emily Owens, M.D. and Beauty and the Beast, which skew young but are also for a broader audience,” says Armando Nuñez, the president of CBSSI. He also points to Vegas as a company highlight.“Everybody loves LasVegas, and Vegas is the story of the transition from a cowboy town to the town that we know today.

“As a studio, we are blessed by the fact that for a show to get on CBS, because of the strength and stability of the CBS schedule, it’s got to be not only good, but really, really good, in order to make the cut.”

“Jonny Lee Miller is a

brilliant casting choice to play Sherlock Holmes in Elementary, and takes the character in a different direction; so is Lucy Liu as Watson.

”

—Armando Nuñez

Elementary

Cineflix Rights www.cineflixrights.com Claimed & Shamed

• Claimed & Shamed • House Hazards • Wives with Knives

The optimism is high at Cineflix Rights, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. “We have found the buying market to be very active across the second and third quarters of the year, so we anticipate a positive environment in Cannes,” says Chris Bonney, the CEO of rights at Cineflix Media.

The company is looking to shore up sales on Claimed & Shamed, a fast-paced observational documentary series that follows a team of investigators hunting down insurance fraudsters. House Hazards takes a look at everyday household dangers, using state-of-the-art technology to explore the sometimes disastrous results of human error. Wives with Knives features the stories of women who have committed violent crimes against their husbands or lovers.

“These three titles take subjects like crime, relationships and real-life stories, which have already proven successful, and add new elements to create something different to what audiences will have seen before,” Bonney says. He adds that the company is eager to further relations with third-party producers in the scripted, unscripted and format genres.

“It’s Cineflix Rights’ tenth anniversary, so this,

combined with MIPCOM’s Canadian focus, should put the spotlight nicely on us.

”

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—Chris Bonney

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Content Television www.contentmediacorp.com • The Scapegoat • The Bletchley Circle • The Fall

Content Television is promoting several new dramas at this year’s market. The Scapegoat, based on a book by Daphne du Maurier of the same name, is a two-hour-long feature starring Matthew Rhys and Eileen Atkins.The film, which takes place in 1952, is about two men who decide to trade lives after discovering they have the same face. “It’s a morally complex and darkly comic tale of deception, intrigue and lethal ambition,” says Saralo MacGregor, the executive VP of Content Television and Digital. The Bletchley Circle, a three-hour original thriller starring Anna Maxwell Martin, tells the story of four women who wind up investigating a number of murders in London after World War II. The five-hour thriller The Fall stars Gillian Anderson as a detective hunting down a serial killer.

“As well as our dramas, we have many new documentaries and new seasons of successful series to present to international broadcasters, and we’re very proud of our new and returning award-winning multiplatform series,” says MacGregor.

“Our lineup of

shows for MIPCOM 2012 is one of our finest yet.

”

—Saralo MacGregor

The Bletchley Circle

Daro Film Distribution www.daro-films.mc • The Shawshank Redemption • Taken Back: Finding Haley • A Christmas Wedding Date

This year brings much cause for celebration at Daro Film Distribution, as the company is celebrating its 30th birthday. Its founder, Pierre André Rochat, who serves as president, says that the company puts great care into amassing titles that cater to both the local and the global market simultaneously. “We buy worldwide products on the one hand and look after the needs of individual territories on the other,” he says.

Among the titles in the company’s catalogue is the hit Hollywood film The Shawshank Redemption, which is part of Daro’s Cecchi Gori Pictures library acquisition, under which it has the European rights.“This has been an incredibly popular movie for over ten years now, and is still number one on IMDb’s top 250 ratings,” Rochat says. Taken Back: Finding Haley is a female-led thriller produced for Lifetime.The plot centers on a woman in jeopardy. “There is a great demand for this genre of film,” Rochat says.

For buyers after holiday fare, the company offers A Christmas Wedding Date. Rochat calls the film “fun and uplifting.”

Taken Back: Finding Haley

“We are still in business after 30 years, which is quite rare in this industry.”

—Pierre André Rochat

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Deutsche Welle/DW Transtel www.dw.de

“Our partners around the world look to DW for perspectives they hadn’t considered before.”

• Beyond Progress • Art Beats • The Allure of Nature

—Petra Schneider

Deutsche Welle (DW) leaves no stone unturned when it comes to addressing topics of global interest.There’s Beyond Progress, which sheds light on the scientific and technological achievements of our time and discusses their ecological, economic and ethical impact. “It shows that with all of the positive connotations associated with progress, it is sometimes good to take a step back and assess the costs involved,” says Petra Schneider, the director of distribution at DW. Art Beats highlights alternative arts and those who create them.

“It shows how international, vibrant and diverse culture is, and how it can bring nations and people together,” she says.

With The Allure of Nature, DW spotlights the diversity of the natural world. “This diversity is the Earth’s greatest asset. It would also be hard to imagine life without the beauty that nature bestows upon the eye.”

Schneider continues, “Our brand of storytelling makes it easy to understand complex and intriguing issues. All three of these shows highlight different aspects of popular topics and provide new insights for how we view the world.”

The Allure of Nature

Distribution360 www.distribution360.com Splatalot

• Splatalot • This Is Scarlett and Isaiah • Olive the Ostrich

This market will be the launch pad for the all-new season two of Splatalot for Distribution360. “Season one’s action and humor have thrilled millions of kids in over 100 countries, including the U.S. on Nickelodeon,” says Kirsten Hurd, the company’s senior sales executive. The success of the brand in the digital arena has also made Distribution360 eager to explore more opportunities with emerging platforms. “Our Splatalot games have garnered tens of millions of plays worldwide, and we want to build on that success.”

The company is also continuing on its well-established kids’ brand This Is… with a third installment, This Is Scarlett and Isaiah. Broadcasters looking for preschool fare can turn to Distribution360 for its Olive the Ostrich series. “We are hoping to connect with existing buyers of Splatalot and This Is... to firm up broadcast deals for the new episodes,” notes Hurd. “We would also like to secure some free-TV windows for Olive the Ostrich, which has done so well for us in the cable market.”

“We are always interested in connecting with

buyers in new territories as well as buyers for emerging platforms who may be looking for mobile and game content.

”

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—Kirsten Hurd

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Dori Media Group www.dorimediadistribution.com • New York • Galis • The Money Pump

Many of the series from the Dori Media Group catalogue have already proven themselves with great results in their native Israel, according to Nadav Palti, the company’s president and CEO. “New York was the most-viewed drama on the YES DBS satellite provider in Israel during 2012,” he says. “Due to its success, a second season is already in preproduction and is scheduled to go on air in 2013.” Palti also points to the success of Galis, which has a second season in production, and The Money Pump, which scored high ratings for Channel 2. New York is a crime drama produced

by Dori Media Darset, while Galis is a series that was originally produced by Dori Media Darset for Noga Communications. The Money Pump is a game-show format created

by Gili Golan, Adi Golan and Harel Joseffson.

“All these shows have international appeal,” Palti says.

“Their ideas can travel well across the world and they can be easily adapted to the local market. In addition, all are unique in their genres and thus are standing out among the other alternatives buyers and programmers have.”

“Our goal is

to bring buyers, programmers and viewers all over the world unique and outstanding content for the most entertaining viewing possible.

”

—Nadav Palti

Galis

Entertainment One www.eonetv.com

“eOne hits the international stage with a

• Primeval: New World • Saving Hope • The Walking Dead

killer lineup of dramatic offerings for the broadcast community.

”

Broadcasters who purchased the original British series Primeval or those who weren’t able to because it was already sold to a competitor can look forward to Primeval: New World.The North American version of the hit series, which sold worldwide, stars Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) and Niall Matter (Eureka, 90210). “The North American version promises an aged-up, more action-packed series,” says Prentiss Fraser, the senior VP of worldwide sales and acquisitions at Entertainment One (eOne) Television, which is bringing the title to MIPCOM. “Atmosphere is handling all the visual effects, which is fantastic, as it is the studio responsible for the likes of Stargate, Smallville and Battlestar Galactica, to name a few.” eOne also has new seasons of Saving Hope and The Walking Dead. The second season of Saving Hope continues to follow the stories of surgeons, doctors and patients at Toronto’s Hope-Zion Hospital. The Walking Dead is back with a third season, following the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse.

—Prentiss Fraser The Walking Dead

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FOXTEL www.foxtel.com.au • The Newsroom on SoHo • Grand Designs Australia on the LifeStyle Channel • MegaTruckers on A&E

In February of this year, A&E launched as part of the FOXTEL Channels Group, and the network quickly ascended to become the number one factual channel in the portfolio.“We recognized a unique opportunity and a gap in the market to create a channel targeting a male audience that tapped new factual sub-genres: fortune hunting, occupational risk and reward, and action and entertainment, hence the name A&E,” says Brian Walsh, FOXTEL’s executive director of television.The network commissioned Cordell Jigsaw, creators of Bondi Rescue, to produce the special MegaTruckers, which is currently being developed as a series.

SoHo is a channel dedicated to the discerning drama fan.

The Newsroom launched on the network in August. “The HBO and Aaron Sorkin pedigree and level of international discussion of this series make it the perfect centerpiece for SoHo,”Walsh says.

The LifeStyle Channel launched in 1997, positioned as a one-stop destination for premium global and local lifestyle content. Signature shows include Grand Designs Australia.

“The combined FOXTEL Networks group reaches

5.7 million subscribers every week, making it the largest channel group in Australian subscription television, and now accounts on average for over 35 percent of viewing.

—Brian Walsh

”

MegaTruckers

FremantleMedia Enterprises www.fmescreenings.com • Battleground • Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food • Wizards Vs Aliens

Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food

As the U.S. presidential elections draw near, the world of American politics has been a big draw with global buyers.

FremantleMedia Enterprises’ (FME) Battleground, a comedydrama set in the world of political campaigns, is very much on trend.“Battleground is a quick-paced, witty drama encompassing politics, media, social media, and how they all work together—themes that are relevant around the world,” says David Ellender, FME’s global CEO. Ellender also has high hopes for the food-based factual show Lorraine’s Fast, Fresh and Easy Food.The show marks chef Lorraine Pascale’s second series. “She has a relaxed and sexy approach to food as well as a really varied background, and we know she’ll do well globally,” Ellender says.

FME also caters to kids, with titles such as Wizards Vs Aliens.The children’s drama comes from Russell T Davies, “one of the greatest contemporary TV writers,” according to Ellender. “In his own words, the show is a ‘wild, funny, thrilling and sometimes scary collision of magic and science fiction.’We’re confident kids everywhere will love it.”

“The market is healthy. There are more

platforms looking for content and partnerships, and our slate across drama, comedy, factual, entertainment and kids’ is really exciting.

”

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Gaumont International Television www.gaumontinternationaltv.com • Hannibal • Hemlock Grove

This MIPCOM marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of Gaumont International Television. “We have moved from being a good idea into being a reality,” says Erik Pack, the company’s head of international distribution and co-production. “We are no longer discussing what we are aiming to do; we are now discussing programming that is actually happening.”

This programming includes the one-hour series Hannibal, from Gaumont International Television in association with Sony Pictures Television and produced for NBC. “The ‘brand’ that is Hannibal is so established and well known from the feature films and novels that the character Hannibal Lecter really is a household name,” says Pack. “This is incredibly appealing to broadcasters when it comes to promoting and marketing the series to their viewers.” The company is using MIPCOM as a launch pad of sorts for the new Netflix original Hemlock Grove. “We have been keeping this one under our hats thus far,” Pack notes. “The buzz around it is extraordinary, as we have a stellar cast and a top-notch production team.”

Hemlock Grove

“Gaumont International Television is here and we are delivering.”

—Erik Pack

Globo TV International www.globotvinternational.com • Looks & Essence • The Enchanted Tale • Irrational Heart

Looks & Essence has been one of the largest prime-time audience success stories in Brazil of the last few years.

The series, with an average share of 68 percent, is being offered to the global market from Globo TV International. The company also highlights the novela The Enchanted Tale, a love story. “The Enchanted Tale is innovative and was the first Globo telenovela produced using cinematographic techniques, a landmark in Brazilian drama,” says Raphael Corrêa Netto, the director of international sales at Globo TV International. Like Looks & Essence, The Enchanted Tale was a strong performer in Brazil, where it aired in the 6 p.m. hour and scored a 55-percent share. The telenovela was shot at locations in Brazil and abroad, at the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley in France.

The novela Irrational Heart, meanwhile, has been a leader in prime time on Teledoce in Uruguay since it premiered in April. The story follows the difficult history of two brothers, Pedro and Leo.

“For 47 years, Globo has

been working hard to tell good stories with universal themes in a way that viewers from the most varied places around the world will identify with and become involved in our telenovelas.

”

—Raphael Corrêa Netto

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GMA Worldwide www.gmaworldwide.tv

“We aim to meet with promising contacts from Eastern Europe.”

• One True Love • Together Again • It Might Be You

—Roxanne J. Barcelona

Contemporary dramas are a large part of the offerings from GMA Worldwide. As the content acquisition and distribution subsidiary of GMA Network, the outfit can offer the international community titles from one of the leading broadcasters in the Philippines. Roxanne J. Barcelona, theVP of GMA Worldwide, points out that global buyers have the chance to purchase shows that are among the highest-rated prime-time and afternoon prime programming on Filipino TV. This includes such titles as One True Love, a contemporary drama that tells the story of Ellen, who falls in love with a married man, Carlos, and gets pregnant. Unbeknownst to them, Carlos’s wife switches the baby with someone else’s. Another contemporary drama, Together Again, centers on Leilani, who blames Martin for the death of her father. She becomes a lawyer to get revenge on those she believes may be responsible for her father’s death.

Other dramas being offered by GMA Network include It Might BeYou, Never Be Alone and Faithfully.

One True Love

Goldstein Douglas Entertainment The Wedding Belles

• The Wedding Belles • The Proposal • The Travel Guys

Reality tops the list this time around for Goldstein Douglas Entertainment, with such titles as The Wedding Belles, The Proposal and The Travel Guys. The first of these series features two amateur wedding enthusiasts who help couples plan exciting and surprising weddings. Similarly, The Proposal features hosts who help people plan outrageous marriage proposals. The Travel Guys has been airing in Canada for the last nine years, but MIPCOM is the first time the show is being offered up to the international market.

“We’re also very proud to be bringing season 13 of the perennial reality hit Cheaters to MIPCOM,” says Cord Douglas, the company’s head of sales and acquisitions.“Season 13 marks Cheaters’ first season of HD production, delivering sharply defined clarity to the breakdown and breakup of troubled relationships.” Additionally, Clark James Gable, the grandson of the legendary actor, makes his debut as the new host of the series. “With charm and good looks that exceed his grandfather’s, Clark adds heartthrob appeal to a series that’s already on a record-breaking run,” Douglas adds.

“We expect to make tent-pole sales for our new

series throughout Europe and to establish ourselves as an emerging supplier of lifestyle and travel programs in Asia.

”

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GRB Entertainment www.grbtv.com • Bloopers • American Greed: The Fugitives • Hostage: Do or Die

International broadcasters are always enticed by shows that have performed well on a U.S. network and appeal to a diverse demographic. “Our new lineup continues to bring them exactly what they need: ratings,” says Gary Benz, the president and CEO of GRB Entertainment.

This comes in the way of Bloopers, Dick Clark Productions’ 2012 version of one of its biggest classics.

“Bloopers is one of the most anticipated series premiering in the U.S. this year,” Benz says. Hostage: Do or Die was produced for Investigation Discovery in the U.S. American Greed: The Fugitives is a spinoff from American Greed, CNBC’s critically acclaimed franchise now going into its sixth season in the U.S. “Our overall goals are to continue the expansion of our global reach both in the unscripted and narrative worlds, strengthen our existing relationships with producers and broadcasters as well as foster new contacts and avenues for global distribution,” says Benz. Other highlights from GRB include Inside West Coast Customs, which has two seasons available in HD.

“GRB is a widely

recognized quality content provider with a history of bringing awardwinning projects that engage and inspire audiences.

”

—Gary Benz

Inside West Coast Customs

Incendo www.incendo.ca • Willed to Kill • The Surrogacy Trap

Incendo has been delivering high-concept and highquality television movies to international broadcasters for the past ten years. “And our current slate is no exception,” says Gavin Reardon, who heads up international sales and co-productions. “We maintain a high level of casting and spend a tremendous amount of time ensuring that our movies have worldwide appeal. Our clients have come to rely on the Incendo thriller brand as a staple in their programming schedule. We have always enjoyed a close relationship with the international buyers, perhaps because our films have always overperformed for them. Willed to Kill and The Surrogacy Trap are the two latest examples of Incendo doing what it does best, well-produced female thrillers.”

Willed to Kill stars Sarah Jane Morris (Brothers & Sisters, NCIS), while The Surrogacy Trap features Mia Kirshner (The Vampire Diaries, The L Word), David Julian Hirsh (Weeds, Hawthorne) and Rachel Blanchard (Clueless, 7th Heaven). Incendo is also prepping two new films, Time of Death and The Good Sister, to be shot this fall.

“Our goals at this market are to maintain and strengthen our

relationships with key European broadcasters, and to ensure that our movies are reaching the widest possible audiences in every territory around the world.

—Gavin Reardon

”

Willed to Kill

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ITV Studios Global Entertainment www.itvstudios.com • Rectify • Mr Selfridge • Surprise Surprise

“We’re in touch with

our clients all year round, but MIPCOM is the highlight of the calendar.

Dramas and formats are a major focus at this year’s market for ITV Studios Global Entertainment. “We’re bringing our strongest slate in recent years to MIPCOM,” says Tobias de Graaff, the company’s director of global television distribution. One of the titles being showcased by the company is Rectify, an AMC Networks commission from the producers of Breaking Bad. “It’s a gripping, high-quality drama, which we think will appeal to discerning drama audiences worldwide,” says de Graaff.The company is also presenting Mr Selfridge, a period drama starring Jeremy Piven (Entourage), about the American-born businessman Harry Gordon Selfridge, who founded London’s Selfridges department store. Surprise Surprise is a shiny-floor format that is suitable for family audiences. “We’re proud to have made new versions for ITV1 in the U.K. and NBC in the U.S. and we think it has the potential to be equally as successful around the world,” says de Graaff.

“We’re bringing one of our biggest slates, so we’re expecting a great deal of international interest,” he adds.

”

—Tobias de Graaff

Rectify

Kanal D sales.kanald.com.tr • Kuzey Güney • Kötü Yol • Sultan

“Because of their production quality and their

international subjects, Turkish dramas are the most popular programs today.

”

Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asian viewers have already fallen in love with Turkish drama series, according to Ozlem Ozsumbul, the head of sales and acquisitions at Kanal D.The company is hoping to reach new territories with its high-quality Turkish productions as well.

To further these efforts, Kanal D is showcasing at MIPCOM such titles as Kuzey Güney, whose second season got under way in September.“The first season was very successful and it became one of the hit series of 2012 in Turkey,” Ozsumbul says. “Even though it is a very recent production, it has already been sold to more than 25 different countries.” Kötü Yol and Sultan are among Kanal D’s most recent productions. The first is inspired by the novel of the same name by Orhan Kemal. Kanal D is also offering the library titles Time Goes By, which is in its third season, and Fatmagül, which ended with 80 total episodes. “So far, each title has been sold to more than 30 different countries and we are looking to add new territories to the list during MIPCOM,” Ozsumbul says.

Kuzey Güney

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—Ozlem Ozsumbul

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Lionsgate www.lionsgate.com

“Our high-quality programs with unique

• Nashville • Anger Management • Boss

visions and masterful storytelling drive devoted audiences as well as critical acclaim.

”

—Peter Iacono

Alongside tent-pole programs such as Weeds and Mad Men, Lionsgate has a slate of diverse new offerings for buyers. Topping this list is Nashville, starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere and premiering on October 10 on ABC. Lionsgate is also offering shows that have already proven themselves. Anger Management just completed its initial ten-episode run and is headed back into production for 90 more. There is a second season of Boss, starring Kelsey Grammer, who won the Golden Globe Award for best actor for his performance in the drama. Grammer plays a fictional Chicago mayor who holds sway over just about everything in the city.

“In an increasingly diverse and competitive marketplace our programs define appointment viewing,” says Peter Iacono, the managing director of international television at Lionsgate. “Our goals are to continue to build the Lionsgate brand, to find new partners for our programs, to deepen relationships with existing partners.”

Boss

Mance Media www.mancemedia.com • Cirque Berzerk • Fit Nation • Bikini Destinations

MIPTV marked the first trip to Cannes for Mance Media.

This time around, at MIPCOM, the company will be showcasing an expanded slate. Offerings include Cirque Berzerk, a two-hour circus special, featuring acrobatics, contortionists, burlesque dancers and fire-breathing clowns. Along with Cirque Berzerk, Mance Media is presenting Fit Nation, a series that examines several different approaches to working out.

The show, with host Jonathan Legg, takes viewers around the world to provide a look at popular exercise trends. Bikini Destinations follows the international travels of swimsuit models. The series is filmed in HD, with 2D and 3D episodes available. “These shows appeal to broadcasters worldwide because they rely heavily on stunning visuals, are not heavy on dialogue and were acquired by Mance Media specifically with the international marketplace in mind,” says Matthew Mancinelli, the company’s CEO. Mancinelli says that his key goals include “establishing a firm footprint alongside the top U.S.-based independent television distributors.”

“We expect our booth

Cirque Berzerk

to be packed with new clients as we showcase our expanded offering since April.

”

—Matthew Mancinelli

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MarVista Entertainment www.marvista.net

“We are very proud of our new lineup of

• Love for Christmas • Collision Course • Pop Star

movies that we are presenting to broadcasters at MIPCOM, as they offer something for all audiences.

—Vanessa Shapiro

”

In the run-up to the holiday season, broadcasters are often searching for family-friendly Christmas-themed content.

The 90-minute Love for Christmas from MarVista Entertainment fits the bill. It is one of 12 new TV movies the company has to offer, along with the disaster thriller Collision Course. In a different vein, the telefilm Pop Star takes viewers on an emotional and comical journey filled with romance, betrayal and heartbreak. “Our new movie slate includes A-list talents, riveting and heartwarming story lines and superior production values, ensuring our buyers of the type of engaging entertainment experience that has become synonymous with MarVista Entertainment,” says Vanessa Shapiro, the company’s executive VP of sales.

“Our goal is to first and foremost always showcase the best quality content,” Shapiro continues. “We understand that broadcasters have high standards to bring their audiences the best available [programming], and with this broad range of content, we hope to meet those standards across the board at this market.”

Pop Star

MediaBiz www.mediabiz.com.ar • Nine Moons • Left on the Shelf • Breaking Codes

As an entertainment-business agent, MediaBiz is always on the lookout for the chance to form new alliances and enter co-production opportunities.The company wants to get the word out about the assistance it can offer with project development for international companies that would like to produce in Latin America.

As a distributor, MediaBiz has a number of series to offer, among them telenovelas that are both comedic and dramatic. Nine Moons, for example, is a dramatic telenovela about two obstetricians who must deal with complex cases, all while a relationship between them grows. Breaking Codes, which has a second installment available, is a telenovela heavy on action and comedy. It follows three security officers who risk their lives in bizarre situations. Left on the Shelf is a dramatic comedy series about three sisters who have lost their mother and seem to have bad luck with love. “These shows have been successful in prime time, getting high ratings on Argentine TV,” notes Alex Lagomarsino, the CEO and a partner at MediaBiz.

Left on the Shelf

“The extraordinary

stories and great scripts of our series and telenovelas are attractive to audiences.

”

—Alex Lagomarsino

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MediaCorp www.mediacorp.sg • Shepherds of Paradise • The Bridle of Horse Fighter • Kampung Lukut’s Buffalo Hunters

The Asian Pitch, a collaboration between MediaCorp, NHK and KBS, encourages independent directors in Asia to tell original stories about the region. For this year’s MIPCOM, MediaCorp is offering three HD documentaries that were commissioned from the 2011 Asian Pitch initiative: Shepherds of Paradise, The Bridle of Horse Fighter and Kampung Lukut’s Buffalo Hunters.These docs are from India, South Korea and Malaysia, respectively. “The passion and motivation behind these new stories has resulted in a selection of fascinating programs about Asia,” says Sharon Loh, MediaCorp’s assistant VP for content distribution.

Highlights that are not part of the Asian Pitch include the MediaCorp-produced social documentaries Missing Millions and Boomtown Asia.“The first tells the story of the sexratio imbalance in India as a consequence of bride trafficking, female feticide and excess female mortality after birth,” says Loh, who describes the film as both heart-wrenching and inspiring.“The second documentary captures the spirit and energy of Asia’s top emerging cities.”

“We have a nice

selection for buyers looking at stories about Asia, be it social or economic.

”

—Sharon Loh

Shepherds of Paradise

Mentorn International www.mentorninternational.com An Idiot Abroad

• An Idiot Abroad • World’s Scariest • Where Do Humans Come From?

The series An Idiot Abroad and World’s Scariest have both already been successful sellers for Mentorn International, which has landed deals for the titles in dozens of countries. This is, in part, why David Leach, the company’s managing director, believes the shows’ third seasons will also be successes. “We know there is a strong appetite for more among international buyers,” Leach says. An Idiot Abroad, which is part travelogue and part comedy, has the added appeal of featuring the well-known comedian Ricky Gervais, alongside Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington.

“The worldwide demand for quality factual programs is high and we have a very strong factual slate with a number of new programs and series, so we’re well placed to deliver on this,” Leach adds. In this genre, Mentorn offers, among others, Where Do Humans Come From?, a high-end factual title from Pioneer Productions. The program examines the story of evolution in an “entertaining and informative way,” according to Leach.

“We think it will be a very busy market, and

we expect our major comedy and popular factual programs to do particularly well.

”

—David Leach

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MGM Television www.mgm.com • Skyfall • The Hobbit • Vikings

Celebrating 50 years of James Bond, Metro-GoldwynMayer (MGM) Studios has the new film Skyfall to present.

“James Bond has a massive and loyal following around the world, with over 23 major feature films,” says Chris Ottinger, the president of international television distribution and acquisitions at MGM Studios. “The producers at EON [Productions] have successfully continued to reinvent the character for each new era, with his current incarnation by Daniel Craig generating massive worldwide box-office grosses.”The catalogue also includes the first of three films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit book directed by Peter Jackson.

MGM Television is keen to showcase the drama series Vikings. “We introduced the series to our clients at a party in our new offices in Beverly Hills during the L.A. Screenings,” says Ottinger. “Since then, we’ve finished writing most of the scripts and have been in production since early July. It’s such an engaging property and I can’t wait to be sharing it with our clients.”

“The new film

trilogy based on The Hobbit [rests] on the shoulders of the same filmmakers who brought us the first three The Lord of the Rings films.

”

—Chris Ottinger The Hobbit

Miramax www.miramax.com • Miramax library • Revolution Studios library • Samuel Goldwyn library

The Miramax library contains many Hollywood favorites and cult classics.These include Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Chicago, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, Cold Mountain and Doubt.

“While the quality of the Miramax film legacy resonates around the world, until recently many of our titles weren’t as accessible as they are now,” says Joe Patrick, the head of worldwide television sales. “Our goal now is to bring these titles to a broad range of territories where viewing platforms are established or emerging—and quality content will be an important catalyst for additional growth.”

Alongside its own library, the studio is presenting the libraries of Revolution Studios and Samuel Goldwyn. From the Revolution Studios library comes Black Hawk Down, Maid in Manhattan, Daddy Day Care, America’s Sweethearts and others.Top titles from the acclaimed Samuel Goldwyn catalogue include Guys and Dolls, The Westerner, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and The Best Years of Our Lives. Patrick says that the company is going to be paying considerable attention to the new opportunities opening up in the SVOD space.

Good Will Hunting

“Miramax is home

to an incredible library of films, with top-quality titles from almost every genre and a spectrum of engaged fans around the world that continues to grow.

”

—Joe Patrick

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Mission Pictures International www.missionpicsintl.com • October Baby • Angel Next Door • Last Ounce of Courage

“Our goal is to be the world’s leading

”

programmer of uplifting and family movies.

Mission Pictures International has carved a niche for itself in the market as a leading supplier of high-quality family and faith-based entertainment. The company is looking to continue its success in these genres by closing new sales for titles such as October Baby, a family drama film. The story features a college freshman whose world is shaken up when she learns that she is the adopted survivor of an attempted abortion. John Schneider and Rachel Hendrix star. Kevin Sorbo and Teri Polo lead the cast of another Mission Pictures family drama, Angel Next Door. “October Baby and Angel Next Door are great family movies that fit the afternoon time slots, and there are not enough programs that fit that area right now,” says Chevonne O’Shaughnessy, the company’s co-founder and president.

In the same genre, Last Ounce of Courage is a heartwarming movie that tells the story of a local war hero whose son goes off to war. “Last Ounce of Courage was released theatrically...and has garnered great success thus far,” says O’Shaughnessy.

—Chevonne O’Shaughnessy

October Baby

Multicom Entertainment Group • Mask Masters • Lovemakers • Finding Hope

Lovemakers

Multicom Entertainment Group is bringing a handful of first-run properties to MIPCOM. Among them, Lovemakers is a brand-new feature comedy, centered on a financially strapped dating agency in Budapest that is retained by a Russian “businessman.”

For the younger set is Mask Masters, aimed at kids 7 to 14. “Mask Masters is a fresh children’s program that takes advantage of the growing popularity of 3D,” says Irv Holender, the chairman of Multicom. The series features 26 24-minute episodes.

The company is also highlighting Finding Hope, about a teenaged runaway who escapes a polygamist cult and must readjust to life.

“Digital programming is of increasing importance internationally, as both current broadcasters and relatively new players like Hulu and Netflix rely on the Internet to deliver content,” says Holender. “We feel that there will continue to be new opportunities for VOD and streaming programming.”

“We take pride in our deep and diverse catalogue that conveys our commitment to appeal to viewers across the world.”

—Irv Holender

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Muse Distribution International www.muse.ca • Bomb Girls • King Tut • Tango’s Revenge

“We want to sell our unique programming to as many

networks as possible as well as discuss other projects we have in development.

”

Set against the backdrop of the 1940s during World War II, Bomb Girls re-creates the experiences of women who traded in their lives baking pies in the home for making bombs in munition factories. Muse Distribution International is offering the 18x1-hour series as part of its MIPCOM slate, alongside the 8x1-hour King Tut. The latter seeks to tell the real story of King Tutankhamen as it hasn’t been told before. New scientific testing has been done that revealed fresh insight into the truth about the intriguing figure. His story is full of romance, battles, political intrigue, heartbreak and betrayal. In Tango’s Revenge, a group of young, gifted musicians are revolutionizing Argentina’s tango dance music. The sounds filling the small clubs and street corners are incorporating jazz rhythms and rock beats for a new sounds.

“The titles are each unique and vary in genre, tone, look and characters while providing high-quality entertainment to wide audiences worldwide,” says Betty Palik, the VP of communications and factual at Muse.

—Betty Palik

Bomb Girls

NBCUniversal International Television Distribution www.nbcuniversal.com • Chicago Fire • Defiance • Go On

Dick Wolf is well known for his long-running crime dramas such as Miami Vice and, of course, the Law & Order franchise.Wolf ’s latest project, Chicago Fire, makes its premiere on October 10 on NBC. NBCUniversal International Television Distribution is offering it up to the international market as well. Also among NBC’s crop of fresh fall shows is Go On, which stars Friends alum Matthew Perry. It, too, is available for international buyers from NBCUniversal International Television Distribution. From the Syfy network, the drama Defiance caps off the company’s trio of highlights for MIPCOM. “In addition to our scripted series, we also have more than 3,000 hours of unscripted programming on offer to clients worldwide,” notes Belinda Menendez, the president of NBCUniversal International Television Distribution and Universal Networks International.

“MIPCOM affords our team the opportunity to meet with clients one to one and build upon the ongoing conversations that take place throughout the year,” she says.

Defiance

“From the writing

to the casting to the story lines, NBCU’s impressive lineup has something for every programmer’s schedule.

”

—Belinda Menendez

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NonStop Sales www.nonstopsales.com Nymphs

• Nymphs • Uncle Hank • Over the Edge

The fantasy drama Nymphs was launched at MIPTV, with presales secured by NonStop Sales. This gives the series strong momentum for MIPCOM, says Michael Werner, the firm’s sales director. Several territories have already been closed for the series, including the CIS, France and the Baltics.

NonStop will also be speaking to buyers about Uncle Hank. “With its great plot—‘My uncle is the local mafia leader, so don’t touch me’—the series has true possibilities to travel the world,” Werner says. The crime comedy feature has already proved itself with a record audience when it aired in Holland last May. The thriller Over the Edge, which keeps the viewer guessing about who is guilty, caps off the offerings.

“ Nymphs is a

mixture of sensual cartoon blended with good old magical myths and tales of love, sex and death.

”

—Michael Werner

One Three Media www.onethreeinternational.com The Bible

• The Bible • Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual

Mark Burnett is headed to Cannes this year, on board to deliver a Media Mastermind keynote. Burnett is the president of One Three Media, which boasts series such as The Apprentice, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and The Contender.

For MIPCOM, One Three is putting The Bible series front and center. The ten-hour dramatic series tells the stories of the Old and New Testaments. “The Bible obviously has worldwide appeal,” says C. Scot Cru, the company’s senior VP of international distribution and production. “Burnett has been honored to bring such grand stories to life in this updated and visceral dramatic series, which is sure to captivate audiences around the globe.” One Three is presenting an exclusive screening of The Bible at MIPCOM. 78

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“ The Bible is Mark

Burnett at his best, telling epic stories in a dramatic way.

”

—C. Scot Cru

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ORF-Enterprise contentsales.orf.at • Paul Kemp: No Big Deal • Extreme!: Light and Dark • The Cultural History of Money and Medicines

ORF-Enterprise has been very successful as of late with selling Austrian series throughout Europe. The company is looking to build on this momentum with series such as Paul Kemp: No Big Deal.“With Paul Kemp: No Big Deal we believe we have a new appealing series, keeping up the wow,” says Marion Camus-Oberdorfer, the company’s head of content sales. ORF-Enterprise has another doc from its renowned Universum brand, Extreme!: Light and Dark, which completes a three-episode cycle. The Cultural History of Money and Medicines is divided into two parts, Mussels, Coins and Posting Lines and Pills, Powders and Balms. “Our strategy for 2012 is to access important [emerging] markets such as Latin America and the Middle East and to establish longtime relationships in these territories,” says Camus-Oberdorfer.

Paul Kemp: No Big Deal

“ After a very

successful first half of 2012 we are keen to continue this run with efficient meetings at MIPCOM.

”

—Marion Camus-Oberdorfer

Osiris Entertainment www.osirisent.com • Hollywood Trash • Falling Overnight • Deer Crossing

Top titles from the independent film distributor Osiris Entertainment include Hollywood Trash, Falling Overnight and Deer Crossing.

“Hollywood Trash is a fun comedy with great star appearances such as William Baldwin, Daryl Hannah and Michael Madsen,” says Evan Crooke, the CEO of Osiris Entertainment.“Falling Overnight is a beautiful romantic drama about living each moment in life fully.” Crooke describes Deer Crossing— featuring The Wire’s Christopher Mann, The Replacements’ Laura Lynn Cottrel and Ghostbusters’ Ernie Hudson—as “an edge-of-yourseat thriller/horror that will keep audiences guessing throughout the film.”

Crooke mentions that his goal is to “continue to connect to our buyers worldwide while keeping in mind the appropriate values of films in the changing marketplace.”

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Hollywood Trash

“ We want to

premiere new films that have broader appeal to the international markets.

”

—Evan Crooke

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Panini Media www.paninimediascreeningroom.com • Metal Hurlant Chronicles • Jordskott • Signs

Metal Hurlant Chronicles

Six months ago, at MIPTV, Panini Media introduced the market to the series Metal Hurlant Chronicles, Jordskott and Signs. Now, at MIPCOM, the company is looking to solidify worldwide sales for this trio of titles.

“MIPCOM 2012 is very important to us, as we plan to strengthen the base of broadcasters and media partners for our main titles and expand the number of territories internationally,” says Tony Verdini, the senior sales and marketing manager at Panini Media.

“Season one of Metal Hurlant Chronicles has been produced and delivered to our first partners, and the objective is to have it premiered in 30 countries this coming fall,” Verdini continues. “Signs has just started its production and it is now gearing up to progress on presales with the support from our prestigious production partners.”

“ Metal Hurlant

Chronicles is a great example of how original comic-book stories can translate into magnificent liveaction adaptations.

”

—Tony Verdini

Peace Point Rights www.peacepoint.tv • Keasha’s Perfect Dress • The Bulloch Family Ranch • Bake with Anna Olson

Keasha’s Perfect Dress

After many years as a successful producer, Peace Point Entertainment made its debut in the distribution business at MIPTV. Under the banner Peace Point Rights, the outfit has a wealth of fresh lifestyle, reality, food and fitness titles to offer, alongside a slate of fiction.

In the way of reality programming, there is The Bulloch Family Ranch. In the lifestyle genre, there’s Keasha’s Perfect Dress, featuring renowned bridal consultant Keasha Rigsby.

“Our experience tells us that shows with big characters in unique worlds sell well worldwide,” says Les Tomlin, the president and CEO of Peace Point Entertainment. “We also know that bridal formats are selling well.” Another highlight is the series Bake with Anna Olson, since the chef is “already a proven commodity, with her previous series appearing in over 50 markets,” says Tomlin.

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“We are excited to be growing the business exponentially.”

—Les Tomlin

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Playboy Plus Entertainment www.ptvioriginals.com

“We’ve produced more sexy reality

• Dream Dates • The Truth About Sex • Badass

Reality-based series continue to be a focus for Playboy Plus Entertainment. “We’ve seen that this genre is still dominating in sales worldwide,” says Marisa Tamburro, the company’s director of sales and marketing. “We’ve answered our buyers’ demands and are producing all-new series that have either a competition or a game-show format and approach the topics of dating, sex and how men and women interact, in a way that only Playboy can!” Title highlights from the company include Dream Dates and The Truth About Sex.There’s also a third season of Badass.

“Under the Playboy Plus brand we now not only have rights to sell the Playboy-produced library that our clients have come to know as the leaders in soft erotic content but, in addition, have several hard-core brands we represent,” Tamburro explains. “Our most recent acquisition, Digital Playground, is well known for its big-budget, high-end adult films that all come in soft- and hard-core versions. Brazzers is the world leader in online adult content and now its vast library is available for all TV rights.”

series, as they continue to resonate the most with our clients.

”

—Marisa Tamburro

Dream Dates

Power www.powcorp.com • Air Force One Is Down • Delete • Eve of Destruction

“Power always strives to offer content that can ignite broadcasters’ schedules and set their channels apart from their competitors.

”

What would happen if the president of the United States’s plane was suddenly hijacked? This dramatic scenario unfolds in the four-hour mini-series Air Force One Is Down, a lead offering from Power. For buyers across Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America, Power presents the disaster miniseries Eve of Destruction, which follows the consequences when eco-terrorists hijack an experiment that aims to uncover a source of unlimited energy. For the same territories, the company is offering Delete, in which the web turns against humanity. The six-hour drama mini-series Bomb Girls is based around a group of women drafted into a munitions factory during World War II. “We look forward to a positive response to our new slate at MIPCOM,” says Georgia McNeilly, Power’s VP of international sales. “It combines the emotional engagement of human stories with the escapism and spectacle of big action sequences, all underpinned by the use of iconic elements such as Air Force One and World War II to ensure maximum commercial appeal.”

—Georgina McNeilly

Air Force One Is Down

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Red Arrow International www.redarrowinternational.tv • Restless • Jo • Betty White’s Off Their Rockers

This is the first market where Red Arrow International, formerly SevenOne International, will be exhibiting under its new name.The company’s commitments are exactly the same as always, though, to provide programming that has an A-list cast and crew along with high production values.

“Our mini-series Restless, based on William Boyd’s international bestseller, is a gripping spy thriller set within the thrilling and shadowy world of British Secret Service operations in the U.S.A. during World War II,” says Jens Richter, the managing director of Red Arrow. “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers just got renewed for a new season on NBC after increasing its week-by-week viewers by up to 15 percent in the commercial target group,” Richter notes. He also highlights the crime series Jo, which marks the return of Jean Reno to television. The one-hour series was co-created by the Emmy Award–winner René Balcer, the man behind Law & Order. “To sum it up: we have an amazing lineup and cannot wait to present it at MIPCOM,” Richter says.

Jo

“We want to show what we stand for: outstanding

content combined with the expertise to establish program brands worldwide.

—Jens Richter

”

RTVE www.rtve.es • Isabel • Real Madrid: The Best Football Club • Love in Difficult Times

“These products

are made with the highest quality.

”

—Rodolfo Domínguez

Over the course of six installments, Real Madrid:The Best Football Club charts the victories and stories of one of the biggest soccer teams in history. RTVE is offering the doc title along with Isabel, a 13x70-minute historical fiction series that narrates the life of one of the most important women in Spain’s history, Queen Isabella the Catholic. Rodolfo Domínguez, the commercial director of RTVE, describes the series as having “fast-paced narration, magnificent interpretation and a meticulous setting.” Domínguez also highlights Love in Difficult Times, calling it “an international star product.”

The RTVE slate also includes Remember When, which has more than 200 episodes produced throughout its 12 seasons. Mom Detective is a detective comedy about a woman balancing her personal life with her professional career. She is a brilliant police inspector whose boss is her ex-husband. Each chapter features a crime that gets resolved, but the series is also set up like a family comedy.

Isabel

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Sky Vision Kingdom of Plants

• Kingdom of Plants • Galapagos • Forensic Firsts

The newly established distribution company Sky Vision, formed by BSkyB’s acquisition of Parthenon Media Group earlier this year, makes its debut at the market.

“We have been extremely fortunate to launch Sky Vision at MIPCOM with two amazing David Attenborough titles, Kingdom of Plants and Galapagos,” says Leona Connell, the head of global sales and acquisitions at Sky Vision.The 4x1-hour Kingdom of Plants, produced by Atlantic Productions, features a new dimension in the lives of plants.

Also a 4x1-hour production, Galapagos, produced by Colossus Productions, tells the story of how these islands were formed. Sky Vision is also making its debut with Forensic Firsts, produced by StoryHouse Productions and spotlighting the hidden world of forensic science.

“The programs [being showcased] at this market are testament to our quality-orientated approach,” says Connell.

“With more titles launching than ever before at this market, we are also looking forward to MIPTV 2013 with even more new shows across a wider variety of genres.”

“We are entering

very exciting times, with greater potential for growth.

”

—Leona Connell

Smithsonian Channel www.smithsonianchannel.com

“As our channel continues to grow we

• Aerial America • Incredible Flying Cars • Forensic Firsts

are looking for an increasing number of nonfiction programs, both co-productions and acquisitions.

”

Forensic science is at the core of many popular movies and TV shows out there today, and Smithsonian Channel has taken note, delivering its six-hour HD series Forensic Firsts.

“In a world where international audiences can’t get enough of series like CSI, Forensic Firsts gives them a chance to delve further into the true science at the heart of solving hideous crimes,” says David Royle, the executive VP of programming and production at the Smithsonian Channel. Other channel highlights include Aerial America, shot in HD with the same rig as Planet Earth, and Incredible Flying Cars. “The two hours we’ve produced are a wonderful look at a quirky, sometimes eccentric, but truly exciting and uplifting group of flying visionaries,” Royle says of the latter title.

Royle’s team will be at the market scouting for some history, natural history and aviation fare, but also keeping an eye out for entertaining programs about popular culture.

“We will be actively seeking one-offs, especially event programs that can make a big splash and cut through the media clutter,” he adds.

Aerial America

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—David Royle

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Starz Entertainment Group www.starz.com • Magic City • The Dog Who Saved the Holidays • F6: Twister

“We want our broadcast partners to have options and flexibility with our content.”

—Gene George

With a sharp focus on creating general-entertainment programming that reaches audiences across the globe, Starz Media comes to MIPCOM with a new original series and two new TV movies. Magic City is a drama about mobsters in Miami following the Cuban Revolution during the late 1950s.“Magic City has been a big success for Starz in the U.S. and abroad,” says Gene George, the executive VP of worldwide distribution for Starz Media. The company is also showcasing The Dog Who Saved the Holidays, a comedy film that’s part of the The Dog Who Saved… franchise, and F6: Twister, an action/disaster movie.

“We are concentrating on content that is globally appealing, highly entertaining, and very playable in various slots to various target audiences,” says George. “We are looking forward to further solidifying our position as one of the premier suppliers of television content in the marketplace….

As we build new partnerships and expand our deals with current broadcasters, we are very happy that international partners want to work with Starz.”

Magic City

Sullivan Entertainment www.sullivanmovies.com • Out of the Shadows • Polo • Anne of Green Gables franchise

One of Canada’s most well-established production outfits, Sullivan Entertainment has developed a deep library of period dramas, including the Anne of Green Gables franchise.

“For the past two years we’ve worked with NHK restoring over 140 hours of Anne of Green Gables from the original negatives,” says Kevin Sullivan, the company’s CEO. “We’re looking at expanding [the] franchise. The last film we produced was in 2009, with Shirley MacLaine and Barbara Hershey. We’re looking at producing more episodes with Canadian broadcasters. We have all the copyright to all of our works, plus all the trademarks to Anne and all the related properties.”

The company is also working on a new period piece, Polo, set in the 1920s. “I happen to have a family of polo players, so I am well schooled in the world of the game. I thought it would be really interesting to develop that world at one of the high points of its inception in the 20th century.”

Rounding out Sullivan’s slate of highlights for MIPCOM is the documentary Out of the Shadows.

“We’re looking

Anne of Green Gables

at producing more episodes of Anne of Green Gables with Canadian broadcasters.

”

—Kevin Sullivan

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Tandem Communications www.tandemcom.de • Crossing Lines • World Without End • Ken Follett’s Journey into the Dark Ages

Event programming has become the hallmark of Tandem Communications over the years, delivering programs such as The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End and mini-series like Labyrinth. The company continues to deliver on this legacy with its new offerings. “With Ken Follett’s Journey into the Dark Ages,Tandem brings a primetime event documentary to market,” says Randall Broman, the company’s VP of sales. “The exceptional high quality of this show will hopefully produce brisk sales.”

For World Without End and Labyrinth,Tandem is looking to sell the programs in the relatively small number of territories that are remaining open for the titles.

Crossing Lines is a new offering from Tandem, filmed on location in France and the Czech Republic. “With Crossing Lines,Tandem will be selling a prime-time event series for the first time,” Broman points out. “With the exceptional cast and creator Ed Bernero as part of this team, we look forward to a strong and positive response from our buyers.”

“[Our titles] are

all extremely wellproduced programs, each with internationally known casts, great scripts, superb production values.

”

—Randall Broman

World Without End

Tele München International www.tmg.de • The Other Wife • Cosmos • Flashpoint

An emotional roller coaster is how Michael Oesterlin, the executiveVP of international sales at Tele München Group, describes the mini-series The Other Wife.“We expect more than the usual interest in our high-quality drama miniseries The Other Wife due to the outstanding cast,” Oesterlin says. Rupert Everett stars alongside Natalia Wörner and John Hannah in the two-part romantic drama.

Tele München International is offering the title alongside the 18-part wildlife documentary series Cosmos, produced by the acclaimed director Kurt Mündl. “Selected episodes are available in 3D, which is a clear additional value in this kind of genre, as you feel like being a personal witness to the daily life of nature,” says Oesterlin. He also highlights the strengths of the one-hour series Flashpoint. “Flashpoint is a universally loved police thriller that brings a human element to the men and women on the front line on the war on crime.With 75 episodes, it has proven to be a blue-chip property for CBS and ION [in the U.S.] and CTV in Canada, with sales to over 100 territories internationally.”

“We have had many

Cosmos

enquiries on our documentary series Cosmos since we first announced it and, therefore, we expect strong demand.

”

—Michael Oesterlin

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Telehit www.telehit.tv • Las Lavanderas • Videos con Claudio • Picnic Picnic

As part of the Televisa Networks bouquet, Telehit offers a balanced mix of entertainment and music programming, airing series that focus on the youth market. The channel airs exclusive shows, videos and successful musicals in Spanish and English as well as concerts, interviews and the latest news from the world of music.

Current series on Telehit include Picnic as well as Guerra de chistes, which features Eduardo Manzano, Juan Carlos Casasola, el Borrego Nava, Mariana Echeverria and special guests each week who face off in a battle to make the audience laugh. On Videos con Claudio, the eponymous host dedicates a half hour to showcasing the very best in U.S. and Latin music videos. The show also provides information on top artists, video fun facts and info to keep the viewers up to date on the rock music scene.

Two new characters arrive on Telehit with Las Lavanderas.The series centers on two irreverent washerwomen who bring on special guests in each program.

Televisa Internacional www.televisainternacional.tv • Crown of Tears • Carrossel • Hollywood Heights

Grupo Televisa will take the spotlight at this market, as Emilio Azcárraga Jean steps up to accept the Personality of the Year Award. “This makes us proud!” says Claudia Silva, sales director at Televisa Internacional. All celebrations aside, Televisa will be focused intently on sales for its telenovelas, formats and kidtargeted content.

Crown of Tears is one of the company’s lead telenovela offerings, with 150 hour-long episodes to pitch to broadcasters. Hollywood Heights, also a novela, is about a shy teenager who falls in love with a rock star at the top of his career. Together, they learn that the road to love and stardom can get bumpy at times. Focused on young audiences is Carrossel, which features boys and girls from different backgrounds together in the same classroom, led by a teacher who preaches about unity and equality. Little Giants is a reality show from Televisa, showcasing the singing, dancing, acting and comedic talents of little kids.

Hollywood Heights

“

The product offering we’ll be presenting in this edition of MIPCOM is one of the most broad and varied in our history.

”

—Claudia Silva

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Tricon Films & Television www.triconfilms.com • Comedy Bang! Bang!

• Bunk • I Didn’t Do It

Comedy Bang! Bang!

Last month,Tricon Films & Television was named the exclusive worldwide distributor for the slate of original scripted comedies from the U.S. network IFC. The first two IFC series that Tricon is bringing to the market under the new pact are Comedy Bang! Bang! and Bunk. “IFC has attracted an incredible lineup of marquee talent to their projects moving forward, and Comedy Bang! Bang! and Bunk are good examples,” says Lia Dolente, the manager of international sales at Tricon.

Alongside the IFC offerings, Tricon is presenting I Didn’t Do It, a factual crimeand-investigation series airing on Investigation Discovery in the U.S., Crime & Investigation in the U.K. and Discovery Canada. “Factual crime series are a very popular genre internationally,” says Dolente.

“ We’re very excited

about our new projects and look forward to introducing them to the international marketplace.

”

—Lia Dolente

TVA Films www.tvafilms.com • Tested on Humans • Bedtime Stories • One Out of 2

TVA Films is a full-service distribution company with offices in Montreal and Toronto.

At MIPCOM, the outfit is offering up six new productions, alongside 80 titles from its existing catalogue. Among the offerings are Tested on Humans, a magazine series that has three seasons, each with 11 hour-long episodes. Bedtime Stories is a 120x7-minute show that delivers stories and songs to give children sweet dreams. One Out of 2 is a scripted series that looks at life and love after someone in a relationship has cheated.“Created by talented people that are innovative and looking at new international trends, these shows target a wide audience, offer low production costs and great production value, which is appealing to a lot of broadcasters around the world,” says Carole Labrie, the director sales and acquisitions at TVA Films.

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One Out of 2

“[Our programs] offer low production costs and great production value.”

—Carole Labrie

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twofour54 www.twofour54.com • Driver Dan’s Story Train

Expanding the presence of Driver Dan’s Story Train is what twofour54 hopes to accomplish at MIPCOM, according to Wayne Borg, the company’s deputy CEO and COO. Twofour54 is highlighting the first and second seasons of the CGI animated and live-action kids’ series, which follows an array of characters making their way to Story Corner on a train conducted

by Driver Dan. The first season of Driver Dan’s Story Train contains 52 11-minute episodes and the second season has 50 11minute episodes. Both seasons—which each include a 22-minute special—are available in English and Arabic.The Arabic version of the show is titled Captain Karim Qitar Al Hekayat. Borg feels that Driver Dan’s Story Train will appeal to worldwide broadcasters due to its successful ratings on CBeebies and Sprout, its strong web presence and its high production quality.

Driver Dan’s Story Train

“Our goal is to

license Driver Dan’s Story Train to additional broadcasters in Asia, Europe and Canada.

”

—Wayne Borg

Venevision International www.venevisioninternational.com

“Today, the genre of

• The Love Curse • My Ex Wants Me • Rosario

International buyers now have the chance to bring the two top-rated telenovelas airing onVenezuela’sVenevision to their own channel. The Love Curse and My Ex Wants Me are both available globally fromVenevision International. “Both novelas have achieved impressive ratings and share of theVenezuelan television audience, completely dominating their time slots,” says Cesar Diaz, the company’s VP of sales.Venevision International is also presenting a sneak preview of the brandnew novela Rosario, produced in HD by Venevision Productions and starring Itahisa Machado, Guy Ecker and Lorena Rojas.

“And, as always, in addition to these and other fine novelas, we will also have available an extensive and entertaining array of programs to meet our clientele’s most demanding programming requirements,” Diaz says.

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the telenovela is not only well known, it’s a staple of the industry, having a proven and successful track record across all regions.

”

—Cesar Diaz

The Love Curse

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WWE www.wwe.com • WWE Main Event • WWE Saturday Morning Slam • WWE RAW

WWE is committed to keeping on the cutting edge of modern social networks, so each episode of WWE RAW is now fully interactive, allowing fans to vote and discuss story lines through Facebook,Twitter, Shazam and Tout. The company offers one-, two- and three-hour versions of RAW to international broadcasters looking to add some wrestling action to their lineups. For the first time since 2001, WWE has released a program aimed specifically at kids, WWE Saturday Morning Slam. All the weekly programs within the strand are rated PG, allowing younger ones to get into the ringside action. WWE Main Event is a brandnew flagship show that features the top WWE Superstars and WWE Divas. It complements the existing flagships of WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown.

WWE SmackDown

WWE RAW

Zodiak Rights www.zodiakrights.com

“ We are looking

• Switch • Nation’s Brightest • Tipping Point

With around 500 hours of new content to offer, Zodiak Rights is particularly excited to showcase the hour-long series Switch, a comedy-drama about four witches. Switch is “light on the supernatural and high on human interest,” says Jane Millichip, the managing director for the company. Millichip goes on to say that the show “reflects the new wave of supernatural dramas sweeping the U.S. and U.K. that have a far broader appeal than the old sci-fi channels.” Zodiak is also presenting Nation’s Brightest, a competition series seeking out the smartest person in the country. It has been enjoying success in Germany and was recently commissioned in the U.K. The quiz show Tipping Point gives contestants the opportunity to win a large cash prize from an arcade-style machine.

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forward to injecting some sought-after big entertainment shows into the market.

”

—Jane Millichip

Switch

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in the news

E

milio Azcárraga Jean was born into a familyowned media powerhouse. His grandfather founded Grupo Televisa in 1955 and his father Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, known as “el tigre,” developed it into a major media company with the market-leading broadcaster in Mexico and the largest producer of Spanish-language programming in the world.

Azcárraga Jean joined the company in 1988, at the age of 20, as operations director of Channel 12 in Tijuana. He quickly rose up the management ladder.

By 1996, he was Televisa’s COO. In 1997, when his father passed away, Azcárraga Jean was appointed CEO. He was only 29 years old.

Because of his young age, many in the media business doubted that he could lead the company, particularly since Televisa was facing considerable challenges, burdened by debt and inefficiencies. Azcárraga Jean surprised everyone. He surrounded himself with a group of loyal, young, ambitious managers, just as dedicated as he was to moving the company forward, and focused on a number of key goals. He restructured the debt and looked for ways of generating revenues beyond Mexico’s borders. His team forged partnerships with key production and media companies in major territories and broadened the range of programming genres sold around the world. They built up Televisa’s presence in the U.S. Hispanic market by increasing the company’s stake in Univision, the leading Spanishlanguage network in America, and by setting up, with Lionsgate, Pantelion Films, the first major Latino Hollywood studio. And they recognized the importance of creating multiplatform program franchises.

The strategy paid off. Grupo Televisa, headed

by Azcárraga Jean, who today is chairman of the board and CEO, is a content-producing dynamo and its finished product and formats sell globally. In Mexico, its channels regularly garner average audience shares of 70 percent. It operates 16 pay-TV channels and is a shareholder in SKY, Mexico’s leading satellite platform. The company also offers quadruple-play services though its cable holdings. It is a leading Spanishlanguage magazine publisher and owns gaming and interactive media businesses as well as soccer teams.

Televisa’s

EMILIO AZCÁRRAGA The MIPCOM 2012 Personality of the Year shares with Anna Carugati his strategy for the Mexican media giant’s continued international expansion.

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debentures convertible into an additional 30-percent equity stake in the future, subject to regulatory changes.

We also renegotiated our programming license agreement, which provides Univision with access to practically all of our audiovisual content, in exchange for a royalty of close to 12 percent of their television and online revenues. Through Univision, we have a unique opportunity to benefit from the growing appeal of this demographic to the advertising clients, and also from their continued loyalty and preference for our content.

We have a great working relationship with Univision’s management team and a firm commitment to help them make the most out of the content that we provide them with.

WS: Televisa closed a deal with Net-

Setting the stage: From its studio facilities in Mexico, Televisa produces a huge volume of Spanish-language content, everything from news and sports coverage to telenovelas, kids’ series and more.

WS: Televisa acquired a substantial stake in Univision Com-

munications, and also expanded its long-term program licensing agreement with the Hispanic broadcaster.

How important is the U.S. Hispanic market for your company’s expansion?

AZCÁRRAGA: The Hispanic market in the U.S. is almost as natural to Televisa as the Mexican market. There are more than 50 million Hispanics in the U.S., of which more than two thirds are of Mexican origin.Televisa is undoubtedly the best cultural link between these people and their home country. We are the link to their traditions, their language and their values.We also keep them informed of what’s going on in their country. This minority is no longer a minority; these 50 million Hispanics represent more than $1 trillion dollars of disposable income, so they are also an enormous business opportunity. Hispanics are already a prominent demographic in all aspects of American life. That is likely to continue. Not only that. Hispanics are young. Their median age is 28 years, nine years younger than the total market median age.

Univision is the leader in this segment. During the second quarter of 2012, Univision finished as the number three network in the country among adults—regardless of language—and on Friday nights, it earned the title of number one network among young adults. Televisa’s programming continues to have solid success among the Hispanic audience. During the quarter, three of our productions were among the top ten watched serialized programs transmitted in prime time, also regardless of language.

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flix providing it with 3,000 hours per year of novelas and general entertainment shows. Why was this an important deal?

AZCÁRRAGA: The agreement with Netflix expands the availability of Televisa programming in Latin America, Brazil and the Caribbean, where Netflix can make it available via subscription streaming.

With this deal we expand the reach of our content. In Televisa we are convinced that “content is king” but it is also our belief that the content should be distributed through all available outlets. Since the beginning of our company, we have adapted to every emerging distribution platform.Today, Netflix represents one of the growing distribution alternatives in which we want to participate.

Under the terms of this agreement,Televisa makes available to Netflix on a non-exclusive basis around 3,000 hours annually of telenovelas, series, and other general entertainment programming from its extensive library. As part of the agreement, current content is made available to Netflix one year after it is broadcast on over-the-air television.

We have more than 50,000 hours of content ready for digital distribution, so this agreement is a really good way to get started monetizing the value of this content.

WS: Grupo Televisa announced Televisa USA. In terms of

international expansion, why is the English-language market of interest to Televisa? What can Televisa contribute to it?

AZCÁRRAGA: The U.S. English-language market is the largest and most dynamic content market in the world.Televisa is a global player and we know that we have a competitive edge to compete in this market.We are storytellers; we develop stories with universal appeal. Additionally, no one in the world dominates the telenovela format as we do.

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Televisa USA launched with multiple broadcastnetwork deals, including the joint venture with Lionsgate, to develop new content for television audiences all over the U.S. Televisa USA is being led by Paul Presburger, who will also continue to act as chief executive of Pantelion Films.

Its chief creative officer will be Michael Garcia, who was VP of drama series for HBO and oversaw programs such as The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and The Wire.

Just recently, Televisa USA completed production of Devious Maids, a pilot co-produced with ABC Studios and Oasis Media Group and to be transmitted

by Lifetime Networks. With Nickelodeon, we are also co-producing Hollywood Heights, an English-language adaptation of Alcanzar Una Estrella, the popular Mexican series.

Our daily series will allow U.S. networks to tap into the five-day-a-week format, which gives advertisers a unique vehicle to sell their goods or services, while providing the networks with a very cost-efficient way to produce high-quality content.

This venture is an opportunity for Televisa to bring its successful business model, and great storytelling, to the English-language market in the United States.

WS: What factors have been driving the success of

The look of luxury: Televisa Internacional is a major supplier of telenovelas to the global market, and is heading to MIPCOM with new series like True Love.

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Televisa Networks? What international expansion do you see for Televisa Networks?

AZCĂ RRAGA: As of the end of the second quarter, our pay-TV network business reached 32 million subscribers around the world, carrying on average six networks each.

Close to 9 million of these subscribers are in Mexico, where most of our subscribers get at least 14 of our networks. Of the balance, approximately 26 million, the large majority, are in Latin America where we reach 19 countries, but we also have a presence in Europe and the United States.

Our most popular network in the region is by far our general-entertainment pay-TV network, but we have other channels with very strong appeal in the region, including our classic telenovelas channel, our movie channel, and our classic-entertainment channel. Also, we have strong success with two of our music and lifestyle channels.

The timing is perfect for our pay-TV network business. We have a solid and well-rounded portfolio of networks targeting almost every demographic, and we also have the right environment: pay-TV adoption is growing fast.

But the opportunity for us in this business comes not only from growing pay-TV adoption. It also results from the fact that higher pay-TV penetration is allowing many of our networks to reach the critical mass necessary to become attractive advertising vehicles for our clients.

In addition, the growing popularity of our networks is allowing us to increase the number of channels per

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subscriber. For example, in spite of far more competition, the average rating for Televisa’s top 15 pay-TV networks has more than doubled since 2003.

Ladies night: Picnic is among the series airing on Telehit, one of a vast array of cable and satellite channels operated by Televisa Networks in Mexico and around the world.

WS: Some analysts in the U.S. and Europe are saying that the future of television is not in free TV, which is only advertising supported, but in cable and satellite TV, which has a dual revenue stream of advertising and subscriptions. As Televisa operates both free TV and pay TV, how do you see the future of both?

AZCÁRRAGA: We believe that over-the-air television will play an important role in Mexican households for many years. Not everyone will be able to afford pay TV, and not everyone will want to.

Prices of pay-television packages in Mexico are rock bottom, which explains the fast growth in pay-TV adoption.

But the quality of over-the-air television also plays a role.

Our over-the-air channels provide some of the best content available on television, including our most successful telenovelas, entertainment shows, newscasts, and many of the most important sporting events.

Fortunately for us, we also have the ability to reach the pay-TV viewer through many of our pay-TV networks, which are among the highest rated on pay television.

If that pay-TV customer is also a customer of one of our cable companies, then we also have an opportunity to capture a revenue stream coming from voice

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and data services, in addition to an affiliate fee and the advertising revenue on that channel. This is where the expansion beyond content, and into distribution, plays an important role for the purpose of diversifying our revenue base.

WS: You have been named MIPCOM’s 2012 Personality of the Year. What does this mean for you personally and for Televisa’s position as a major player in the international market?

AZCÁRRAGA: Over the last few years we have been working hard on protecting the value of our content, and on finding ways to expand its reach.

We have gone from a mostly domestic, advertisingdriven business model, to one that maximizes the value of our content by tapping its multiple sources of revenue, from advertising, to streaming, to licensing, to subscription revenue.

We also made some inroads in the export of our business model to places as far as China. We continue to believe that our expertise in the production of content is best put to work when doing so together with experts in each of the markets that we access, and we are fortunate to have as our partners some of the most capable companies in the media industry.

I am very proud of the progress we have made and excited about the prospects for our business.

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Aaron

By Anna Carugati

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As a screenwriter, producer and playwright, Aaron Sorkin, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, Sports Night and Moneyball, has dealt with topics such as justice, the use and abuse of power, the media and sports. He won an Academy Award for The Social Network and multiple Emmys for The West Wing, a show that not only garnered high ratings for NBC but is credited with changing the drama genre. It was one of the most praised shows in the history of American television, with its rapid-fire dialogue, extended monologues and its signature “walk and talk” sequences—when a number of characters carry on conversations while walking. Sorkin’s latest TV show is The Newsroom, which airs on HBO. It brings to life the world of television journalism and the pressures faced by reporters, producers and management charged with covering the news while fighting for their principles.

WS: Why did you choose TV news as a topic to explore in a TV series?

SORKIN: I like writing working stories and workplace families. I like writing romantically and idealistically. A TV newsroom felt like a good place to do that.

WS: Who or what served as inspiration for the lead characters?

SORKIN: All the characters on the show are fictional.

WS: Tell us what you mean by “The show’s got one foot in reality and one foot in this romantic wish-fulfillment fantasy.”

SORKIN: The show looks and sounds real, but the aspiration of its characters—and every once in a while the outcome—are out of a fairy tale.

WS: What research did you do before or while writing

the show?

“guts.” If you want to write romantically and idealistically, that’s the best answer you could hear.

WS: On one hand, too much of television news today is fluff; on the other, there are 24-hour news channels that are guided more by political ideology than by a desire to give real context and analysis to news events. What does this all mean for the democratic process in America?

SORKIN: All of my education, training and experience has been in playwriting and screenwriting. I don’t want to pass myself off as an expert on the things I write about. I think everyone can agree that a well-informed electorate is crucial to the success of a democracy.

WS: HBO is known for giving writers freedom to fol-

low their vision of a show. Do you feel you could not have done The Newsroom for a broadcast network?

SORKIN: I had great experiences at NBC and ABC, but we wouldn’t have been able to do The Newsroom on a broadcast network.

WS: I have spoken to a number of writers and showrunners, including Terence Winter, the creator of Boardwalk Empire, who feel that The Sopranos on pay TV and The West Wing on broadcast TV changed the course of TV drama series. What did you set out to accomplish with The West Wing? Were you trying to advance the drama genre?

SORKIN: When I write something I don’t have my sights set any higher than entertaining an audience for however long I’ve asked for their attention. Terry keeps raising that bar.

WS: The West Wing offered viewers intellectually challenging, rapid-fire dialogue. In the beginning of the series, were you concerned that such an ambitious show might not find an audience, especially on broadcast TV? SORKIN: I try to write something that I like and that I think my friends would like and that I think my parents would like, and then I keep my fingers crossed that enough other people will like it that I can earn a living. I think it’s important to like your audience and have faith in them. I don’t think the people who watch television are any dumber than the people who make television.

Sorkin SORKIN: I spent time in several newsrooms just to get

a feel of the place (and it turns out they’re all different).

I also had a series of meetings with some of the top people in American journalism. Sometimes they were oneon-one and sometimes they were rowdy roundtables. I asked a ton of questions but mostly let them do the talking. At some point I’d ask two questions. The first was, “What would a utopian news show be?” and the second was, “What’s stopping someone from doing that?”

The answers to the first question varied a bit, but the answer to the second question was always some form of 10/12

WS: What are some of the different creative challenges between writing a feature-film screenplay and writing for TV? SORKIN: The biggest difference is time. When I’m working on a screenplay and it’s not going well—which is almost all the time—I can call the studio and say, “I’m sorry, I’ve hit a rough spot and it’s going to take longer than I thought.” With television you have a hard deadline and that means that you have to write even when you’re not writing well.

WS: You initially trained as an actor. What made you want to become a writer? And when did you discover you had an ear for dialogue?

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SORKIN: I acted in all the school plays and I went to a

conservatory theater program instead of a liberal arts school. I’d always loved the sound of dialogue, but it wasn’t until the end of my senior year in college that I tried writing it myself. I still feel like it’s the end of my senior year in college.

WS: I’ve read that when you write you do not always

stay seated at your keyboard; you move around and act out the scenes and characters you are imagining. Can you tell us about that process?

SORKIN: I’m pretty active when I’m writing. I start arguments in my head between two characters, and if

something sparks I’ll be on my feet and talking out loud, and before you know it, I’m out on the street looking like someone a mom would tell her kid not to make eye contact with.

WS: You have said your next project is a movie based on

Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs. You have already written movies that are adaptations of books.

How do you plan on approaching this screenplay and what creative challenges does it present?

SORKIN: I’m at the beginning of the process with Steve Jobs.The irony of staring at a blinking cursor on a blank Apple screen isn’t lost on me.

“I’m pretty active when I’m writing. I start arguments in my head between two characters, and if something sparks I’ll be on my feet and talking out loud, and before you know it, I’m out on the street looking like someone a mom would tell her kid not to make eye contact with.”

HBO’s The Newsroom.

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Congratulates the 2012 Content Trendsetter Award Winners

Beverley McGarvey Malcolm Dunlop Gill Hay John Ranelagh

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By Mansha Daswani

asterChef in the U.S. is just one cog in Gordon Ramsay’s ever-growing transAtlantic television-production machine.

Indeed, there are several other shows—notably Boiling Point, Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen—that can be credited with establishing the colorful chef and restaurateur as a firm fixture on television screens across the globe. But it was in fact the 1990s iteration of Junior MasterChef that gave Ramsay his television break. The chef, then still trying to leave a mark on the competitive British restaurant landscape, served as a guest judge on the kids’ cooking competition.

Channel 4’s Boiling Point came a few years later and demonstrated this his fiery temper and witty one-liners made for great television. That was followed up with Beyond Boiling Point and then, in 2004, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen. The success of both shows in the U.K. caught the eye of FOX in the U.S., which in 2005 introduced its own version of Hell’s Kitchen and in 2007 Kitchen Nightmares. Three years ago, Ramsay was enlisted by Elisabeth Murdoch, the chairman of the Shine Group, to serve as the face of the American version of MasterChef. In its recently wrapped third season, the show, which Ramsay executive produces, received its highest-ever ratings and routinely won its time slot, particularly among the key 18 to 49 segment. His newest series for FOX—his fourth—is Hotel Hell, in which he does for hotel owners what he’s been doing for restaurateurs for years, using a mix of tough love, pointed barbs and even some kind encouragement to turn around struggling establishments.

While firmly committed to his television empire—he set up a production company, One Potato Two Potato, with Optomen Television, which is owned by ALL3MEDIA-—the Michelin-starred chef has maintained his significant restaurant business. He runs establishments in London, New York, Paris, Doha, Los Angeles and Tokyo, among other cities, as well as a culinary academy and a hotel. He has written some 20 books and is behind a line of branded kitchen appliances. He also appears in CGI form in the Hell’s Kitchen video game and, in the ultimate sign of having made it on the U.S. pop-culture scene, voiced himself on an episode of The Simpsons.

Amid his hectic schedule launching Hotel Hell on FOX, gearing up for new seasons of MasterChef and Hell’s Kitchen and pitching his Channel 4 series Gordon Behind Bars to the U.S. networks, Ramsay took time to chat with World Screen about his passion for food, making compelling television and what it’s like being the most recognizable chef in the world.

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WORKING WITH] AN AMATEUR

PARTICIPANT IN MASTERCHEF OR A FINALIST IN HELL’S KITCHEN, IT’S STILL A LOT EASIER THAN STANDING IN FRONT OF A STOVE FOR 16, 17 HOURS A DAY, LIKE I DID FOR 20 YEARS BEFORE I WENT ANYWHERE NEAR TV.

WS: Why did you want to do Hotel Hell? Working on improving hotels is a bit of a departure for you.

RAMSAY: It’s another string in my bow. Have you any idea how many hotels I’ve stayed in? Having spent hundreds and hundreds of nights, [even] thousands, at hotels over the last decade, and having my own boutique hotel in London, the York & Albany, I just started getting really frustrated with the level of complacency. I was in New York staying at a hotel. It was $450 a night.We were filming Kitchen Nightmares and I got back late that night and heard the room hadn’t been [cleaned]. They said there were problems with the staff, the chambermaid had fallen sick. When you’ve been doing a 14-, 15-hour day and you come back and the room’s not made, the fridge has defrosted all over the carpet, the air conditioner has broken down…it was a disaster. I thought, this is crazy, this hotel is like living in hell. And that’s how it started.

WS: And you’ll also be doing it with hotels in the U.K.?

RAMSAY: Channel 4 is really excited about doing it, as a

next step up from Kitchen Nightmares. It’s like Nightmares, but on a much bigger scale. Two months before I arrive there are secret sleepers—people who go in and have a look at the scenario. Every time I come up against a stubborn owner that is in complete denial [about the condition of the hotel], I can say, this isn’t happening because you think I’m forcing it to happen because I’m here, this was also taking place two months ago and here’s the evidence.

We’ve got all the backup footage. We really do our research on these restaurants and hotels.

always frustrated when the targets are the children. The issue is the parents. And a lot of them are in the position to eat healthily. There’s a really strong passion [for home cooking]. The passion and the determination are extraordinary. I was in Washington last December, minus four degrees at 5:30 in the morning and there’s a queue 400 meters long to get in for the auditions. I’d been on the road since 3 o’clock in the morning, and I turned up expecting not to see anyone before 9 o’clock. I couldn’t believe it.Who’d have thought five years ago that amateur cooking competitions would be mainstream prime-time television? Food Network has a lot to answer for that. I think it’s also to do with the amount of cooking people are doing at home, and the availability [of information from] the Internet and food programs. And we’ve made it sexy.

It’s not the rock-and-roll, let’s-go-crazy attitude, but I think it’s a really cool thing to learn how to cook. I look at the Latin that [my son] Jack is studying at the moment and how he’s sweating and fretting over it. He’s 12 years of age.

I said, mate, don’t get stressed out over Latin! Do your best, but find your passion. So you graduate with an A-level [a standardized test used as qualification for entrance to universities in the U.K.] in Latin, what is that going to do for you if you want to become a sportsman? As long as you give me your best, that’s what’s important.Then I see him cooking. He made lasagna last night. He was in the fridge

WS: It must be so much harder to

overhaul a hotel than a restaurant.

RAMSAY: It’s much harder. And also

the jeopardy is so much greater. I worked on Hotel Hell in the U.S. along the same lines as I did on Kitchen Nightmares in the U.K.—I had a much longer period [at each establishment]. It’s much more [like an] observational documentary. And it’s packed with integrity. These are big hotels—from country lodges in upstate New York to 75-room hotels in San Diego.The place in San Diego was designed by [the Italian car design firm] Pininfarina, because the owner was obsessed with Ferraris.

The first question I asked him was, Why would you get them to design your hotel with furniture that doesn’t work? If you buy a Ferrari, you don’t buy it to sleep in it! He couldn’t answer me.

WS: The third season of MasterChef was its highest rated so far. Why do you think audiences are responding so strongly?

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and he said, Dad, can I use this chorizo? I want to make the lasagna spicy. I said,That’s a great idea! He minced the onions, caramelized the onions, set down the chorizo. I’m thinking, two hours ago this young man was looking at me, eyes full of water, face all red, absolutely horrified about his Latin homework. All of a sudden, the transformation—how happy he was because he was cooking.

That’s a 12-year-old! MasterChef is part of that phenomenon because it’s made [cooking] less intimidating, it’s made it more enjoyable. And people are watching it, thinking, Hey, I can compete with that. There’s no service, there’s no restaurant to run.

There were some contestants this year that were embarrassed to tell their parents that they were keen to cook rather than go study law. It’s so wrong! How snobby do we have to be to think that it’s a second-class citizenship to become a chef ? Just learning how to cook for yourself can erase 50 percent of this obesity issue. How many times do we get told how important [going to the] gym is and how we’ve got to keep fit, keep active? Cooking is exactly the same.

WS: Why did you want to be involved with the American version of the format?

RAMSAY: Lis Murdoch [the chairman of the Shine Group] said to me three years ago, MasterChef is a phenomenon in the U.K., what do you think about doing it

in America? I said, as long as we can continue running the competitions and FOX runs the show. It’s like with Hell’s Kitchen—FOX lets me run a restaurant, they run the show.

So we understand our parameters and where not to overstep the mark.

We’ve also got a bigger chance on MasterChef, more than any other program anywhere in the world, to actually mentor these individuals.Yes, you see a 42-minute sequence edited. We’ll film 12 or 14 hours for that. But we have our sessions in the prep kitchen where we [demonstrate dishes]. Each and every one of us who is giving reprimands and compliments can step down off our high horse and absolutely perfect what we’re talking about in front of them. They’re gaining that knowledge on a daily basis, not just a weekly basis. But we really do push them to the extent that they get so much better and I think it’s starting to show, especially this season.

My first-ever television break was judging Junior MasterChef in England with Loyd Grossman 20 years ago. I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited I got asked to be a guest judge on this program. If you’d said to me 20 years ago I’d be presenting it and co-producing it across one of the biggest countries in the world, I’d never have believed you!

WS: Are there major differences working in the U.S. as compared with the U.K.?

RAMSAY: I think the pressure is far more [in the U.S.]. If it doesn’t work then you’re gone, you’re history. When a show gets canned [in the U.S.], you get panned. I absolutely work hard at everything I do and I never take it for granted.

And I still insist on a daily basis, whether [I’m working with] an amateur participant in MasterChef or a finalist in Hell’s Kitchen, it’s still a lot easier than standing in front of a stove for 16, 17 hours a day, like I did for 20 years before I went anywhere near TV. I don’t see it as TV. I know that’s really weird to say. But you know what I’m like—I get into my zone and I’m brutally honest. That comes with a lot of flack and I get a lot of shit for that. At the end of the day, it is what it is. It’s food and it means a lot to me and I push myself constantly.

WS: The tough attitude you have with

Recipe for success: Ramsay is an executive producer and one of the judges of FOX’s MasterChef, based on a Shine format.

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contestants—did you deal with the same thing from your mentors in your early days as a chef?

RAMSAY: Yeah, times 20! Marco White, a phenomenon, he put food on a plate like an absolute genius.Albert Roux was a flavor profiles man—so focused on flavor, proper French classic cuisine. Guy Savoy, who had that amazing lightness. Pierre Koffman, phenomenal flavors. Alain Ducasse, incredible Mediterranean lightness. Joël Robuchon, the hardest, toughest, most demanding chef I have ever worked for in my entire life. If I was going to flip burgers and dress Caesar salad,

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Raw emotion: In FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen—sold to 200-plus markets

by ITV Studios Global Entertainment—Ramsay trains a group of amateur chefs in how to run a restaurant.

I would have maxed out 12 years ago. Every time I took a new job, I went straight to the bottom of the pile again to work my way back up. I didn’t want to come in with airs and graces. Every time, I stepped back into the realm of the basic kitchen commis [an apprentice or junior chef] and climbed up.You put your life into that mentor’s hands and you want his reputation going through your fingertips every day on service.Trust me, when it’s going brilliantly well and you have a shiny résumé and a reference from him—that looks fantastic. But let’s not forget, there are two sides to every coin and when you make a mistake and the shit hits the fan, you have to take it.That’s part and parcel, isn’t it?

WS: How are you managing this huge TV slate along-

side your restaurant business?

RAMSAY: Stu Gillies is our managing director [of Gordon Ramsay Holdings].We have just under 1,000 staff in the U.K. with 12 restaurants—23 in total when you look at what’s happening [in the U.S.]. We have three executive chefs that travel and work on our research-anddevelopment team. And then, of course, we set up the production office One Potato Two Potato [in Los Angeles] two years ago. No matter what happens, I always need direction. Even if I am exec producing, I don’t step out of my zone and think I’m that good that I can start telling talented directors [what to do]. Robin Ashbrook, who exec produced MasterChef this year, gave birth to MasterChef ten years ago. Do I know more about food than him? Yes, of course. Does he know more about TV than me? Yes, of course he does. Can I take direction? Of course I can. Do I make mistakes? Of course. But I always look at it like it’s live. The teleprompter—that’s not difficult, to be totally honest. But I step in to that kitchen in MasterChef and I go into those challenges and I absolutely take it as if I’m running it as a service in my own restaurants, and I’ve got three Michelin stars in jeopardy at the end of it.

WS: Do you ever look back at Boiling Point to see how much you’ve changed on camera?

RAMSAY: Every time I look at Boiling Point, I shit myself.

There I was, 30 years of age, I didn’t have a pot to piss in.

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my father died of a heart attack at 53. We were going through some pretty horrific times. All I wanted was to get to the top of the tree. My ambition was to get three Michelin stars. And whoever was in the way was going to get trampled. I was not going to take the foot off the gas.

In 1998, I sold my house and I put every penny I’d ever earned into my getting my dream restaurant. I had to put the family on the back burner and I had to become selfish. At the same time this little guy Jamie Oliver was launching—the darling of the nation at 21 years of age. All of a sudden Boiling Point was running side by side with The Naked Chef.

Boiling Point was a documentary that saw me traveling with that hunger and determination. It was like competing for a gold medal in cooking.

My big mouth got me into trouble when I exposed that [judges from] Michelin were having dinner [at my restaurant]. I tell the nation, hey, guess what, the French are expected for dinner and they’re going to love my food and we’re going to get three stars! Well, I didn’t get them [at the time]. I came out of that one with egg on my face, but, you learn, don’t you? I still have that sensation down the back of my spine when someone says hey, Boiling Point, loved it! Jesus, really? You did! That taught me how not to behave on television.

WS: Did you have any inkling at the time that you would become one of the most recognizable chefs in the world?

RAMSAY: It’s scary. I see it on Facebook and Twitter.“Hey Gordon, shout out to your fans in Brazil!” “Hey, we’re on the Gaza Strip and we love Kitchen Nightmares.” And I’m thinking, the Gaza Strip is watching Kitchen Nightmares? And then you’ll get one from Zimbabwe. You don’t start off thinking that’s what’s going to happen. I’m not very good at looking back. I don’t sit back.Yesterday I did a tasting for Hell’s Kitchen and wasn’t happy with the food.We do know how to make capellini; we can make risotto. Even with my team yesterday the tastings went wrong and it was a bad rehearsal. So you cancel everything else on the day and you batten down the hatches and you kick all the cameras out and we have our chef time.We came out of it seven hours later with an immaculate menu. So that’s how hungry I am, really, to get it right.

WS: What’s next for you?

RAMSAY: We’ve just come off Behind Bars in the U.K. One

can get carried away with amazing sets and huge production values and amazing casts. I always need to scratch beneath the surface and disappear into the realms of the hard-core part of TV. Going into prisons and doing that documentary—I was filming it last year at the same time as Hotel Hell, so it was two weeks in my restaurants, two weeks in Hotel Hell and two weeks in prison, and then a rest in between. I could level with prisoners. For the next few months we’ll be talking to several [U.S.] networks that are excited about [Behind Bars]. We’ll start looking at all the challenges for MasterChef. And then we’re taping Hell’s Kitchen.

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elcome to the world of Walter White: a highschool chemistry teacher and mild-mannered family man turned power-hungry crystal meth cook turned lethal killer and drug kingpin.

Audiences and critics alike have been gripped by Walt’s dark and twisted descent on the AMC original series Breaking Bad, a role that has earned star Bryan Cranston a trio of Primetime Emmy Awards. The man behind the intensely vivid drama is Vince Gilligan, a former writer-producer on The X-Files who is a self-described control freak. It is much to the credit of Gilligan’s painstaking detail that Breaking Bad has maintained its momentum year after year. As the show has now wrapped the first half of its fifth and final season, Gilligan talks to World Screen about putting the finishing touches on his tale of transformation.

Vince Gilligan Breaking Bad

By Kristin Brzoznowski

WS: Most of the characters have undergone dramatic personality shifts. Did you have these arcs planned out from the inception or did the twists happen organically?

GILLIGAN: The one that I will take credit for, as it had been planned from the get-go, at least in broad strokes, was Walter White. When I was first pitching this show the original [idea] was: We’re going to take Mr. Chips and we’re going to turn him into Scarface.

In other words, we were going to tell a story of personal transformation, in which our good guy main character would, through sheer force of will, decide to be a bad guy and will himself into such a way of living and way of thinking. That was indeed planned out from the beginning.

I confess that I wasn’t playing that deep a game in my head to think that all the other characters around him would change as well. It’s a credit to the wonderful actors we’ve hired—their great chameleon-like abilities as actors and their depth of characters as human beings—that the writers and I realized what a wealth of talent we had at our disposal.With these ensemble characters that revolve around Walt we realized that we could put them through their paces evolution-wise. There was 122

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quite a bit of change to these characters that I didn’t see coming, certainly not in the early days. I didn’t think, for instance, that [Walt’s brother-in-law] Hank Schrader would be such an important character to the show.

WS: How do you set the limits for these characters’

moral boundaries?

GILLIGAN: We don’t! First of all, I will say that Walt

has done things that are so dark and reprehensible that it even shocked us writers. That may sound strange, since obviously my writers and I came up with it, but when it’s working really well in the writers’ room, we try not to set limits. On a really good day, when things are clipping along, the characters themselves are telling us the story. In a sense, we’re just stenographers writing it down. That takes you to some very dark places. With a character like Walt, he tells us what it is he needs and what it is he’s capable of doing to get what he needs. We just transcribe it.

Other days the opposite is true and we come to grief for it. Some days we say to ourselves,We really want this to happen, but then Walt tells us, I don’t want that to happen, I want something else. We try to tell the story

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as organically as possible. I’ll never try to fit a square peg into a round hole story-wise. Having said that, if we let the chips fall where they may, Walt is capable of great darkness and great evil and that has become more and more apparent as the seasons have progressed. And you ain’t seen nothing yet!

WS: How did you come to map out the condensed pac-

ing of the show?

GILLIGAN: It is indeed quite condensed. That felt right to us for a couple of reasons. First of all, because the engine that drives the show, or certainly drove it initially, is Walt’s cancer diagnosis. In the pilot, when he is diagnosed, Walt is told that he has 18 months to live; that clock was put on his life. We figured that Walt should do an awful lot of living in a short span of time.

The other reason is because, as smart as Walt is, typically your master criminals of the world don’t do the outlandish and evil things they do for very long without getting caught. Walt does an awful lot of smart criminality, but you figure eventually the other shoe is going to fall. Law enforcement is going to finally catch wind of who this guy is.

WS: Did you know you wanted this show on cable, or

could a show like this even exist on network TV?

like this is just too dark to ever be on a network. If it had gone on to a network it would not remotely resemble the show you see now. It would be bowdlerized. It wouldn’t even be a faint echo of what the show is now.

WS: How does it feel to know the show is coming to an end?

GILLIGAN: I’m very nervous about the future. I’m very

fearful that this is as good as it gets. Therefore it would seem odd to hear that it was my idea as much as anyone’s that the show should end. Part of me wants the show to go on forever, there’s no question about that.The wiser part of me knows that we have told most of our story. We don’t have a whole lot of Walter White’s story left to tell.

The worst thing you can do on a TV show, it seems to me, is just tread water creatively. That’s a bad feeling when that happens. A worse feeling still would be to hear through the grapevine people start to say, “That used to be such a good show; I didn’t know that was still on the air.” That would be terribly hurtful! I would rather leave this particular party too soon than too late. Therefore, as nervous as I am about the future and what comes next—and I don’t know what that next project may or may not be—I hope it’ll be half as much fun and half as satisfying as Breaking Bad. This truly has been lightning in a bottle.

GILLIGAN: Not a chance. I didn’t think a show like

this could exist, period! I was gripped by this character and I loved the idea for this show from the beginning, but I didn’t hold out high hopes that the show would ever exist.

Sony Pictures Television was my initial partner as a studio, and we went together to find a broadcast home for this show. I personally didn’t [think] that we’d find one. I knew that if we were going to find one, it would have to be on cable. We didn’t even bother setting meetings at any of the four major networks. A show

WS: Where or who do you get your inspiration from?

GILLIGAN: I have never tried meth and I have never tried

chemistry! I was thinking more in terms of mid-life crisis. I was about to turn 40 years old when I came up with this story. I was starting to think about how my life is probably already more than half over and I haven’t done all the things I wanted to do. That was kind of a negative inspiration but I suddenly found myself pondering a story about a guy who’s having the worst mid-life crisis, or an end-of-life crisis, in the case of Walter White.

Seeing green: Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have received critical acclaim and several awards for their roles as meth cooks on the Sony Pictures Television-distributed AMC series Breaking Bad. 10/12

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Portfolio’s You Gotta Eat Here!

Treats

The country’s producers and distributors have made huge inroads in the international market over the last few years. By Mansha Daswani he writers’ strike that halted production of American comedies and dramas in November 2007 was bad news for Hollywood—the labor action cost the city of Los Angeles an estimated $1.5 billion.

But for the producers to the north— in Canada—that work stoppage created opportunities that they are still benefiting from today.

With gaps that had to be filled with content, the U.S. broadcast networks started gambling on Canadian dramas as a way to cost-effectively fill some of their prime-time slots. And, since then, they have continued to do so; NBC this summer aired Saving Hope, commissioned by CTV, and ABC is on board for a fourth season of Rookie Blue, which simulcasts on Global.

T

It’s not just Canadian drama that’s been in demand for the last few years; across all genres, the export value of film and television content from Canada reached a seven-year high of C$2.26 billion ($2.3 billion) in 2011, a 20-percent rise on the year-ago period, according to the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).This year, Canada has been selected as the country of honor at MIPCOM, with more than 200 companies slated to attend the market.

For many veterans of the Canadian media business, their success internationally has much do with incentives and funds that have allowed producers to deliver high-quality content on budgets that would be hard to achieve in other major markets.

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“We’re a small country and we sit beside the largest entertainment producer in the world,” says Christina Jennings, the chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury. The production financing and tax credits offered through the Canada Media Fund, Jennings notes, “have been invaluable to all of us growing our businesses. I don’t know what our industry would have looked like had they not been there.”

Ira Levy, an executive producer and a partner at Breakthrough Entertainment, which was launched almost 30 years ago, offers some historical perspective on how much the Canadian financing system has benefited the industry. “In 1994, when the tax credit really came into what its contemporary self is, the amount of Canadian

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content production was somewhere in the neighborhood of C$600 million ($614 million). Now it’s in excess of C$2 billion ($2.05 billion). One of the primary reasons is the ability of Canadian producers to access tax credits.

It’s allowed us to have a very effective tool in the international market to be able to attract co-productions.The tax credits have been the lifeblood of the industry.They are very bankable in the international market.”

“They give us the ability to produce programming of a high caliber and at a rate that we can afford,” notes Joy Rosen, a co-president and cofounder at Portfolio Entertainment.

“We feel so fortunate to have a government that supports us that way and sees a value in this industry. It keeps a

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focus on canada lot of people at work and helps Canadian companies on the world stage.

It’s absolutely critical to our success.”

SCRIPTED SAVVY

Andrea Gorfolova, the president of Tricon Films & Television, notes that incentives have been key to expanding all of the company’s operations, but none more so than its scripteddrama business, which includes the long-running hit Sanctuary.

“The way we built Sanctuary was through a presale to five countries.

That’s the only way I’d like to be looking at any [drama] we’re going

together scripted drama projects for the U.S. and Canada, often with a big pay-TV brand in the mix, too. Rookie Blue on ABC, Haven on Syfy and The Firm and Saving Hope on NBC “are all patchwork quilts,” says Peter Emerson, the president of Entertainment One Television International, describing how those shows were financed. “We’re following more of an independent-feature model than a traditional TVfinancing model. It’s brought the U.S. agencies and the highest level of talent to our doorstep. We’re giving back more creative control

of our library has been produced with U.S. partners,” says Kevin Sullivan, the company’s CEO. “We’re extremely well placed to develop English-language drama that has wide international appeal and can still attract big stars. That creates a very fertile broadcast market for presales. If you can leverage that you can generally become, as we have, producers of high-quality entertainment.”

TAKING CREDIT

Cineflix Media, which has become a significant provider of factual shows to U.S. cable networks like Investiga-

Having a leg up when doing business on the international market is particularly useful now as Canadian producers face a challenging landscape at home. Many express some concern about what effects the media consolidation over the last year will have on the production-and-distribution sector.

“Consolidation creates challenges and opportunities,” says Shaftesbury’s Jennings. She notes that consolidation has created “benefits packages—money that the broadcasters have to give back to the industry. That creates, for a period,

Flights of fancy: Cineflix has a slate of factual shows that were co-produced by U.S. and Canadian partners, among then Air Aces for History Television and Military Channel.

Conquering new land: Breakthrough Entertainment is expanding its distribution business to include independent features such as Summerhood.

to be building. International buyers that are going to spend money on scripted programming need to have some volume to put the advertising dollars behind. You need to have some guarantee of multiple seasons.

Having more partners to start with gives you that option. Even if you lose one you’re not losing three quarters of your budget.”

Indeed, Canadian producers have become particularly adept at multicountry co-productions.

Entertainment One (eOne) has developed an expertise in putting

tion Discovery, takes the Canadian tax credits and invests them back in the production before going to get a U.S. broadcast partner, according to Simon Lloyd, the CEO of Cineflix Productions. “If you can deliver a quality idea, top-end people, and you can also say, We’ll invest up to 25, 30 percent [of the budget], that is a fantastic package for an American broadcaster....Tax credits have given the Canadian production community a fantastic opportunity to go and compete with the best producers in the world.”

and more [money] back to our creative partners.”

Muse Entertainment has been steadily expanding its presence in the U.S. Its The Kennedys delivered record numbers for ReelzChannel, which is now on board for Muse’s latest period drama, Bomb Girls.

Also on the slate at Muse is the eight-part King Tut. Sullivan Entertainment has also built a strong scripted business in working with American partners, particularly on period dramas like the Anne of Green Gables franchise. “Most 126

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sizable sums of money that go straight to production. More shows are greenlit. But ultimately, you can’t deny there are fewer buyers.”

“It is a smaller pool,” agrees Portfolio’s Rosen. “That’s always challenging. There’s a concentration of decision-makers.That can also work as a plus, because if you have a good relationship with a network, you can often move within their family.”

Meanwhile, kids’ broadcasters in particular are feeling the pinch from a slowdown in ad spend.Against that backdrop, even Canada’s financing

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Horsing around: Sullivan Entertainment is reinvigorating its period-drama business with the new series Polo, set in the 1920s and 1930s.

Keeping pace: Shaftesbury recently received a season-four order on The Listener, which is co-produced with CTV and FOX International Channels.

system isn’t too much help. “The issue is you need to get shows greenlit to avail yourselves” of the available financing, says Vince Commisso, the president and CEO of leading animation outfit 9 Story Entertainment. “Everyone likes to get on the broadcasters when they don’t spend, but they don’t have the money, either. The ad market is tough in kids’ right now. A lot of the ads are driven by toy companies and they’ve all had their own challenges recently and are looking at their spend in the advertising space…. The amount of shows being produced is really dictated by the dollars available.”

There is, though, an upside to broadcasters being pickier about what they commission: “Everyone becomes extra mindful as to the quality of shows,” Commisso says. “That ups our game.We’ve never produced at a higher quality level. We work the shows until we can’t work them anymore.We rewrite, we reedit, we rerecord—there’s never a point in a production where we don’t stop and hit rewind to make the show better.”

The company is also trying its hand at prime-time entertainment with its new adult-skewing comedy Fugget About It for TELETOON. At Cineflix, much of the focus over the last few years has been expanding the reach of its production business; today, it’s producing shows in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. “We are a Canadian company but we have offices in London,

ducing very rich-looking period series, we have all the technology as well as the financing leverage,” says Sullivan, who adds that the company is also eager to make its library of period drama available online.

The company is also looking to expand its client base to factual broadcasters with Out of the Shadows.

First produced as a feature-length special about a Dutch art historian who has found hidden works of art in a host of masterpieces around the world, Out of the Shadows is now being developed as a full series.

New York and Los Angeles,” says Lloyd. “It’s easier to maintain a [large] slate when you’re not just focused on one market. Canada is our home market, as is the U.S. and the U.K.We’ve got 28 series in production at the moment, seven are out of the U.K., ten are out of the U.S. and 11 out of Canada. That means we’re more diversified.”

At eOne, with its Los Angeles base now well established, the company is turning its attention to the U.K. Emerson recently relocated from the Toronto office to drive eOne’s coproduction initiatives in Europe. A particular emphasis will be on enhancing the company’s slate of U.K-originated factual content.

“We’ll be hiring a senior acquisitions person in the U.K. Being a publicly traded company and having the financial resources that we have, we’re also looking at expanding through acquisition.We have a number of targets now, U.K.-based companies that we’d like to be in business with and potentially take positions in those companies.”

Canadian and British drama coproductions are also a focus for eOne, with the first being Rogue, which has been picked up by DIRECTV in the U.S. as its first original series.

Sullivan Entertainment, with its extensive studio facility outside of Toronto, is keen to start expanding its period drama again, beginning with the series Polo, which is currently in development. “For pro128

NEXT STEPS

For Tricon, major growth opportunities include stepping up its drama and kids’ output, as well as expanding its distribution catalogue.To that end, it has sealed a deal with the U.S. cable network IFC to represent its original comedies on the global market.

Levy at Breakthrough says that factual and kids’ remain two of the company’s major business areas, but an emphasis is also being placed on ramping up the drama and comedy series businesses, as well as its slate of TV movies and feature films.

At Portfolio, the major expansion this year was the company’s move to begin producing its own factual content. The first project is Top Bitch, about “obsessive relationships” between pet owners and their dogs, Rosen says. “Portfolio goes where we see opportunities, but we never stray from what our core values are—high World Screen

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production values, positive uplift.

We’re transferring our philosophy and expertise into new genres.”

Shaftesbury recently set up a base in Los Angeles to work across all of the company’s key genres—comedy, drama, factual and kids. Jennings says that building the company’s American business is a major priority for the next 12 months, as is continuing to expand its digital business. Since acquiring Smokebomb Entertainment, Shaftesbury has been aggressively developing concepts that can work on digital platforms as well as on linear TV. It is bringing to MIPCOM two such efforts: Unlikely Heroes and Backpackers.

Harnessing the potential of digital platforms is going to be crucial for producers, says 9 Story’s Commisso.

“It’s going to become essential for us to look at new models and new paradigms. Our trend has been, make this great show, produce it for our domestic broadcaster and sell it all around the world. Now let’s make another great show to replace that one. The first one sits on a shelf in your library and no one is doing anything about trying to extract [more] value from it. In [a series of ] 52 episodes we have over 2 million frames that we can repurpose. In the era of emerging platforms, that doesn’t threaten your TV business and your first run, and it gives you an opportunity to help other businesses that are emerging, as well as your own by monetizing the content.”

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WS: Entertainment One has posted some very good financial results, despite the difficult economy in many territories.What has been fueling this good performance?

THROOP: A number of things. Our various divisions have been performing very well. We had an excellent year last year with our television programming. We had a number of season two, season three and even season four [commissions] for Rookie Blue and Call Me Fitz that are driving our TV numbers.

On the film side we released 152 films theatrically last year, some very small, some very big, but overall we increased our performance in the film business and doubled our digital revenue. And, finally, there is our family division, led by Peppa Pig and other key brands that are doing quite well internationally. We’ve put Peppa on top networks around the globe, and it’s remarkable how quickly it becomes a favorite among children in those markets.That sets us up to launch successful licensing and merchandising campaigns. If you look at each one of our core pillars of business, we’ve seen good continued momentum in each of them. On top of that, of course, we invest heavily in content, so we do expect growth.

WS: What have been the drivers of your TV business?

THROOP: In March 2012 we relocated [Peter Emer-

Entertainment One’s

Darren Throop

By Anna Carugati

Entertainment One (eOne) is a leading independent content company with a focus on acquiring and releasing theatrical films as well as producing and distributing television series, movies and family fare. With companies in Canada, the U.K. and Europe, eOne has established a multi-territory distribution network that has allowed it to become a mini major. As CEO Darren Throop explains, eOne’s openness to international partnerships and its ability to strike creative financing deals have been the keys to its success.

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son], the president of Entertainment One Television International, to London and announced that we were expanding our international TV business in the U.K. and Europe. Again to broaden our distribution network and give us greater access to premium television content around the globe. This gives us closer relationships with European broadcasters, European producers and European picture makers. We’ve been involved in a number of highly successful co-productions with international partners like Endemol, Impossible Pictures in the U.K. and Raw TV in the U.K. We are trying to broaden our reach and extend our relationships with both the producers and the broadcasters.

We just want to continue to build on our successful partnerships and co-financing models. Our new suspense drama Rogue for DIRECTV, The Movie Network and Movie Central is a great example. Saving Hope for CTV and NBC is another. Our team is exceptionally innovative in putting together co-productions with international partners, both on the broadcast side and on the creative side, and financing them in such a way that it is helpful for the broadcaster and for the producer.

WS: You mentioned Peppa Pig earlier. The children’s segment of the television industry has been challenged.

Is the key to having success in children’s television having great properties that can be exploited across multiple platforms?

THROOP: It certainly is. It speaks to the global economy.

The family business is really about licensing and mer-

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chandising. You need the broadcast platform to drive brand awareness and then a well-thought-out and carefully executed licensing-and-merchandising program.

However, the disposable income that most families have is under pressure, to say the least.

We are very mindful and careful about the way we roll out properties like Peppa Pig in different territories. We build viewership slowly, and once it hits a critical point, then we will slowly roll out licensing and merchandising. Of course, we need that broadcast window, but again, those windows are changing and a lot of preschoolers and kids are watching more and more content online. A 2-year-old can now navigate an iPad. We are really strategic in the way we roll our properties out.

WS: Canada is going to be the Country of Honor at MIPCOM this year. Because the Canadian market is relatively small, Canadian companies have always been among the most internationally minded, having to partner with many in order to keep their businesses alive and vibrant. This international openness has been central to any successful Canadian media company, hasn’t it?

THROOP: It certainly has. Canada’s television and film industry is incredibly active and vibrant.

Overall, Canada competes very well on a global stage. We do because we have very, very talented people in the production community and we came to the realization many years ago that English-speaking content can resonate in any English-speaking territory.

You can build it in Canada and you wouldn’t know if it was recorded in the U.K. or in the U.S. or in Australia, excluding the accents, of course. We’ve been pretty good at finding our niches and exploiting them on the global platform. We’ve got considerable resources and wonderful production companies here in Canada that, like eOne, continue to do many international co-productions and build great relationships with broadcasters and trading partners around the world.

WS: As we look out 12 to 24 months, what do you see

as the major opportunities and the major challenges for eOne? THROOP: The ebbs and flows in the global economy may prove to be a challenge in the months and years ahead. As we’re seeing ad revenue decline and shifts in consumer behavior, we’ll see fewer dollars invested in original programming. However, the changes in viewing habits give us, as a nimble, small independent, the ability to change with the consumers, and be very opportunistic with these developments in technology and the way people are interfacing with our content. It’s our biggest opportunity but also a major challenge. I also believe that further consolidation across the media space globally will continue to present opportunities for us across all divisions.

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Scripted mix: Through a range of co-production and third-party distribution partnerships, eOne has amassed a TV portfolio that includes, from top to bottom, Hell on Wheels, Primeval: New World, The Walking Dead and Saving Hope.

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WS: Despite the global economic downturn that has

also affected Mexico, Azteca has posted positive financial results. What factors have contributed to these results?

SALINAS: We’ve made some important investments in our programming in recent years. Inaugurating seven new Azteca Novelas studios during the summer aligns with this vision. These new digital studios are undoubtedly the most technologically advanced in Latin America.That’s on the technological side, but the most important thing is boosting people and their creativity.

WS: Of the main mass media outlets: television, newspapers, magazines, radio and billboards, what place does television occupy in Mexico? What is the advertising forecast in Mexico for this year?

SALINAS: The advertising market for free TV represents about $3 billion annually, which equals more than 60 percent of ad spend in Mexico. Radio is a little over 10 percent and it’s very fragmented geographically. The rest of the media is smaller and less significant. Advertising in free TV grows at the same pace as GDP, but for 2012 we expect greater growth due to the Olympic Games broadcasts.

WS: Azteca is recognized worldwide as a producer of

Grupo Salinas’s

Ricardo Salinas Pliego

By Elizabeth Bowen-Tombari

As founder and chairman of the board of Grupo Salinas, Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego built upon the foundations of a family-owned business. What started in 1906 as a furniture factory and was followed in 1950 by Grupo Elektra, a radioand television-set manufacturer, grew into a diversified group whose businesses range from television and online to specialized retail, financial services and telecommunications.

Today, Grupo Salinas is one of Latin America’s leading concerns—a group of companies that has embraced technology and is focused on creating value for shareholders and is also committed to helping the middle class grow in the countries in which it runs businesses. Among the group’s companies are: Azteca, the second-largest commercial broadcaster in Mexico; Azteca América, a network serving the U.S. Hispanic market; Grupo Elektra, a leading Latin American financial-services and specialty-retail company, with sale points in Mexico, the U.S. and Latin America; Italika, the number one name in motorcycles in Mexico; Banco Azteca and the insurance company Seguros Azteca.

Iusacell, one of the most important mobile telephone companies in Mexico, is also part of Grupo Salinas.

In this exclusive interview, Salinas shares with World Screen his vision for his company.

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quality novelas. Recently, however, the company has focused on series with high production values. How has this business evolved for the company?

SALINAS: We’re always looking to bring innovation to our screens. Although novelas continue to be important for us in prime time, we’ve invested a notable effort in the production of series.We’re strong in sports, news and entertainment and we’ve recently launched new comedy formats that can probably garner very interesting results.

WS: You mentioned the inauguration of Azteca Nove-

las’ new studios. What are the benefits of this investment and what does it represent for Azteca?

SALINAS: The immediate benefits include the quality and efficiency of our novela productions. The new studios can give our productions the appearance of being on location with the financial and logistic benefits of being at a studio. The message with the studios is that “we’re here to compete for the long run.”

WS: Increasingly, viewers around the world want to

watch programming whenever and wherever. Azteca has signed content-distribution deals with Netflix and Azteca América has a deal with Hulu Latino. How important is it to reach viewers through new media?

SALINAS: A big reason for the change from TV Azteca to Azteca two years ago is the evolution of the industry. We hope to have many more years of broadcast television, but we always have to consider new technology for its ability to attract viewers. Luckily, as content providers, we have the flexibility to move within different media with agility.

We’re always looking for deals to deliver our content to

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new audiences. Internet options are important, as well as programs that can be delivered to smartphone screens.

WS: After the 2010 U.S. Census

results were made public, major media companies began to announce new channel rollouts for the U.S. Hispanic market. What are your plans for Azteca América?

SALINAS: We’re working hard at Azteca América to continue expanding our network and delivering the most compelling programming for our audience. Last year, we migrated to full power stations in Dallas, Houston and San Francisco, an important step in terms of our channel coverage. Passionate embrace: La mujer de Judas is among the telenovelas produced and sold worldwide by Azteca.

This year our feed will be in HD. The other challenge is delivering content that speaks directly ers. We focus on health, education and environmental to the Hispanic viewer in the U.S. Although more than programs looking to attract a high level of participation 60 percent of the 50 million Latinos [in the U.S.] are of from society. Such is the case with programs like Mexican descent, their everyday lives are very differ- Limpiemos nuestro México, in which more than 6 million ent from what we experience in Mexico. people took part in 2012, or Esperanza Azteca, where we instill values through music. We have more than 50 youth orchestras throughout the country with more WS: Azteca has been a strong promoter of social issues, not only in Mexico but also internationally.What is tele- than 12,000 participating kids. vision’s social responsibility given the violence that has plagued Mexico in recent years?

WS: Grupo Salinas’ businesses originated last century SALINAS: Our social action is channeled through Funwith your great-grandfather, Benjamín Salinas Westrup. dación Azteca, although we do have other social and What can you tell us about your experience leading the cultural programs. We’re aware of the responsibility family business? involved in being a broadcaster, especially in a country SALINAS: I think our businesses’ success throughout like Mexico, where, unfortunately, there are few readthe years has been a result of being flexible and innovative. My family started in the business with a bed factory and then went into retail. Elektra started out in the ’50s Azteca’s Content Powerhouse with cutting-edge products like TV sets and radios.Then Azteca, part of Grupo Salinas, is one of the leading producers of Spanish-language programcame the television network, telecommunications, Interming in the world. It operates two national television networks in Mexico: Azteca 13, whose net, fiber optics and financial services for those that were general-entertainment schedule appeals to a broad audience, and Azteca 7, which targets a underserved by traditional institutions. younger audience.

A significant portion of the programs that air on these two networks is produced in-house and most important of all are telenovelas, the backbone of prime-time schedules in Mexico.

Azteca Novelas has, in fact, produced 98 telenovelas in its 19 years of operation, and 75 of these novelas have been sold to some 110 countries.

The current annual production capacity of Azteca Novelas is more than 1,700 hours a year.

This output is expected to be boosted by the state-of-the-art studios that were inaugurated in June. Boasting seven HD studios and covering 163,000 square feet, including more than 54,000 square feet of soundstages, the new Azteca Novelas studios comprise the most modern production facilities in Latin America.

“These new soundstages represent a commitment toward the goal of being the best Spanishlanguage television company in the world; a company that is always ready to innovate, entertain, inform and instill values with its audience,” said Salinas Pliego. “These studios are a symbol that Azteca wants to keep growing, changing and being the best. Today we live in an age of accelerated competition and Azteca is ready to take it head on.”

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WS: What’s the best advice your father gave you that you still practice today?

SALINAS: Knowing your client and serving him with excellence was one of my grandfather’s values, inculcated in me by my father. It sounds simple, but it’s amazing to see how many companies become overly bureaucratic and lose their way as they grow.

WS: Azteca is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

What are some of the company’s major accomplishments?

SALINAS: I think that throughout our history, we’ve

distinguished ourselves as a world-class broadcaster that competes head on in every genre. We’re young, with a fighting spirit that keeps us on the cutting edge and in the creation of successful content.

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elevision is still the largest adver-

Ttising medium worldwide and it has withstood the challenge of the Internet remarkably well. Ad spend remains firmly focused on linear TV advertising, and high-quality content is more valuable than ever as advertisers seek to squeeze more bang out of hit shows.

“The days of monolithic television are long gone,” says William Cabrera, the executive VP of global research and modeling at Havas Media, which is active in more than 120 countries. “What we now have is television that is very much about convergence and content on

the Internet becomes stronger. In the emerging markets, such as India, Indonesia, China and Brazil, broadcast media is growing. Even print is growing.The emerging middle class in these markets is consuming the traditional media mix. The third speed is in the less developed markets, accounting for about one-third of the world, where there is not much change taking place in a fairly static media landscape. Perhaps mobile telephony will be a bigger factor in these markets.”

Despite the swing to online in developed markets, things are looking up for TV, according to Irwin Gotlieb,

the set-top box actually switches to the DVR to run the commercial and then switches back to the linear stream. How the advertiser or the agency knows which ads the viewer wants to view depends on a huge amount of data that is available at the household level, without any identifiable personal information.

But don’t throw out the ratings yet. “Having set-top-box data is wonderful, but the set-top box doesn’t tell me if it’s the lady of the house or the man of the house or the child who is watching,” Gotlieb admits. “So we will always have television panel data and we

holds, rising to 50 percent in the 18-to-49 demo and 66 percent among 18-to-49s who own tablets.

In the U.S., live TV viewing fell from 89 percent to 85 percent from 2006 to 2011, according to a study

by Nielsen. In the U.K., 90 percent of TV was viewed live in the first six months of 2012, according to the British commercial TV marketing body Thinkbox.The number of ads watched at normal speed actually rose 1.6 percent year on year to a record high of 491 billion spots.

However, in the 51 percent of homes with DVRs in the U.K., time-shifted viewing accounted for

Buying TIME

By Jay Stuart

Television advertising is evolving to meet the challenges of new devices and viewing habits. demand. And it will increasingly involve different devices, with consumers making their own schedules and choosing their own formats. But it is still television. It is audiovisual, it is engaging and it occupies a big chunk of people’s free time and dominates their media consumption.”

According to the advertising giant GroupM, TV accounted for 43 percent of measured global media investment in 2011, a record high.

However, GroupM warned that the figure might be a peak before a downward trend, with continued development of Internet advertising—notably online video—nipping at TV’s share.

“We are seeing three speeds of advertising growth,” says Cabrera.

“In Europe, North America and Japan, normal broadcast television will plateau in the next two or three years as

the chairman of GroupM. “With advanced advertising technology beginning to appear on the horizon, television will be able to go toe to toe with anything out there,” he says.

ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE

GroupM has been running addressable ads—commercials targeted to a specific device or consumer—in the U.S. since last October on 7 million DISH Network set-top boxes.

DIRECTV and Verizon FiOS are also addressability-enabled, and other major players such as Cablevision are on the way. GroupM has measurement capability for about 20 million addressable set-top boxes, and that number is going to grow very rapidly over the course of the next three years.

The ads are pre-loaded into individual DVRs, usually the night before they are shown. There is a keytone for the addressable ad and 10/12

will have to learn how to fuse the two into something that informs our strategies and our tactics.”

According to Deloitte, advanced advertising, including targeted addressable and interactive advertising, will face a number of challenges to becoming mainstream.

One is winning the acceptance of consumers and regulators. Another is establishing a clear competitive advantage over traditional TV advertising and existing forms of targeting and segmentation.

THE DISRUPTORS

The advantage over traditional advertising might become easier to demonstrate as the disruptive impact of the DVR, which enables viewers to skip commercials in recorded shows, continues to increase.

Research from Npower in April of this year showed DVR penetration at 44 percent of U.S. house-

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15.9 percent of total viewing in the first half of this year, up from 14.7 percent in the same period of 2011. As DVR penetration grows, live viewing will inevitably decline.

The big new innovation in the market, the most dangerous to date for ad-supported TV, is automatic skipping of ads. In May, DISH Network rolled out Auto Hop, a subscription DVR feature that zips over ads automatically in recorded shows. FOX, NBC and CBS have all filed suits against the move.

The reality of the DVR is a daunting one in today’s broadcast market.

“Our business is selling 30-second and 15-second spots day in and day out,” says Mitch Burg, the president of the Syndicated Network Television Association (SNTA), a nonprofit body whose members are DisneyABC Domestic Television, CBS Television Distribution,Warner Bros.

Brand Networks, NBCUniversal

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London calling: Events like the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games—watched by an estimated 1 billion people worldwide—have been very lucrative for broadcasters; NBC in the U.S. sold more than $1 billion worth of advertising time for its coverage from London.

Television Distribution and Twentieth Television. “The DVR has become a factor over the past five or six years. We have been monitoring the developments very closely. Our strategy is all about being DVRproof, having a younger audience and ensuring high recall.”

Being DVR-proof largely depends on where advertising is positioned.

“What differentiates us from network television is that we are viewed live,” Burg says. “Even in homes that have DVRs, 75 percent of our commercials are watched.

One reason has to do with the duration and placement of our national advertising pods.”

The national pod is separated from the advertising that is sold by the local stations. If a half-hour sitcom contains seven minutes of ads, there will be one national pod of a minute and two others of three minutes sold by the stations. In weekday sitcoms, for example, 86 percent of syndicated advertising is in the first minute.

“Research shows that commercials in the first minute of advertising are watched,” Burg says. “This makes us immune.The second reason for live viewing is the strength of the programming. We have shows that viewers watch more than two times a week on average.

The viewers are loyal. We are appointment television.”

HIT SEEKERS

In today’s market the value of successful shows to advertisers is greater than ever. “The big hits of today can be bigger than ever because they have global potential,” says Havas Media’s Cabrera.

“It used to take a couple of years for a program to work its way around the world. Now it happens quickly. Audiences are still important. The potential upside for big hits is even greater in an age of fragmentation. They are even more valuable because they can deliver big audiences.”

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But today’s market is also more fickle and faster-moving than ever before. “There has been acceleration in the programming cycle,” Cabrera continues. “If a show isn’t working, it’s dropped.The period of trial and error is much faster. If it doesn’t work in a week or two, it’s gone. But for shows that get it right, it’s winner takes all. Shows can be hits around the world with global audiences and make enormous amounts of money. Of course, there might be only one hit in a hundred shows.The successful companies are the ones that have the money and talent to invest in the trial and error and keep up with the market.”

TAKING INVENTORY

One of the strengths that the syndication market tries to build on is the longevity of its shows in offering new types of inventory to advertisers.

SNTA’s Burg tells the story of a soft-drink company that wanted to know how to integrate its messages

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within top programs that were already made.The idea was to create something building on the audiences’ familiarity with these shows— the fact that some viewers watch them and know everything that’s going to happen and can even quote the dialogue by heart. “We developed the idea of a vignette, where a brief scene in the show would be pulled out and branded. So, for example, if there’s a scene in a doctor’s office, that could be brought to you by Dr Pepper. It’s about building on the involvement and passion of the viewer.”

The innovation is called the exclusive integrated pod (EIP), a recent example of which is a series of spots for Home Depot in programs syndicated by Twentieth Television.

The other main method of integration in existing shows is digital product placement, which has become more cost-effective than when the technology first emerged, in the ’90s. One of the characteristics of sitcoms is that they have ensemble casts and there are lots of scenes of people sitting around a table, so it’s easy to put a box or a bottle on the table. “If there’s a pizza there, it’s a natural part of the scene,” SNTA’s Burg says.

How I Met Your Mother features both EIPs for Home Depot and product placement for Pizza Hut. GroupM’s Gotlieb is high on product placement—where it genuinely works. In American Idol, the voting mechanism is branded as AT&T texting. “We did that when American Idol premiered, and we believe that that single integration taught people in the United States how to text,” says Gotlieb. “Texting at the time was a non-U.S. phenomenon. Most people knew they had the capability but there was nothing compelling enough to get them to even try it.That single integration changed the face of texting in the U.S.” When Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? was in prime time on ABC, the process of calling a friend was integrated for AT&T also and was integral to the game aspects of the show.

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Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was created for Sears. For a period of time, it changed the way the retailer was perceived because all the tools used and all the products that went into the home came from Sears.

Gotlieb is less convinced of the value of the sort of product placement that can be achieved via digital insertions. “If the integration involves placing a beverage in someone’s kitchen, nobody will notice it,” he says. “It’s just not noticed because it belongs there. If you put it where it doesn’t belong, it’s noticed, but not in a good way. Branded integrations have severe limitations in terms of integration and execution.

tent mainly to build the audience— thereby making television a more effective medium for them. “When television came along, clients didn’t go to their ad agencies and say, Make me programs like the commercials,” Gotlieb says. “Agencies created content that was sufficiently compelling to attract an audience, and while the audience was there, they exposed them to commercial breaks.”

Today, the reason for investment has evolved into being more about engagement with the audience as the path to effectiveness.

Several years back, Shine Group set up a division with the goal of marrying the content and engage-

will automatically want it. But the reality is that broadcasters want the best programming that they can afford to get. There is also the tendency of advertisers to want to load programs with advertising messages.

We think the format should be a reflection of the brand, not a trigger to buy products.”

In this sense, the approach is not quite the same as the one Sears took in showing off its own products in a home-improvement show.

“There is no reason why Ikea should not produce a show like Changing Rooms, which BBC used to carry, about people fixing up their houses on a modest budget,”

show, which takes contestants to Silverstone to compete in Nissan cars.

The winner will take part in the Dubai 24H race.Versions of the series are also being made for Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the U.S., among other markets. Grand Central will distribute the show. As sponsors want the widest exposure and the potential revenue tends not to be enough to undercut that goal, shows are usually given away.

Grand Central’s show Beat: Life on the Street was made for the U.K.’s Home Office as a vehicle to raise awareness of community police officers and drive recruitment.They had tried advertising without good

Spot the brand: Big brands are engaging with audiences in a multitude of ways. Coca-Cola, while refreshing its campaigns every year, also continues to use its iconic polar-bear spots. General Motors, meanwhile, worked with fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi on a campaign for the Chevy Malibu that includes video spots and even a clothing line.

It has to fit. It has to have a functional role. And it has to stand out.”

BRAND INTEGRATION

The old principles of the Procter & Gamble soap opera have withstood the test of time in this respect, Gotlieb says. “The mandate was that if a dishwashing detergent needed to be in the kitchen, it should be a P&G product, but no one should go out of their way to make sure that the label showed and there was no unnecessary focus on that label, because they wanted to protect the integrity of the content. And that came first.”

A more sophisticated and ambitious way for advertisers to get better value out of programming is to be involved in its creation. Starting in the ’50s, advertisers invested in con-

ment of prime-time TV with the money that brands pump into advertising. The London-based Grand Central Entertainment was spun off from Shine in 2005 by partners Andrew Hill and Rabin Mukerjea with the aim of helping brands create content, combining “the strategic rigor of advertising” with “the compelling engagement of watercooler TV.” The company has produced more than 700 hours of brand-funded programming shown worldwide.

“The obviousness of the logic of getting advertisers to fund programs directly comes up against the reality of the way television works,” says Mukerjea. “The difficult thing is the commission process. Advertisers think that because they invest a lot of money in something, broadcasters 144

Hill says. “The content would in fact be one big commercial for Ikea’s brand values. We are not talking about the products but the values. The same would be true of one of the makeover shows about improving people’s appearance. It would be natural for a cosmetics brand to make this type of show.

Television is the shop window for the brand, to engage the audience.”

ON THE FAST TRACK

Grand Central is currently producing GT Academy, a reality show commissioned and funded jointly by Nissan and PlayStation.The premise is to turn a PlayStation video-game player into a real-life race-car driver.

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results.The show aired for three seasons on ITV1.

The partners in Grand Central view the broadcaster-ruled status quo of the production process as a positive factor rather than a hindrance.

“We believe there is a huge value in having a commissioner at the broadcasters in control of content,” Hill says. “Once brands start to produce their own programs, we move into the realm of 30-second commercials and content loses value.We believe that the brands’ content must be just as good as any other program. We are producing with television techniques and production values and that makes content more engaging.”

GroupM’s Gotlieb reports that there has been a decrease in

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investment by advertisers in television programming because clients are of the view that unless this is their primary business they shouldn’t be doing it. In several cases in recent years, GroupM has actually aggregated several clients into a single investment.

SECOND SCREENING

The growth of second screening— using another device, such as a PC or a tablet, while watching TV—is a phenomenon that advertisers are still digesting, for good or ill. It may open up new opportunities, but the actual interaction between TV and the second screen appears muted so far.

A new study by Deloitte reports that 24 percent of the people surveyed in the U.K. use second screens, and nearly half of all 16- to 24-year-olds use messaging, e-mail, Facebook or Twitter to discuss what they are viewing on TV while they watch. But only one in ten people browse the Internet for information about the program they are watching, while 40 percent like being able to send their comments in to a live program.

“Second screening’s impact is far greater in driving conversations about a program as opposed to

interaction with it,” says Paul Lee, the director of technology, media and telecommunications research at Deloitte. “It might be a brandnew technology-enabled distraction or it might simply represent the swapping of an analog distraction, such as reading newspapers or magazines, for a digital one.”

A great potential benefit of the second screen, and digital platforms generally, is in providing feedback. “Advertisers will be changing the way they see content,” Havas Media’s Cabrera says.

“They can see beyond the audience numbers and they are seeing content touch the market in different ways. They can see the realtime reaction to advertising in the context of programming. Advertisers will need to understand where their brands fit better.

“Social media is strengthening the television experience. Social media enables you to see how people react to your content, even to the characters in a show.

You can see what they think chapter by chapter. You can see not only the audience but the content sentiment in real time.

And nowadays you have to use this information. The whole

Digital disruption: Technologies such as DISH Network’s Hopper DVR—which allows users to skip over ads—are forcing brands to develop marketing strategies that include much more than the 30-second spot.

decision-making process has collapsed. It’s a new world.”

A central reality of the new world is that people are watching more video online and advertisers are going after them. Online video advertising spending reached an average of 7.6 percent of the total online display market value across 15 European markets in 2011, according to AdEx Benchmark.The share ranges from a high of 9.8 percent in Sweden to 0.6 percent in Hungary. In Germany and the U.K., online video advertising revenues crossed the €100 million ($125 million) threshold in 2011.

Revving up: The U.K.-based Grand Central worked with Nissan and PlayStation on the reality series GT Academy, which aired on a host of broadcasters and on digital platforms like Hulu.

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Some Internet video investment will simply return to different pockets of the broadcast groups. In the U.K., ITV and Sky.com ranked among the top ten online advertising sites last year in terms of impressions, according to Nielsen. ITV was number seven with 3 percent of the market, while Sky.com was tenth with 2.7 percent. YouTube was number one, taking 14.4 percent.

The advertising market is increasingly becoming a space where the ITVs of the world compete with YouTube.

The good news is that people still want professionally produced content. “Content is still king and the differentiating factor is going to be talent, not technology,” Cabrera says.

Television advertising is on the way to becoming more like Internet advertising, according to Cabrera, with contextual ads and real-time feedback—in short, it will be more data-driven. “The feedback loop exists in real time. Now you can decide exactly where and when to place your ad. Advertisers will want to place ads where they want and they will want flexibility.”

Gotlieb is convinced that television can deliver for them. “I think the 30-second spot is doing quite well, thank you,” he says. “But I think in some ways the capabilities of television are likely to be able to leapfrog some of the most advanced capabilities that exist in the digital world today.”

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Anke Schäferkordt & Guillaume de Posch CO-CEOS, RTL GROUP Although businesses in Europe continue to be gripped by a sluggish economy, the RTL Group—the biggest TV and radio operator in Europe—holds several enticements for costconscious advertisers: a family-of-channels strategy that efficiently aggregates different audience demographics, a portfolio of linear and nonlinear assets, and, most important, hit shows that make an emotional connection with viewers and keep them coming back for more.

WS: Is television still the most efficient way

offers to the viewers, like M6 Replay or RTL NOW for catch-up TV. We are also a leading player in the premium segment of online video advertising.We aggregate online unique users and are usually in the top five online display players in the countries in which we operate.

WS: What opportunities is IP Network, RTL

Group’s transnational ad-sales arm, offering advertisers on linear channels and online?

DE POSCH: Having worked closely with advertisers and agencies for over 20 years,

WS: What are the advertising restrictions that

linear channels in Germany must follow?

SCHÄFERKORDT: The main restrictions are

the limitation to 20 percent advertising per hour and the comprehensive restrictions on interrupting content like news and children’s programs with commercial breaks. Special advertising formats like single spots are allowed only in exceptional cases. Corresponding restrictions do not exist for audiovisual content on the Internet. Furthermore, on a smart TV, online services can even set them-

for an advertiser to reach a wide audience?

DE POSCH: TV is the only medium that

can reach mass audiences and connect them emotionally, instantaneously and in large communities to a specific program or a brand. No other medium can do this. The question is, where will TV be heading with the help of new technology?

But we are also increasing our presence on the second, third and fourth screens—tablets, PCs, smartphones—by extending new content

“TV is the only medium that can reach mass audiences and connect them emotionally...to a specific program or a brand.”

IP Network can analyze and explain differences and similarities between the various European TV advertising markets and help advertisers who are not so familiar with the European TV scene, or who want a more global approach, to successfully run campaigns outside their homeland. This is not only true for TV or radio advertising, but also online. IP Network’s international sales team and extensive network of European media experts can build a range of custom media solutions designed to meet specific advertising needs and help clients to successfully penetrate their chosen markets.

WS: What have been some of the successful strategies of IP Deutschland?

SCHÄFERKORDT: We offer advertisers high reach on high-quality channels. The option of cross-channel bookings makes it easy to reach advertisers’ communication targets. Offering creative solutions adds to the success.Through our research, for example the impact index we established, IP proves the advertising effectiveness of highly involving programs. Our impact index is now used by the independent auditing firm Ebiquity. IP also initiated the combined measurement of video content and advertising on every platform—TV, laptop, tablet, smartphone. The idea is to develop a model for a “convergent” advertising currency.

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selves on top of our news program by overlaying parts of the screen with their own advertisements.Whereas the European regulation merely limits TV advertising for children, German regulations forbid any and all commercial breaks in children’s programs. All of these differences lead to a competitive imbalance between online and linear media.

WS: What changes in regulation are necessary to improve this situation?

SCHÄFERKORDT: To answer this question, we need to take a step back: Is there still a difference between linear and nonlinear audiovisual content that justifies differing levels of regulation? [If] linear TV is still a one-of-a-kind media genre, the regulatory mandate is not fulfilled by setting more restrictive advertising rules. Rather,TV regulation as a whole has to be adapted, and should also reflect the relation between platform operators and content providers. If you consider linear TV as just one of multiple types of media without any necessary privileges, taking into account that viewers do not distinguish between linear and nonlinear content anymore, then the stricter advertising rules can no longer be justified.

In this case we need a deregulation of linear TV to establish a level playing field between all media types.

For more from de Posch & Schäferkordt, see page 227.

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Adam Crozier CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ITV PLC ITV, the leading commercial broadcaster in the U.K., is a preferred partner for many advertisers. Between the main channel, ITV1, and the bouquet of targeted digital services, ITV is capable of providing a variety of marketing solutions, including product placement. The most powerful offering as viewers enjoy their content on multiple screens, as Adam Crozier explains, is the mix of television and online.

WS: These are difficult economic times in a

number of countries, and obviously the ad industry is feeling the impact. How is TV in the U.K. holding up as an advertising medium?

CROZIER: Television has been remarkably resilient and there is no doubt that newspapers, radio and direct marketing have suffered disproportionately badly. The forms of advertising that have really held up have been television, which obviously reaches a mass audience, and the Internet.The combination of the two is increasingly a winning combination for advertisers and marketers in the U.K.

WS: Would you give some examples of how

ITV is working with advertisers?

CROZIER: With our share of viewing and our share of the commercial marketplace, I do genuinely believe that we are the strongest marketing platform for advertisers in the U.K. What we have tried to do over the last couple of years is move to a different way of working with them so that we have become the strongest marketing partners. We’ve restructured our commercial team so that we can engage more directly with advertisers and media-buying

more television can also provide more targeted solutions alongside that mass awareness. I think that is a real opportunity for television stations, not just in the U.K. but also right across the world.The connection between television and the Internet provides TV with a unique opportunity going forward to take a greater share of the marketing budget.

WS: The European Union only recently allowed for product placement in programs, but ITV has already had some successes with it.

“There is no doubt that television in the U.K. is among the most, if not the most, cost-effective way of reaching your audience.” agencies. All of them are trying to stand out in a quite crowded marketplace so we are working on creative solutions with them.We’ve had some very innovative partnerships with companies like Nationwide,Yeo Valley and Virgin Media.We’ve done an exclusive deal, for example, with Shazam for Shazam-enabled ads, which we launched in the Britain’s Got Talent finale this year. We are working on a number of new VOD formats that we will be bringing to the market. One is something we call Ad Explore, which will allow viewers, when they are watching advertising on our online ITV Player, to get deeper information about that company’s brand. So there are lots of different things we are doing and they are being very well received in the media buying and advertising marketplace.

WS: In the U.S. there is a lot of talk about

whether the 30-second spot is still efficient. Is it still an efficient buy for advertisers in the U.K.?

CROZIER: There is no doubt that television in the U.K. is among the most, if not the most, cost-effective way of reaching your audience.

So from that point of view, the 30-second spot is still an incredibly important part of campaigns here.The interesting thing about television for me is that people have used it as the medium to reach mass audiences, and increasingly the Internet for more targeted ones, and the more we move into connected TV the 150

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CROZIER: Product placement is very well

established in the U.S. and wasn’t in Europe for regulatory reasons.That was opened up and it became possible two years ago. I have to say it was opened up in a way that was still, from a regulatory point of view, very restrictive. And because of that it’s been very slow to get off the ground for all broadcasters and, indeed, for all content companies looking to do these kinds of deals. Therefore we haven’t seen that much activity.

Last year, we did a deal with Nestlé on This Morning, another with Nationwide, where a cash machine was placed on the soap Coronation Street, and we also recently did a deal with Welcome to Yorkshire [which promotes tourism in the U.K.’s largest county] for Emmerdale.We’ve had good, positive feedback from clients, but the problem is that the rules and regulations still make it very, very difficult.

Interestingly, a recent study suggested that viewers in the U.K. have begun to look at product placement more positively and see it as less of an issue than the regulators do. Of course, if there is an American show shown here, it has product placement all through it and no one bats an eyelid. So it’s a slightly odd rule, and I think there is every likelihood that [the media regulator] Ofcom and the government will look at this again in the near future.

For more from Crozier, see page 361.

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Octavio Florisbal CEO, TV GLOBO How many free-TV broadcasters are market leaders in their country, can regularly capture the majority of viewers and are the main vehicle for advertisers? TV Globo in Brazil, headed by Octavio Florisbal, not only airs more than 20 million commercials a year, it offers a variety of marketing solutions. Most important, it is buoyed by one of the most robust economies in the world.

WS: How is the Brazilian economy affecting

the television-advertising market in Brazil?

FLORISBAL: The Brazilian economy has

been in a significant growth period. Though it has slowed down a bit recently, the impact on jobs has been substantial. Unemployment is at its lowest in our history, 5.6 percent. Total wages have also increased due to increases in the minimum wage that surpass the rate of inflation. Credit has become increasingly accessible for the middle class—today more than 50 percent of the population. Even the less advantaged, another 30 percent of the population, are gaining access to consumer markets

and, for the first time, are able to pay for goods and ser vices that were once beyond their reach. As a result, there has been exponential economic growth, and it is occurring not only in large Brazilian cities but all over the country, including the countryside.The northeast, once Brazil’s ugly duckling, will consume something like $250 billion worth of goods and services this year alone.These new consumers are benefitting Brazilian network TV because broadcast TV is everywhere—it is the primary means of communication between the popu-

bile industry, economy cars in particular.

These are sectors that invest the most.

WS: In the U.S., a lot has been said about the

future of the 30-second spot because many people are skipping commercial breaks. How is this trend in Brazil?

FLORISBAL: I would say that here in Brazil there remains an absolute preference for messages during commercial breaks—for the 30-second spot, the 45-second spot, the 15-second spot and the 1-minute spot—and

“Broadcast TV is everywhere—it is the primary means of communication between the population and the advertisers.” lation and advertisers. To give you an idea, today, according to our research, broadcast TV accounts for 65 percent of all advertising dollars. It was 55 percent 15 years ago.This growth is a function of the popularity of television among the economically disenfranchised. And television is the major mechanism used by advertisers for cleaning products, personal hygiene products, soda, beer, basic banking, economy cars, services such as telephone, mobile phone, and commerce in general.These are the sectors that invest the most in Brazilian advertising and in television.

WS: Are these the sectors that are benefiting

the most from the growth of the middle class?

FLORISBAL: The sectors that invest the

most in advertising and consequently in broadcast television are those dedicated to the economically less advantaged—not because they don’t reach the more affluent, but because they are related to commerce in general and include supermarkets, department stores, home appliances, electronics and car dealerships. This phenomenon is also reflected in Rede Globo’s research data.

Additionally, you have personal-care products, because Brazil is a major consumer of these products. Then you have food, general services, phone services, Internet advertising, banking, the financial sector, and the beverage industry. And, finally, the automo152

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that’s because it is a format that actually allows for the transmission of an advertiser’s basic message [the brand], the distinctiveness of the product and an emotional appeal. Brazilian advertisers invest heavily in 30-second spots during commercial breaks. As you know, Brazilian advertising is very creative. It is among the world’s most creative, and this is reflected in TV commercials and in print advertisements. The 30-second spot has total supremacy here. I would say 90 percent of all broadcast television advertising dollars are spent on 30-second spots and those of other lengths. The other 10 percent goes to sponsorship, product placement and other formats.

Product placement here at Globo is very well developed. Also, to answer your question in another way, the fragmentation of the audience has not yet occurred in Brazil.The Brazilian television market in general, broadcast and cable, has the largest audience of the Western world.With the exception of the Chinese and Indian markets, Brazilian television has the largest audience, and that’s very important to advertisers, for purposes of coverage, campaign, frequency, etc. The habit of recording shows and skipping commercial breaks with your DVR or TiVo is not common here. Brazilians enjoy good commercials. That’s why the 30second spot still reigns supreme.

For more from Florisbal, see page 421.

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Hisashi Hieda CHAIRMAN AND CEO, FUJI MEDIA HOLDINGS Despite its economic woes over the last few years, exacerbated by last year’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, Japan remains the secondlargest advertising market in the world, generating $50 billion in expenditure last year.

Television has held up well against the backdrop of the downturn, according to Hisashi Hieda, who notes that Fuji Media—which recorded 2011 revenues of $7.4 billion—continues to strike a chord with the demographics that advertisers are most interested in.

the manufacturing industry weakened temporarily but recovered quickly, exceeding our predictions. Domestic demand remained stable, and a decline in consumer spending went unseen. People reexamined the value of television through watching news reports of the disaster, resulting in a reevaluation by advertisers about TV’s media value.

WS: What is Fuji’s share of the advertising pie?

HIEDA: Our advertising income dropped

temporarily after the financial crisis in

HIEDA: In Japan, TV commercials are con-

sidered the most effective and influential [platforms for] reaching out to individuals about a product or brand. TV advertising in Japan has more than a 30-percent share of the entire ad market and has been on the rise for two consecutive years. Web advertising is also rising, but a marketing strategy in which it [works together with] TV ads has become the basis for obtaining more effective ad results. Advertisers in Japan have little interest in product placement.

WS: In the aftermath of the earthquake

and the economic downturn, how has Japan’s advertising market performed over the last year?

HIEDA: Total expenditure in Japan’s advertising market for 2011 fell 2.3 percent compared to the previous year due to the significant effects of the earthquake. However,TV advertising fees within the market recovered three months after the earthquake and only resulted in an annual 0.5 percent drop. Economically,

“In Japan, TV commercials are considered the most effective and influential [platforms for] reaching out to individuals about a product.”

2008 but made a quick recovery in 2010, followed by another year of increased revenue in 2011.

Fuji TV’s share of the Tokyo metropolitan area’s spot-ad market is approximately 29 percent, at the top out of the five networks in the area. Our programs are overwhelmingly favored by the young female demographic that advertisers place great importance on, due to their high purchasing power. Fuji TV will continue to [present] programming to suit the needs of young viewers who are our main target.

WS: Is the ad market still dominated by free-

to-air channels? How are your BS [broadcast satellite] channels doing in the ad market?

HIEDA: Our BS channel audience is increasing substantially every year, as is its value to advertisers, although free-to-air channels do continue to dominate Japan’s television advertising market. Advertising revenue from BS channels in 2011 reached less than 3 percent of the total income for TV advertising. This means that there is still room for BS channels to gain a larger piece of the pie. We can expect further growth in this area.

WS: Is the traditional 30-second commercial still the preferred option for Japanese brands, or are you seeing more interest in product placement or online advertising?

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WS: How are you diversifying Fuji’s revenues beyond advertising?

HIEDA: Fuji TV was ahead of the game compared to other networks when it came to expanding its business outside of advertising.

Events, motion pictures, DVDs and related merchandise have grown into a large-scale business, incomparable to other networks.

On-demand, online program distribution and the gaming business have begun generating revenue and are anticipated to be an area of further growth in the future.

WS: On-demand and DVRs have radically transformed the free-TV broadcasting business in the U.S. Are these factors having an impact on Fuji? How have you seen viewing trends change in Japan?

HIEDA: There is a high percentage of Japanese households that own DVRs, and the ondemand market is gradually [progressing].

While this may be an indication of a gradual transformation in TV viewing trends, the foundation of the free-TV business remains stable and unshaken. In fact, last year’s primetime ratings in Japan rose compared to the year before, proving TV’s dominant standpoint. On the other hand, we are working on on-demand content, to prepare for when changes do occur in viewing trends.

For more from Hieda, see page 496.

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Hernán López PRESIDENT AND CEO, FOX INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS With 350-plus channels across the globe, FOX International Channels (FIC) has a lot to offer advertisers. The mix of compelling programming on linear channels and supplemental content on digital assets provides, as Hernán López explains, the mass reach of television and targeted focus of online. And MundoFOX, which recently launched in the U.S., is giving viewers and advertisers in the U.S. Hispanic market options they have never had before.

WS: What can FIC offer advertisers that they can’t find elsewhere?

LÓPEZ: Our breadth of content, the fact that we are the only global group that is present in drama, sport, factual/lifestyle and entertainment.

They are also attracted to the fact that we can do activation campaigns at the local level because we have a local presence—we have 58 offices all around the world.They are attracted to that combination: a breadth of content, the ability to execute locally and also the ability to use television and online synergistically.

WS: Are advertisers willing to move into the

online space?

LÓPEZ: They are very much willing to move into the online space, to the point that we have to remind them about the power of television, how television...is able to create emotional connections with consumers and that television is the ultimate scale medium.

We bought the .FOX advertising network five years ago, so we have been in the business of online advertising for a long time and we’ve learned a lot. I think we were able to utilize

seen much in Hispanic television. We’ll have national news.We’ll be the first national newscast in Spanish to be produced out of Los Angeles—the other two are produced in Miami. We’ll have reality shows…kids’ programming and we will have sports.

WS: Just as there is an underserved portion

of the audience, is there also an underserved segment of the ad market?

LÓPEZ: Even more so, I would say. Univision and Telemundo combined have held on to

“Through social media, you make a connection with the consumer, who in turn shares the content with other consumers.” online both in favor of our advertisers as well as to sell our own shows.Through online you can amplify the message, because sometimes, especially through social media, you make a connection with the consumer, who in turn shares the content with other consumers.You also get more data from the consumers.

roughly 90 percent of the Spanish-language advertising market for many, many years. And that is when you add national and local. That is proportionate to the share of audience that they have. When we went to advertisers last year with Fox Hispanic Media, the operator of our cable channels, it was the advertisers that told us they really need an outlet.

WS: What is the strategy for MundoFOX? LÓPEZ: We are excited about what we are

WS: I would imagine that this broad, general-

going to do with MundoFOX because we have compared it to what the FOX Broadcasting Company did in the U.S. 25 years ago.

When FOX launched in Los Angeles, New York [and other major markets], it appealed to a younger and male audience. It captured them and then the network covered the whole country and drew more adults and eventually became the biggest broadcast network in the U.S.We see a parallel to that happening in Spanish-language television, where Univision and Telemundo are very comfortable, but also have no incentive to change.

Their formula, from their point of view, is working—why change it? We, on the other hand, through the partnership with RCN in Colombia, are going to do something new.We are not swearing off telenovelas; we will have them, but they will air more in daytime. We will have American movies and Latino movies. We’ll have weekly dramas, which is something very distinctive that hasn’t been

entertainment schedule is also a way of drawing acculturated Hispanics who are bilingual.

LÓPEZ: Very much so.We call them Englishlanguage reluctant. These are the viewers who wish there were more choice in Spanishlanguage television, but can’t find it, so they watch English-language television reluctantly.

We have seen that 16 percent of Latinos are what we call English-language reluctant.Then there is another group called the Spanishlanguage reluctant, and these are the viewers that are also unhappy with Spanish-language television, but they are stuck with it.We estimated that this is 24 percent of all Latino viewers. And then there is a third, much bigger group that we call Spanish-language routine. These are the viewers that watch Spanish-language television and think they are happy with it, just like users of the Walkman were happy with the Walkman before there was an iPod. We want to be the iPod of Spanish-language television!

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Ben Silverman FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, ELECTUS Ben Silverman made a name for himself producing the U.S. version of the British comedy The Office, adapting a Colombian telenovela that became Ugly Betty, and co-creating The Biggest Loser. Along the way he developed a business model that brings together content creators, advertisers and technology companies. In 2009, he launched Electus and continues to attract brands to the programming he produces.

WS: What do advertisers want from television?

SILVERMAN: They just want to continue to

have their brand messages heard by the consumer. They are concerned by how digital delivery and technology are putting power in the hands of consumers to opt out of watching their brand messages. They are trying to find ways to connect more deeply to the content itself. But the main goal of all advertisers is a very simple thesis, which is to sell more.

WS: How have you seen the relationship between producers and advertisers evolve?

SILVERMAN: There is still a lot of resistance from both sides because of the big institutional bias that the major advertising holding companies have, along with the traditional broadcast- and cable-sales operations, which really would prefer the status quo. There are only a couple of individuals inside both those organizations or inside specific brands or at creative companies, like ours, that are trying to bring everyone into the conversation.

There are still a lot of actors and writers who don’t want to engage with brands at all, and

SILVERMAN: That show is dependent on

retailers being the buyers because it makes it a real game show. Instead of game shows that are totally false and fake where contestants play for the television network’s money, here they were playing for the real business world.

That’s why it worked so well and we had such a loyal audience.

WS: Are advertisers reluctant to enter pro-

gramming partnerships because they feel they are at the mercy of producers?

“There are a lot of brand people who are very uncomfortable engaging with...producers, so it’s by no means a marketplace yet.” there are a lot of brand people who are very uncomfortable engaging with writers and producers, so it’s by no means a marketplace yet. But it is clearly an evolving form with roots in history and also with so much opportunity as technology keeps expanding where and how consumers consume.

WS: What are some examples of where you have seen branded entertainment work?

SILVERMAN: Procter & Gamble has done everything from soap operas to China’s Got Talent. Chrysler and Fiat have leveraged their relationship to Fashion Star and their relationship to Jennifer Lopez inside American Idol, and during the American Music Awards when she drove a Fiat 500.That was an amazing onstage integration that really popped for them.Those are two examples of big companies that you wouldn’t necessarily think are driving innovation, but because they have a tradition and history of doing product integration, they are able to go back to their roots and reengineer it for today.That is really interesting.What we did on The Biggest Loser with General Mills was also really strong, where we had a licensing and merchandising relationship, not just a branding/marketing relationship.

WS: Tell us about Fashion Star and how you were able to bring in three huge retailers, Macy’s, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue.

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SILVERMAN: It’s more that they are at the mercy of the networks. The networks create a lot of the rules that make it hard. But the main reason that it hasn’t happened is that the biggest part of advertisers’ budgets is their media budgets. It’s hard to get advertisers involved early because they don’t know how to evaluate the show from an investment standpoint, unless it has a specific network.

The bulk of their budgets is dependent on understanding specifically the distribution platforms. If you are talking to someone about an idea, and don’t have the best distribution platform in place, it’s really difficult.We have some internal proprietary tools...just to talk to and connect with the advertisers around valuation and risk.

WS: Working with advertisers will take time, won’t it?

SILVERMAN: Exactly.You’re talking about a $70-billion business, so if you just move the needle half a percent every year or two it’s a sizeable shift. America is by far the leading experimenter and thought leader in how to integrate [brands]. And because the majority of global businesses’ media budgets are managed out of New York City, that is also an advantage as we look to roll out these deals and work globally with brands to help our network partners offset risk and to deliver more hits.

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Irwin Gotlieb CHAIRMAN, GROUPM Widely recognized as an éminence grise, Irwin Gotlieb has been a major player in the advertising industry since the ’60s. From sponsorships to product placement to branded entertainment, Gotlieb has not only done it all, his keen interest in technology has driven him to always look for the most innovative and effective ways of helping clients market their brands.

WS: How do addressable ads, targeted ads to individual households, work?

GOTLIEB: The simplest way to describe the technology is that these are all executed through a set-top box. The principle mechanism is [that] the ads are preloaded into individual DVRs, so they are already resident on the DVR in the household, usually from the night before. There is a key tone for the addressable ad and a very compact instruction, so the set-top box actually switches to the DVR to run the commercial and then switches back to the linear stream.

WS: What else is on the horizon?

GOTLIEB: I don’t have to tell you how

quickly tablets and smartphones are growing in penetration. Everybody knows that the consumer is multitasking.Television is one medium that has been impacted, in the past, probably not in a positive way, by multitasking, because people are doing something on a tablet or on a smart phone that is likely not to relate to the content they are consuming on the big screen.

So the whole idea of the second-screen application is that there is additional information

of experience you are looking for. And if you could just have, in a fully synchronized fashion, the relevant content coming to your second screen, that will allow for interaction in a very comfortable lean-back environment.

WS: What can be done to make television a more precise medium? Are advertisers satisfied with the kind of data they get?

GOTLIEB: We are not satisfied with the data on TV, but then, to be blunt, we’re not satisfied with the data we get from the web

“We are not satisfied with the data on TV, but then to be blunt, we’re not satisfied with the data we get from the web either!” related to what is on the big screen going to the second screen, in some synchronized fashion.

If you are watching sports, instead of overcluttering the big screen with highly detailed statistics on individual players, for example, that data would go to a second screen. We have always used terms like “lean forward” for a PC and “lean back” for a TV. And these second-screen devices make something that we now refer to as comfortably lean forward. For example, if it’s news, the in-depth news story can go to the second screen. If it’s a service show like the Today show or Good Morning America, if there is a cooking segment, the recipe can go to the second screen.You could do remarkable things in election coverage. On reality programming you can really redefine the level of interaction on the part of the consumer.

You can also enhance commercials. So you may see a 30-second spot on the big screen but you can request information, request the sample, request a coupon, request further details. If it’s an ad for a theatrical movie that will run this weekend, you might request the trailer, you might actually buy the tickets.

What is of the essence here is that to some extent we have always been able to interact with the television, and for many years, for many of our clients, we have on the big screen put up the client’s URL. But typing a URL into a PC while watching TV is in our view too uncomfortably lean forward for the kind 160

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either! Television’s measurement systems are about to undergo some significant revision.

And the critical thing is, it’s inappropriate to refer to television as old media vis-à-vis new media, for one simple reason. The new media isn’t that new anymore. At the same time, what some people characterize as old media is already broadly distributed by a digital means. Digital set-top boxes now represent more than two-thirds of the settop box population in the U.S. And if we are using digital delivery, the potential for censuslevel data reporting is there. We already have measurement capability in the U.S. for well over 20 million set-top boxes. There are of course issues with that data—it is not statistically representative. But we are learning to use it. In the course of the next few years, we will begin to shift to census-level data for media categories like television. Print in the past was measured through surveys and print runs. In the future we will have digital data because it’s going to be consumed largely on tablets. So is that new media or is it old media? Or is it no longer appropriate to classify media that way?

And set-top-box data is wonderful, but the settop box doesn’t tell me if it’s the lady of the house, or the man of the house, or the child who is watching. So we will always have television panel data and we will have to learn how to fuse the two to something that informs our strategies and our tactics.

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Kristen O’Hara CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, TIME WARNER GLOBAL MEDIA GROUP A content-producing behemoth that includes Warner Bros., Turner Broadcasting System, HBO and Time Inc., Time Warner can offer advertisers countless opportunities to showcase their brands, from TV channels, theatrical movies, print and digital publishing assets to consumer products. In an effort to drive strategic growth across the company and better understand rapidly evolving consumer behavior, Kristen O’Hara led the creation of Time Warner’s state-of-the-art Medialab.

WS: What is the mission of the Time Warner Global Media Group?

O’HARA: We are a strategic and creative marketing group that focuses on delivering revenue growth...by partnering with top advertisers. We look for innovative ways that we can leverage the company’s scale and wellloved brands in highly customized ways.

WS: Would you give some examples of these integrated marketing solutions?

O’HARA: We [did] a project for General

Motors for the launch of their Chevy Malibu.

We’ve partnered with Isaac Mizrahi to create a Malibu-inspired fashion collection and we are going to sell that exclusively on LivingSocial, the digital commerce platform. The whole story of the connection will unfold across many of our brands—in print, on television, in digital and in social.We are also working with some of our largest global marketers to expand the success we have had in the U.S. into other regions. For instance, we have been working

points on actual behavior, not projected behavior—not what consumers will tell you they think or do—but how their eye is really navigating a digital experience on a tablet or on mobile.We’ve made changes from what we’ve learned in eye tracking in real time. Additionally, when we have put eye tracking and biometric capabilities together, we could really understand the interconnectedness of devices during the entire viewing experience and how levels of engagement change and how consumers are shifting between multiple devices.

“We look for innovative ways that we can leverage the company’s scale and well-loved brands in highly customized ways.” with Unilever in Latin America and Asia Pacific to leverage Cartoon Network and its characters across their shows to help build brand stories for Unilever across key products.

WS: What was the genesis for the Time

Warner Medialab?

O’HARA: The initial idea bubbled up from the Time Warner Research Council, which is comprised of the top research executives across our four operating companies. As they started to pitch us on the proposal, we quickly recognized that there was an opportunity to make this lab not just a center of research but a center of innovation and insight for the company. In an age where the shelf life of research was getting shorter and shorter because the landscape is changing so rapidly, we wanted the opportunity to have a place where we could test and learn in real time.

WS: I’ve read about biometrics and eye track-

ing.Tell us about what the Medialab can do.

O’HARA: The main purpose of the lab is to help us understand consumer behavior as it relates to media and content consumption.

And we can leverage the lab for our content creators, our marketers, our ad-sales side, as well as for third-party partners, be they advertisers, media agencies or creative agencies.

You mentioned eye tracking and biometrics.

The focus there is to give us meaningful data 162

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Most of our divisions have already used the lab multiple times and garnered tremendous insight. The insight in real time is one of the powerful things we have at our fingertips. HBO GO has been testing new iterations of their very successful HBO GO app. During the Super Bowl, we had about three or four concurrent studies going on. For instance, 50 percent of the TV commercials in this year’s Super Bowl were Shazamable [viewers could use a Shazam app to get additional information about a commercial]. We wanted to understand how consumers reacted to this. On the content side, CNN went straight to air with consumer response direct from the Medialab during the State of the Union coverage on Anderson Cooper 360°.

WS: The Medialab also has a retail section.

O’HARA: Given that many of our businesses

sell directly to consumers, we thought it would be important to understand the retail experience and the media-to-retail experience.What happens when someone is exposed to stimuli and then they go into the retail environment?

If you think about the implications of the mobile wallet and the content that people are consuming while they are waiting in line at retail, there is tremendous opportunity to be smarter about how we navigate through that “moment of truth,” as it were, at the point of purchase.

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NBC’s The Office.

funny

business

Elizabeth Guider reports on the increasingly lucrative business of selling comedy. n the spring of 1994, American television was on a tear. Dramas like The X-Files; NYPD Blue; Murder, She Wrote; and Law & Order were riding high in the ratings and several promising pilots had just been greenlit to series. Warner Bros. had one of the strong contenders for the fall, with the succinct title ER, which foreign buyers began circling at the May Screenings.

One of the key customers was Britain’s Channel 4 (C4), and negoti-

I

ations were proceeding apace. Jeffrey Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. International Television, tried to include another hopeful, an ensemble comedy with no stars and not much of a premise, in the deal for ER. C4’s programmers declined to bite. Days passed. The channel’s bigger rival, the BBC, went ahead and snapped up the other hot U.S. medical show, Chicago Hope, so getting hold of ER became more imperative for the British commercial channel. Schlesinger sweetened 164

his offer: C4 could snag the hour drama if the station also agreed to take his languishing comedy for what’s called “life of series.” The price: a modest $25,000 an episode for as long as the show would last.

The British broadcaster continued to balk.

Eventually, however, C4 blinked, bagged ER and took the sitcom for a modest sum for one year. “It was the best negotiation I ever lost,” Schlesinger remembers, referring to the bullet he narrowly dodged by

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not insisting on locking in such a paltry price for what eventually became an iconic property.

In short, the comedy in question, Friends, went on to anchor NBC’s Thursday night lineup for a decade and prove that a red-hot and longburning half-hour can be as much of an annuity as a great drama. In the U.K., the show clicked with young viewers, at one point airing on both C4 and Sky in a shared window and, as elsewhere around the globe, enjoying substantial rat-

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ings even in repeats. (In Pakistan Friends only just started its first run three years ago!)

“I would have left a lot on the table had customers opted for my proposed life-of-series deal,” Schlesinger recalls. “The key thing for such a show is that if it catches on at home and abroad, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.” (In the years after its launch, license fees for Friends abroad skyrocketed.)

THEN AND NOW

Flash forward almost 20 years and that lesson is ever more pertinent, what with changes in the media ecosystem contributing to a propitious market for a broader swathe of American half-hours. (Not to be chauvinistic; the Brits, too, can boast a few gems, which, thanks to DVDs and the Internet, also enjoy a robust afterlife.)

“I don’t think any of us at the time ever would have dreamed that there are still people now buying Monty Python DVDs,” muses one of that cult classic’s stars, Michael Palin.

“And there are children of 9 or 10 who know the Spanish Inquisition sketch better than I do!”

Despite the lament at the beginning of the millennium that comedy on U.S. TV was dead (some darkly predicted that TV itself was headed to the junk heap), the genre Stateside is undergoing a renaissance.The range of what works is wider than ever, if one includes cable’s cache of offbeat or edgier fare like Louie, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Weeds and Californication.

Tom Kapinos, the creator of Californication, observes, “In this age of cable television, to have all these networks giving talented people a chance to do exactly what they want, you are going to get interesting results.”

The tone of much on the air these days has also shifted: it’s snippier, snarkier and less saccharine than before, reflecting, pundits suggest, a more cynical, unsentimental pop culture. For this fall, sitcom concepts are particularly high, or downright wacky—think Animal Practice, which stars a monkey, or The Neighbors, which features drippy aliens in a New Jersey suburb—and no subject is off-limits for skewering even in the broadest of familyoriented contenders.

Abroad, too, American-originated laughter echoes more loudly and across more social and geographical barriers. Everything from 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory to Modern Family, The Middle and 2 Broke Girls has found receptive audiences, and not just in Englishlanguage territories.

The U.S. premium channels HBO and Showtime have made a mark overseas, too, albeit with sales to niche players that typically fork out less than their terrestrial brethren.

“There is a marketplace out there for quality and innovation,” says Charles Schreger, HBO’s president of programming sales.

The cognoscenti abroad, he points out, are primed for the quirky cool of such shows as his current offerings—Girls, Veep and Eastbound & Down—even before they air. (HBO typically licenses its product via output deals, including a major one with Sky in the U.K.) However, not everything in the comedy genre shifts into gear quickly or travels as well and as

long as Friends, Seinfeld or Sex and the City did. Joining these élite perennials overseas is no easy task.

FINDING THE BEST

“BSkyB is fortunate to have acquired comedies such as Modern Family, The Middle and Raising Hope, which are well written and well cast,” says Rebecca Segal, the Los Angeles-based senior VP of Sky networks and entertainment. “Our own originals have taken off this year and the acquired and homegrown fare are sitting wonderfully together. Given our high benchmark and what we have already, I’d say the new American dramas were much more must-haves this goround than the comedies.”

Another local representative of a Continental broadcaster, who attended the L.A. Screenings along with the buyers from his European station, termed the sitcoms on offer “either derivative or one-dimensional.”

Most executives admit, in fact, that not every broadcast season

Baby bumps: Twentieth Century Fox is bringing to the international market Ryan Murphy’s new comedy The New Normal.

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boasts a sitcom that attains global hit status, but when one does, the upside is considerable.

“I’d agree the appetite overseas for American half-hours has improved,” says Marion Edwards, the president of international television at Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution. The studio currently fields two dozen comedies, including a handful poised for this upcoming season, like The New Normal, from Glee’s executive producer Ryan Murphy, and Ben and Kate, plus FOX’s sophomore sizzler New Girl.

“For one thing, there are more channels to pitch to, some of them digital, some of them specifically targeted to such fare,” Edwards says. In an analogy to what Friends did for the appreciation of ensemble comedy, Edwards doesn’t underestimate the impact that The Simpsons had on the global market in goosing the appeal of adult animation.

Moreover, the growing horde of globalized hip young people share a similar funny bone, observes Keith LeGoy, the president of international distribution at Sony Pictures Television. “Thanks to the power and penetration of social media, American comedy resonates particularly well among those with this shared sensibility.” LeGoy, who is already having success placing one of his studio’s new comedies, Men at Work, on foreign schedules, also believes that the glum economic pall that persists around the world “heightens viewers’ desire to relax and laugh.”

All these reasons mean that distributors no longer shake their heads in dismay if their bag of goodies bound for MIPCOM is weighed down with comedies. Admittedly, they do not bring in the bacon that hour dramas do, but the best ones pull in revenues that are nothing to sneer at.

“I think the cliché still holds some water: comedy doesn’t travel as well as drama,” contends TV consultant Chuck Larsen, whose company, October Moon Television, represents producer- and profit-participation clients on studio-distribution deals. “After all, crime is crime, murder is murder—wherever.”

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To be sure, not every year in American broadcast TV produces a bumper crop of hit shows, either dramas or sitcoms. This go-round, the tilt would seem to be toward a handful of strong newcomer dramas for the fall, all of which will come to Cannes with some deals already under their belts—Elementary, Vegas, The Following and Arrow among them.

Then there’s Charlie Sheen.

COMEDIC SHEEN

Charged up: Warner Bros.’ Emmy-winning The Big Bang Theory is CBS’s highest-rated comedy and has been a strong seller globally.

Larsen points out that certain half-hours do catch on abroad, Seinfeld and Everybody Loves Raymond among them, especially in English-language territories. The big bucks for sitcoms, though, are still to be culled from the domestic rerun market, which now incorporates license fees from local stations, cable channels and subscription video-on-demand players, as well as a cut of barter-advertising revenues from those outlets.

A couple of other independent sources offer up similar rules of thumb, stressing that specific prices are notoriously hard to track or to verify with the Hollywood heavyweights—unless one is in a courtroom where the wrangle is over royalties to the various profit participants.

In the U.S., A-list sitcoms can command between $5 million and $6 million an episode from their combined hauls (local stations, cable networks, Internet services), while dramas rake in at best about half that. Bill Carroll, the VP and director of programming at Katz Television Group, who advises sta-

tion programmers on their deals for shows, says that the possibility for a breakout comedy on the networks is greater when there are a lot of shows being thrown at the wall, as it were, as is the case for this upcoming season.

“There’s seemingly an insatiable appetite for the reruns of blue-chip sitcoms from cable [networks] such as TBS, USA and FX,” Carroll also notes. License fees are eyebrowraising for the latest perceived juggernauts, including rerun contracts for Mike & Molly and How I Met Your Mother (on FX) and for 2 Broke Girls (on TBS). Dramas typically repeat much less well in the States. Foreign is the obverse.

DRAMATIC HIGH

Whatever the economic ills in Europe and elsewhere, American dramas can pull in upwards of $2 million an episode from the international market, with two or three of them (the CSIs are likely in this rarefied sphere) commanding a whopping $2.2 million to $2.4 million an episode. A solid sitcom, by contrast, can 166

laugh all the way to the bank with a take of $500,000 to $600,000 an episode, though standouts—think The Big Bang Theory and 2 Broke Girls—have purportedly topped the $1-millionan-episode hurdle.

“What does it take for sitcoms to do gangbusters abroad? I’d say they need to be ‘smart’ in tone, or universal in theme, or rely on physicality,” says Warner Bros.’

Schlesinger. He also points to the fact that the increasingly layered international media landscape, featuring more niche players, has thrown up new opportunities for multiple platform runs, additional rerun cycles, and more complex shared or staggered windows.

And in order to wring out the most money possible, it helps to be in prime time on key foreign broadcast grids. A few such series have managed the feat—right now writerproducer Chuck Lorre’s dynamic duo of Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory are in prime time in 18 and 15 territories, respectively.

(For that matter, Friends still airs in prime time in six countries.)

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The actor’s latest effort, in which he arguably has his reputation as well as his wallet at stake, is the aptly titled Anger Management, which is being licensed by Lionsgate. The very fact that the actor boasts a cult following abroad speaks to the global cool factor that has to be taken into account when calculating potential perfor mance internationally. (Charlie’s dad, Martin Sheen, has also signed on in a recurring role.)

“We’re really pleased with how well things are going,” says Peter Iacono, the managing director of international television at Lionsgate. “It’s one global culture out there, and that helps us. Plus, Sheen is really focused on making this project a worldwide success.”

As a mini-major, Lionsgate has made a name for itself coming up with novel approaches to production and distribution. In this case, the company has adopted the formula it used for the shows made with producer-entrepreneur Tyler Perry—the so-called 10/90 approach. After the first ten episodes of Anger Management performed well ratings-wise, FX in the U.S. commissioned 90 more to be delivered over three years, rather than the traditional four years.

“Our foreign partners have signed on for the life of the series, which could be 100 episodes or more,” Iacono says.

“Having so many episodes gives broadcasters the advantage of knowing what they’ll be programming in whatever slot for four years. Plus, it’s a faster play

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than with a traditional sitcom of 22 episodes a year, and with an actor who clearly resonates.”

Iacono suggests that the sitcom is on track to achieve record international sales: “Anticipating the back90 order, we set a target in excess of $1 million an episode.” Among the takers so far are Comedy Central in the U.K., TBS in Latin America, Bell Media’s CTV in Canada, Tele München in Germany, Nine Network in Australia and Viasat in Scandinavia.

Unlike the major distributors, Lionsgate typically licenses its properties piecemeal, and, according to Iacono, benefits from individual attention to each series. (The company has had critical and financial success with other cult faves, such as Mad Men and Weeds, and believes there’s a growing appetite abroad for such alternative fare.)

GOING LOCAL

License fees are not the only revenue stream that U.S. distributors can count on from the exploitation of their comedies. Beginning with Sony’s pioneering efforts 15 years ago, a number of American sitcoms have been successfully formatted abroad, with Married…with Children, Who’s the Boss? and The Nanny three prime examples. These were followed more recently by localized variations on Everybody Loves Raymond, which LeGoy points out are ongoing hits in the Mideast and in Russia. Indeed, LeGoy notes that for the Russian edition, 100 additional episodes (beyond the original U.S. version) have been penned.

The revenues accruing to the original U.S. producer-supplier from such deals is hard to quantify.

But the fact that other studios have jumped on the localized comedy bandwagon suggests that the returns are not negligible.

LeGoy says that financial success depends on creating and sustaining a track record in translating “the feel and dynamic” of the original, while taking advantage

Still winning: Lionsgate has notched up a number of deals on its FX comedy with Charlie Sheen, Anger Management, including in the U.K., Canada and Scandinavia.

of local talent and production styles. As a general rule, too, older sitcoms work best as format options because they boast a bank of scripts upon which to draw.

Occasionally, a local version of a show can go on to become an international hit of its own. NBC’s version of the BBC’s The Office has won critical kudos in the U.S. and collected sizeable coin from licensing abroad. Belinda Menendez, the president of NBCUniversal International Television Distribution and Universal Networks International, says it’s one of the company’s best sitcom sellers.

And just as with the sourcing of reality show concepts and ready168

mades, translatable sitcom material is no longer derived solely from English-speaking territories.

CREATIVE WELLS

“There are many hotbeds of creativity nowadays,” declares Chris Coelen, the CEO of the Los Angeles-based Kinetic Content, which is backed by Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 Media’s subsidiary Red Arrow. “Think Belgium, Turkey, Israel, Japan, to name only a few.”

In fact, one of Kinetic’s latest offbeat imports was scooped up from Belgium and reimagined for NBC in the U.S. as Betty White’s Off Their Rockers.

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“What we did was take the Belgians’ basic, easy-to-grasp sketch concept and try to make it bigger, bolder, with more connections among the segments—and we managed to entice Betty White!” Coelen says.

Coelen and others contend that nothing like this could have happened a decade ago in the international business. “The world is in many ways getting smaller and more sophisticated in its tastes,” he says.

“Shows, even oddities, have more resonance, and travel further. Broadcasters are as ever still hesitant when it comes to taking big bets, but there’s no doubt that everybody is excited about creative collaboration across borders.”

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Steven Levitan Comedies can either become stratospheric hits or can be showered with critical acclaim and Emmy Awards. It is rare for a sitcom to earn both. Modern Family has. By depicting frazzled moms, hapless dads, wisecracking kids, devoted gay parents and a voluptuous Latina wife and mother in all their dysfunction and hilarity, Modern Family has marked a comeback of the comedy genre.

WS: Jerry Seinfeld famously said of his

show, “No hugs, no learning.” No emotion and no teachable moments became the trend in comedy for a while. Modern Family seems to have brought emotion back.

LEVITAN: I can’t speak to the fact that it’s brought back emotions to comedy, but we certainly don’t back away from emotions.

That sort of colder, snarkier comedy really came into favor, ushered in by Seinfeld, and in the meantime there were other successful comedies that had real emotion, like Everybody Loves Raymond. We took it maybe to the next level, saying we don’t want to back away from it at all. We like shows that give you a dose of heart along with a dose of comedy. It feels like a more fulfilling experience to us when you have a little of both.

WS: Is it important for the viewer to be able to relate to the characters and say,Yeah, I’m married, I get that, or Yeah, I’m a parent, I struggle with that, too?

LEVITAN: It certainly adds to the experience, but that said, people may not be in a gay relationship, or they may not know a gay couple that is raising a family, but they can still enjoy Mitch and Cam. They may recognize bits of themselves in their parenting, which goes to prove that people are more alike than we would often choose to admit. I think [relating to the characters] adds to the experience but is

LEVITAN: I like it to be smart and not talk

down to the audience and not feel familiar. I don’t like it when I [watch a show] and there is either a giant logic bump in the story or it’s very familiar material. It feels in some way insulting to the audience when I see that the writers didn’t care enough to say, Boy, people have seen this before, let’s find a new take on this. Above all, I like smart comedy that feels fresh and relatable and new. I’m not big on high jinks, but when used correctly it can be very effective!

WS: Has Modern Family helped usher in a

comedy renaissance?

LAUGH TRACK The winner of a slew of Emmy Awards, Modern Family has been credited with reinvigorating the comedy landscape. not necessary. One of the favorite compliments we get is “Wow, it’s like you were sitting in my living room.” Or “I just had that same exact conversation with my daughter last week and there it was in the show this week.” It tells us that we are doing something right.

WS: Why did you choose the

mockumentary format?

LEVITAN: I had dabbled in it in

a very low-budget pilot that I had made and really came to like what those interview [segments] could do to a scene, in terms of adding pace and allowing you to cut through the exposition. I also thought that it was a nice way to take a show with cute kids in it and [give it] a little less cutesy feeling.We didn’t want people to think, “Oh no, here comes another one of those shows that is all syrupy sweet.” The documentary style just makes it feel a little more real, and that’s what we were going for, above everything else, to make it as real as possible.

WS: How would you define your style of comedy?

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LEVITAN: What Modern Family did,

which is really nice and we feel lucky to be part of it, is it has shown that there can still be a show that is both a hit with viewers and with critics. A lot of people thought that ship had sailed. Also, a number of shows are proving that there is a business model that still makes sense. That is an important part, because in order to sustain the quality of these kinds of shows, it really requires a very large investment. For a while a lot of people were wondering if comedies really still [could] make the big bucks. Modern Family perhaps gave people a reason to continue to invest in this business.

WS: Modern Family depicts families that haven’t been seen much on TV. Has that been an important contribution to the television landscape?

LEVITAN: I’ve been told some very touching and heartfelt stories and it seems like it’s making a difference with a lot of gay people.

Because Modern Family is accessible to a wide audience, people are beginning to understand what Mitch and Cam are going through, and see that they are, in fact, wonderful parents and that Lily doesn’t seem to be suffering for having two dads. We’ve heard story after story that Modern Family opens the door to conversations [within

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families] that otherwise wouldn’t have taken place. Many people have thanked us for what they said paved the way for them to come out to their families, and that is very meaningful to us.

WS: I tend to believe that in comedies,

truths about human nature can be told more succinctly or even better than in a drama.

LEVITAN: Yes, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is a great example of that. Nothing points out the lunacy of politics more succinctly than The Daily Show. So I agree with you. We are not trying to preach. We are not trying to make big points about being gay.

We are just showing these two characters and staying true to those characters, and viewers can draw their own conclusions from that.

not have to be as precise or as beautiful. It’s all about the performance. You don’t need as much coverage because it wouldn’t be appropriate for a documentary form, so you can get through things much faster.You can sometimes wrap up a scene with five or six takes.We move quickly and it keeps the comedy much fresher. By the time you get to that great angle, you haven’t done it 50 times, to the point where it’s not even close to being funny anymore! We just try to capture the spontaneity of it and it doesn’t seem to hurt it at all.

WS: I have read that you and Modern Family’s co-creator Christopher Lloyd take many of the events and happenings from your family lives and incorporate them into the show.

LEVITAN: Certainly not just our lives—

the entire writing staff does that. This year we have 13 writers, including Chris and myself, and everybody draws from things in their own lives all the time. So many of our best stories have come from our own lives.

WS: Is that an easy thing to do, transfer your own real-life situations into a scene in the show?

LEVITAN: It depends on the event, but it’s a great place to start because you can always fall back on the real thing that happened. When you are trying to do a show that feels real and relatable, knowing that it happened in real life is a wonderful place to start.

WS: What are the advantages of doing a single-camera shoot?

LEVITAN: To me it feels more realistic. Multi-camera is a hybrid of film and theater; you are capturing that live theatrical experience.

When done well it’s wonderful. But we are going for the most realistic portrayal we can get.

WS: How long does it take to shoot and complete an episode?

LEVITAN: We shoot five days. We average less than eight hours a day—we move very quickly.

WS: Does that have to do with the

fact that you have children on set?

LEVITAN: No, it’s really

because of the documentary style—the camera work does

ABC’s Modern Family.

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David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik With distinguished careers producing hit sitcoms—David Crane was a co-creator of Friends and Jeffrey Klarik a writer on Mad About You—both men have countless stories about producing for U.S. networks. They took those experiences and used them in Episodes, a comedy series about adapting a British TV hit for an American network. It stars Matt LeBlanc in a fictionalized version of himself.

WS: Both of you had some battle scars from

working for U.S. network television executives and you wanted to bring some of that into your show.

KLARIK: We don’t have the right to complain, but we both have war stories. It’s very challenging because the industry is ruled by fear.You have all of this money being spent and you have all of these executives who have to justify themselves and their jobs, and they are terrified that they will make a mistake. The truth is, no one really knows the answers, and the result of that is that there is a lot of anxiety, and a lot of notes. They love you until the minute things start to turn and the ratings dip a little bit and suddenly you can’t get them on the phone. And we

thought, that would make a funny TV show—the way that networks tend to fall in love with an idea when you pitch it and then bit by bit, what’s the expression? Death by encouragement, and by the time you write it and hand it in, very often the show they fell in love with, they’re just not in love with anymore because their needs have changed.

CRANE: Also they get bored really quickly, so jokes that they loved during the pitch, when they see them on the page, are not so funny, and the more they hear them the less they laugh. They grow tired before it’s even had the chance to live on screen.

LAUGH TRACK Produced for BBC Two and Showtime, Episodes has earned rave reviews and scored Matt LeBlanc a Golden Globe.

WS: And when do the ratings become a sword of Damocles over your head?

KLARIK: From the morning after the premiere of the show. [Network executives] make up their minds immediately. So much has to do with whatever their expectations for you were. If they have a number in their head of what they’re thinking the show should get and you don’t meet that expectation—it’s like the worst blind date ever!

They have a picture of what they want and you are just you.

CRANE: It’s a journey, and hopefully [in Episodes] we have been able to mine it for the comedy that’s in it rather than the angst.

WS: Many people are saying

David Crane

something else next to it.” And bit by bit it just catches on.

CRANE: Other networks look and say, “They’re having success with comedy, let’s look at comedy again.”

KLARIK: Also, because there are so many channels now, and so many good niche channels, the cable channels [in particular] are forced to come up with shows that really define them. People are really pushing boundaries, so that you get a show like Louie or Girls that have a tone and a color that you couldn’t do on network TV, that have their own specificity.They’re just brilliant, brilliant shows.

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comedy is experiencing a renaissance. How have you seen the genre evolve?

KLARIK: It’s always cyclical, and before The Cosby Show came on the air back in the ’80s, sitcoms were pronounced dead. This time what happened was Modern Family came on and people were excited because it is a terrific show and they tuned in. Once that happened then ABC said, “Oh, well, let’s put World Screen

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WS: Have you picked up a lot of British

expressions?

KLARIK: We picked up a word or two, like

“shambolic.” Have you ever heard of the word “shambolic”?

WS: I have not.

CRANE: When someone is all in a shambles,

when someone is disorganized, they are shambolic. It’s quite a common word over there.

KLARIK: However, words like “pussywhipped”—they had never heard of it; they don’t know what it means.We used the word “popsicle” in an episode. They don’t have “popsicles,” they have “ice lollies.” But if we change it to “ice lolly,” it might be true to the British vernacular, but it sure wouldn’t be funny to an American audience. So we decided that since [the character] Beverly is living in America now, she is saying “popsicle.”

The other thing is, though we don’t write with this in mind, Episodes is in 180 countries.You’re bound to confuse a lot of people all of the time!

CRANE: You just gotta do what makes sense for you and hope they understand what you’re talking about.

WS: Tell us about Matt LeBlanc, who is known around the world as Joey on Friends.

KLARIK: The idea was to give everyone an opportunity to see what range he has as an

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actor. It was fun playing with everyone’s perception of who he is. Everybody who meets him expects Joey, not the brightest bulb on the tree, but he’s nothing like that. Quite to the contrary—he is really smart and has great comic instinct.

WS: I work with my husband and that’s not always easy.You work together and are also partners in life. I was wondering if you have any advice to impart!

CRANE: Except when we get into production and it’s going 24/7, we’re pretty good at taking those moments when you need to step away. Jeffrey is better at it than I am. We’ll be going and he’ll look at me and say,“Let’s think about that. We’ve done as much as we can do right now, let’s take a breath, let’s step away.” So we, in fact, think about that, rather than keep trying to ride it out. If you’re in a writers’ room you can’t do that. If you’re in a writers’ room you just have to keep grinding.

KLARIK: Also, when you are in the writers’ room, you have to be nice to one another!

You have to act as if you like what other people are suggesting because you don’t want to shoot them down. So you tend to be diplomatic and dance around and it wastes a lot of time. We have no problem just going, “No. Uh-uh, that doesn’t work.” And then we move on. But if you’re in a room and you’ve got 12 other people and they’re sticking their necks out to pitch something— CRANE: You feel like you have to be supportive and everyone’s voice has to be heard, which is true, so in some ways it’s more convenient when it’s just the two of us.

KLARIK: It’s always more convenient.

CRANE: Right, but the flip side is that because we are doing it all ourselves we can’t send anyone off with a script, it’s just us.

WS: So the buck stops right there with you.

KLARIK: Yeah, but I prefer that, because

usually when we send people off to write a script, they come back with something that is so far from what you wanted it to be—again, you have to tiptoe around without hurting egos. This way, it’s just us, and it really is almost 24 hours a day. We’ll wake up in the middle of the night and I’ll look over at David and his eyes are

Showtime’s Episodes.

wide open [laughs] and I’ll ask, Where are you? And he’ll say, “At that third scene.

That third scene isn’t working.”

CRANE: It has taken over our lives!

WS: What would you say is Friends’ legacy, and

what did you take away from that experience?

Those must have been ten unbelievable years.

CRANE: They were absolutely amazing, untouchable years. Legacy? I don’t know, that’s for other people to talk about. I had a brilliant time doing it and I give Jeffrey a lot of credit for being part of that even though he is uncredited. I don’t think I wrote a single word that the two of us didn’t work on here at home. We had a brilliant time doing it and it’s unrepeatable. When people talk about doing a Friends reunion, we shake our heads and go, “No, no, no, no, you’re missing the 10/12

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point.” It was what it was. We put a great big bow on the end of it.

WS: I think about an episode of Mad AboutYou

every time I go down to the basement to do the laundry. Remember the episode when Jamie and Paul forget to press the button on the door and lock themselves out of their apartment? I’m always scared I’ll do the same thing.

KLARIK: Yeah, that was me!

WS: Isn’t it funny how in great comedies,

sometimes it’s the smallest little things that just stick with you for a long time?

KLARIK: That’s why Mad About You worked so well, because whether it was changing the toilet paper when it’s empty, it’s stuff that every couple deals with. I bet even Barack and Michelle Obama deal with stuff like that.

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Armando Iannucci Nowhere is the phrase “The pen is mightier than the sword” more appropriate than in describing Armando Iannucci’s work. His political satire The Thick of It, for the BBC, produced in cinema-verité style, skewers the inner workings of contemporary British government.

He then set his sights across the Atlantic and produced Veep, for HBO, where he lampoons the Vice President’s office.

WS: When did you first become interested in politicians and the political process?

IANNUCCI: I first became interested at an unbelievably early age, when I was about 12 or 13. I was one of these political geeks. I always read political coverage in newspapers; I watched it on television. I would stay up late not just for U.K. elections but for American election results, so I’m fascinated by it.There is something about the drama of it, these familiar buildings and the people who come and go, the decisiveness of an election result and what effect it can have on someone.

WS: The only depictions that we’ve had of what goes on inside those buildings have been a few TV series and movies.

IANNUCCI: What I wanted to do in The Thick of It and Veep is show what actually goes on, not dress it up as glamorous or sinister. That’s the other side. We always get the spy movies and the malicious conspiracy theory stories or else we get the high drama. I wanted to show the reality of it, while making it funny.

WS: Do you think that the crazy behaviors

of some politicians are exacerbated by the fact that today there is this 24-hour news cycle?

IANNUCCI: It’s not just 24 hour, it’s the fact that you think you’re in a private function, but if someone has a phone with a camera on

views. It’s funny when these things happen— it’s happened in the U.K. as well. We’ve actually invented policies that we thought were amusing and then found out about six months later that they were actually put into law!

WS: In Veep, does your cinema-verité style

allow you to catch the comedic moment you’re looking for?

IANNUCCI: That’s right, and we light it more or less so we can move 360 degrees on the set. That means it’s quicker to shoot, because we don’t have to reset and relight for all the reverse shots. It means that we can

LAUGH TRACK After satirizing British politics in The Thick of It, Iannucci turned to the U.S. in HBO’s Veep. it, they can record something and accidentally post online stuff that you didn’t mean to post.

It’s a nightmare and I actually do have some sympathy for politicians because we expect them to function on a 24-hour basis and get everything absolutely right, [while preserving] their image as well and look as if they’re energized and young. We put this unbelievable pressure on them.

An awful lot of politicians’ time now is spent anticipating how something is going to be analyzed in the media; it almost shapes their thoughts now.

WS: Have you written some crazy scenes and then discovered that there are things going on in politics that are even crazier?

IANNUCCI: Occasionally we write something stupid that we just made up and then a politician will approach us and say, “How did you find that out?”

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flow a lot more.We can shoot a whole scene uninterrupted and then add in a few notes and suggestions, shoot it again, add in a few more notes and suggestions, shoot it again, pick off a moment that we feel can do with loosening up, loosen it up, so we’re shooting loads of stuff, but we usually end the day on time. For the actors that’s a very heavy day.They are never off.They could be sitting way over in the corner but a camera might still find them and certainly their radio microphones might still be on so we can hear what they say. They are on all the time, which they love, but it does make for a quite intense shoot.

WS: Isn’t that like the people they are portraying? Many politicians nowadays feel they always have to be on, too.

IANNUCCI: That’s partly why that style arose, because you want to see the slight look of fear in the actors’ eyes as they turn a corner and see a camera staring at them.

That’s what’s going through a politician’s head at the same time—they are making it up as they go along and trying to look as if they know what they are doing. Because we keep changing the script up to the last minute, the actors haven’t had that much time to familiarize themselves with the lines, which is good because it gives a slight edge and nervousness to the performance.

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WS: In preparing The Thick of It, did you have writers who had worked in government?

IANNUCCI: These environments are very gossip-ridden. They love chatting, so if you approach them and say, I want to do a show and I want to make it real, this is not a documentary, I’m not out to expose scandal, I’m not out to bring anyone down, I just want to get the details right, therefore I want to get the boring stuff—what time do you get in in the morning, what time do you go home, what’s the office really like?—gradually they fill you in. Pretty soon you get a quite detailed picture of what life is like on a dayto-day basis.

WS: How would you summarize the chal-

lenges British politicians face compared to their American counterparts?

IANNUCCI: Two things. Power has become very centralized in Britain. All the power resides in the Prime Minister’s office.

There used to be a time when ministers running departments were fairly autonomous, but over the last 10 to 15 years the power has resided in No. 10 [Downing Street]. It means that ministerial politicians are fairly restricted in what they can do independently. Everything has to be cleared, everything has to be double-checked and approved. If they get anything wrong, they are hung out to dry. But added to that is the fact that there is no money! So their policies have to be headline-grabbing policies that actually don’t cost any money.

In the U.S., I found that there is more power, and what actually happens is, because there are so many checks and balances, no one quite knows where the main power resides. You think it’s in the White House, but Congress can block that. Or Congress passes this but the Supreme Court might overturn it, so there is this slight paranoia where people aren’t too sure whether they are in the right job.

WS: A word about The Thick of It’s Malcolm Tucker. Did any one person serve as inspiration for him or is he an amalgam of people?

IANNUCCI: It’s a number of people. Tony Blair’s former communications director

HBO’s Veep.

Alastair Campbell likes to see himself as the model, but actually Malcolm Tucker is really based on the rather more anonymous set— they were called enforcers, which makes them sound like the Dementors in Harry Potter! Nameless figures who would come out of Downing Street and land on the ministries and just tell them what to do, what to say, how much money they have, what they have done wrong, and give them the line. There are quite a few of those and that is what Malcolm is based on. I think the Malcolm-type figure in politics at the moment is different. He’s slightly trying to show that he is not a spinner and that he’s often accessible and into new media and whatever, but fundamentally it’s that school of person.

WS: You’ve done webisodes, television

episodes and feature films. What are the storytelling techniques for each one?

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back to where they started after 30 minutes, so you can do the next episode, whereas with a film, you’re at liberty to do anything with them; you can kill some [characters] off. In an episode you have to get all your plot lines up and running within the first five minutes. Whereas with a film you can delay something till halfway through, you can introduce a character just at the end.

Doing shorter things on the web, that’s a whole new discipline as well—it’s very concise, every word is important. It’s all about honing right down to the bare essentials. But it’s interesting. I find all these media are converging anyway. There is a very cinematic look to television series now and, in fact, the most original TV shows are the ones where unexpectedly dramatic things do happen to the main characters and they are killed off halfway through an episode and so on. All those rules of conventional TV story lines have been thrown out the window.

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Edie Falco She effortlessly walked the fine line between drama and comedy on The Sopranos, immortalizing the character Carmela for audiences around the globe. After stepping out of the role of a mob wife, Edie Falco entered the dark comedy world in Nurse Jackie, playing a highly skilled emergency room nurse who is battling addiction. Jackie shows the utmost care for her patients, but rebuffs rules, authority figures and conventional behavior.

WS: The Sopranos was perhaps the first show

to feature flawed, multilayered characters.

There are now flawed characters in comedy.

What has given rise to the popularity of these types of characters?

FALCO: I think it’s a simultaneous shifting in people making the shows and people watching the shows. There seems to be an appetite now for people that audiences can actually relate to, as opposed to people being presented to them who in reality don’t exist, such as people with one dimension—they are good; they are bad. This way more viewers can actually say, “Oh I know that guy,” or “Oh boy, I’m kinda like that.”

It’s a deeper way to tell a story if you are

using characters that people understand and can relate to.

WS: I would imagine that as an actor, those

roles are more interesting to play.

take herself too seriously on some level.

While we are presenting the circumstances, the dire ramifications of such behavior, I think there is definitely room for some humor.

FALCO: For sure. You want to give people

the feeling that being complicated and being unsure and being ambiguous is OK. We are all like that; we’re all good people and we’re all bad people and perhaps that’s the beginning of a huge healing. We don’t have to adhere to standards that none of us could possibly reach. So, yes, and they are far more complicated and interesting to play.

WS: You have had guest roles in comedies like 30 Rock and Will & Grace. How are those comedies different from Nurse Jackie?

FALCO: It’s complicated because the kind of comedy in Nurse Jackie or The Sopranos, you don’t really play it any differently than you do if it’s just a straight-up drama.

You’re playing it for the reality and it’s the

LAUGH TRACK Edie Falco was recognized with an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her work on Nurse Jackie.

WS: Addiction is not a topic one would associate with comedy. Do you feel a certain responsibility to present the problem of addiction in all its facets and to show the consequences of certain behaviors?

FALCO: Absolutely, yes. I originally fought early on with the idea that Jackie had an addiction problem.When it was presented to me I felt very strongly that I didn’t want it, because I do feel a sense of responsibility to people. Then once I realized that it really was important for the storytelling and that it does make good drama, I said it is absolutely of dire importance to me that we can’t just show A plus B, you have to see what C is. Yes, the ramifications portion of it was very important to me.

WS: How do you bring comedy to the topic of addiction? I find myself laughing at things that are kind of tragic.

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reality of the situation that is funny, and that is where the comedy comes from. But shows like Will & Grace and 30 Rock and I Love Lucy—it’s an entirely different animal.

And I am in awe of what people like Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey can do because I don’t understand it and I don’t know how it’s done. It’s a completely different set of muscles that I haven’t really been called upon to exercise very much. That really is about timing and about choosing the right words. It’s not from an emotionally visceral place. It’s a very different place.

WS: What did you learn from your experi-

ence on The Sopranos? Do you ever learn things from the characters you play?

FALCO: What I learned from The Sopranos is how much I enjoy that genre, doing an episodic television show.You get to play the same person for a long time and get to experience her in all different dimensions. It was my first time doing episodic work and I loved it. When I’m reading scripts I am drawn to characteristics that maybe I wish I had more of, so that I am always in awe of [the person I’m playing].

One of the things about Carmela was her ease with people. She felt at ease in her world. She had been with her husband since they were teenagers, she was very deeply ensconced in a community. The

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ease she had with touching people and calling people— the way she treated her daughter was very physical.

That’s very much not the way I used to be. I was so taken by that and so thoroughly enjoyed getting into the body of a person who behaved that way.

Nurse Jackie was on some levels the antithesis of that.

She was just such a cold wiseass. She was not concerned about being liked, while Carmela was so concerned with being liked. I think it’s about where I am, at the time, and what it is about that character that I find appealing or want more of in my life, or at least want to live there...for a little while.

Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

WS: Do you contribute

ideas or do you just play what it’s in the script?

FALCO: I do not participate in any of the story lines.

I’m sure if I were interested it’s always been a very open atmosphere. I prefer not knowing anything about it. I prefer to tackle it as [the script] arrives to me. Otherwise, by the time we shoot it, it feels old already. I get the script two or three days before we shoot it and it works for me.

WS: I have spoken to other actors who have

talked about the need to feel safe. The need to know they can screw up if necessary and then do another take and get it better, and they talk about the need for trust.

FALCO: I agree 100 percent, that is of dire importance, and I have been in situations where that has not been optimum. Regardless, it is my job to find a way to do the performance that I want to do. But sometimes it is like [going into] battle. When we started doing Nurse Jackie, as we hired the crew and

the writers and the actors, we did a little bit of vetting. We found people who had worked with them and asked, I just want to know what this person is like after 12 hours on the set. I know they are talented because they got this far in the industry, but I just want to know if they are going to be manageable when we are tired. Because ultimately you spend a lot of time with these people. It was somewhat more important to me that the people, the personalities, are warm and kind and respectful. I was willing to forgo talent for a work environment that is pleasant—that is incredibly important to me, and I’ve been doing this too long to put up with any bullshit. Or however you might want to say that [laughs].

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WS: Have there been actors, writers or directors that you have admired?

FALCO: Oh gosh, yes, a million actors, Meryl Streep among them, of course. I’m a huge fan of Marcia Gay Harden and Dianne Wiest. As for directors, there was someone we worked with a great deal on The Sopranos, Tim Van Patten. He now works on Boardwalk Empire, and he personifies the ideal director to me. He has the absolute perfect way of conveying what he means while being utterly respectful and easygoing with his cast and crew. He has a way of keeping the environment on the set just utterly conducive to a fantastic experience and a great product. Whatever it is that he does, he does it very organically and it is excellent.

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Doug Herzog Comedy Central’s irreverent, provocative, even potty-mouthed style of comedy, from the likes of Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and South Park, has struck a chord with young male viewers.

What’s more, the channel consistently shapes popular culture in the U.S. Doug Herzog, the president of MTV Networks Entertainment Group, oversees Comedy Central as well as TV Land, whose original programming has breathed new life into the traditional situation comedy.

WS: What has been Comedy Central’s strategy

in attracting the elusive young male viewer?

HERZOG: Our focus is on funny stuff for

young men. We were very fortunate early on to land on South Park and then The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. That provided a tremendous foundation that has really served to guide Comedy Central in how we look at the world and what we look for.

WS: What’s the best way to manage tal-

ent like Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone?

HERZOG: We let them do what they need to do and pursue their point of view. Mostly we stay out of their way.

WS: This is an election year. Many people go to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for their news and current affairs. What does this say about their credibility among their fans and the role of satire?

HERZOG: There’s no question that they have established a very unique place for themselves—not only in the world of comedy, but in the world of media overall. They are on a comedy network. Their first instinct is to always make their audience laugh. They are in a unique place and have carved out a unique position for themselves. It’s the cross section of where

WS: Is there a certain irreverence that you look for in potential talent?

HERZOG: We know who the audience is— it’s dominated by young men, so the voices we look for [should ultimately] strike a chord with young men. That being said, you’ve got to be careful not to get so narrow that you cut yourself off from new opportunities. As we like to say, funny is funny. So we try to keep an open mind and we’re always looking to grow and expand our talent base. We’d like to see more women on Comedy Central, we’d like more people of color on Comedy Central. We believe a

LAUGH TRACK On Herzog’s watch, Comedy Central has offered everything from political satire to bathroom humor. comedy, current events, satire and politics meet. And not everyone can do what they do—in fact, they may be the only ones.

Their goal every night is to entertain and to make people laugh, and if they can do that in a way that is smart and informational, that’s just an added bonus.

WS: Where does Comedy

Central look for new talent?

HERZOG: Everywhere. Online

is a great source just because it is available to everybody and the barrier for entry is low. We still spend a lot of time in the clubs, and not just in New York and Los Angeles; we are out in the hinterland as well. It’s our business to find the next great voice and the next comedic talent.The days are long over when talent is going to show up on your doorstep. And, by the way, not only are the days over when they are going to show up on your doorstep, we’re not the only doorstep in town anymore—that has changed dramatically. So we really have to be aggressive about it and find interesting people who we think have a voice and a chance to break through.

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diverse group of voices going forward is going to be good for business.

WS: What elements do you need to get a show like The Daily Show right compared to getting a scripted comedy right?

HERZOG: They are different things.You need great talent; The Daily Show has that.You need great writing; The Daily Show has that. The big difference is, in scripted comedy you’ve got to create a world of fictional characters that people want to hang out with every week, hopefully for several years. So you’ve got to create a world that doesn’t really exist and you’ve got to have great storytelling.

The Daily Show does a lot of things well, but they’re not storytellers, they’re joke tellers.Those are some of the differences and none of it is easy; all of it is hard.

WS: How has TV Land evolved from running

reruns to premiering original shows?

HERZOG: TV Land’s original recipe was classic TV sitcoms. In a media landscape that has evolved tremendously in the last couple of years, the idea of a channel devoted solely to classic TV reruns was not going to endure indefinitely. So in order to grow the audience and grow the business, we needed to do original programming. We first started out doing reality programming, and that turned out to be a mistake. Reality programming is one of

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the reasons TV Land is actually as successful as it is. The amount of reality on network television has alienated a big audience that is looking for traditional sitcoms. We weren’t really making any progress with the reality stuff. So we thought we should make sitcoms.

They are more expensive, but that’s what the audience wants and that’s why they come to us in the first place. If we do sitcoms we have to do them well because we don’t think they will show up for cheap knock-off versions.

We were able to get out of the gate with Hot in Cleveland, which is a great show and has a great cast and fills the need of the audience out there that really wants traditional sitcoms.

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

WS: That is a multi-camera show?

HERZOG: To date all the TV Land sitcoms

are multi-cam shows.

WS: Are they somewhat easier to do or are they more efficient or faster to shoot than single-camera comedies?

HERZOG: Yes, on a certain level, but we’re actually doing our first single-camera pilot right now because, while we are big fans of the multi-cams, we don’t want to just get stuck in one place.We want to be relevant and continue to evolve and grow, so we are shooting our first single camera and will see how that goes.

WS: A lot of the comedies in recent years

have been single-camera shows.

HERZOG: The interesting thing about that is

there have been a lot of single-camera sitcoms, but now there has also been a big increase in the amount of multi-cam comedies in the last couple of years. They had fallen out of fashion. That was one of the reasons we were excited to get into that business, because nobody else was doing it. We feel we were partly responsible for bringing that trend back because of the success of Hot in Cleveland. We think all the other networks were thinking, “What? How did they do that? We fell asleep at the wheel here and let TV Land steal some of our thunder!”

WS: A lot of people are saying there has been a renaissance in comedy lately.

HERZOG: I think that’s right.You’re seeing the networks really begin to embrace comedy

hits. They had gone through a period where dramas were dominating and then reality.

Now comedy is coming back. Millennials look at comedy in a completely different way than you or I did growing up. They are passionate about it, they talk about shows and comedians and movies like they’re rock bands and music artists. And they are able to access comedy in ways that past generations weren’t, and it’s a very important part of their lifestyle.

You’ve got networks like TBS that are into comedy and FX that is getting into the comedy business and so is IFC. And comedy in the digital world is really successful.

WS: Is comedy harder to get right than drama?

HERZOG: You know the saying, “Dying is

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I first took over Comedy Central I had come from MTV. The pressure to make everything funny can be unbearable. A lot of MTV in the post-music-video days was based on style. I had that down; I could do the MTV style. At the end of the day, style doesn’t cut it in comedy—it’s got to be funny.

That is hard work.That is why all these guys are so tortured!

WS: I’ve always wondered, do comedy writ-

ers have to be in a great mood every day when they come to work?

HERZOG: Have you spent time with a lot of comedy writers or comedians? They are a very particular lot. They are not exactly court jesters.They can be very tortured souls and this is very, very hard work.

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Liz Meriwether The premise of New Girl is simple: after a bad breakup with her boyfriend, naïve and everoptimistic Jess (Zooey Deschanel) needs a new place to stay. She finds an apartment online and moves in with three men she doesn’t know.

The ensuing shenanigans, embarrassing moments and Jess’s “adorkable” behavior made the show, created by Liz Meriwether, one of the breakout comedies of last season.

WS: How would you describe your style of comedy?

MERIWETHER: I write about relationships and people trying to connect with each other but failing.The funniest stuff that comes out of the show is about two people trying to find some kind of connection and reaching out and failing and trying again.

WS: What served as inspiration for the characters in the show?

MERIWETHER: I definitely looked at my life when I was making the pilot and thought about my friends who are guys and some of the silly things I had done and continue to do!

Network television is so hard because there are so many episodes to do, you have to write from

a place of personal experience or you will hit a wall at some point.You have to come up with 24 stories a year and you have to know the characters inside and out to generate that many stories. It’s a really big deal to us that the show feels real and honest and the characters feel like real people. I am always encouraging the writers to write from their own life and to think first if they could imagine a real person doing this before we put it in the show.

and Practices, who is amazing, will show up on set and sit there quietly and then say,“Well, that towel is going to be a little bit higher up.” And we say,“OK, yeah.”They are very aware of our process and don’t want to get in the way.

WS: New Girl deals with sex quite openly;

WS: Do a lot of the crazy things that happen

you push the envelope a lot. How do you manage to get approval from the network?

in the show come from personal situations, things you or the writers have seen or done?

about how much you can do and how much you end up wanting to do.

WS: Any examples?

MERIWETHER: The woman from Standards

LAUGH TRACK One of the highest-rated new comedies of the 2011–2012 season, New Girl has also found slots across the globe.

MERIWETHER: We’ve had amazing sup-

port from the network and I don’t know why! They should not have trusted us! If the characters are getting into a situation that is a little racy, we’re not just trying to go for shock value. We are trying to look at these characters as real people and put them through real problems, and sometimes that lands you in a really crazy place. As long as you are [approaching a situation] from a real place you can get away with more because people understand where the character is coming from.

There have definitely been some hilarious moments negotiating orgasm noises, how many funny groans we could have in a five-minute window. It has resulted in some very funny e-mails.There is nothing funnier than trying to be professional and bureaucratic about sexual situations.When making network TV there are some downsides in not being able to fully go there, but on the other hand it’s often ended up making us be more creative or find another way around something that has led us to something funnier. It’s always a push and pull 180

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MERIWETHER: Up to a point, sure. There are really funny things happening all the time. If it’s not the actual thing that happened, then it’s something that is from real life. In some shows the joke comes first and in our show the characters always come first.

We wouldn’t make a character do something funny just because it’s funny. We figure out what their situation is and how they would really react. All of our writers do stupid things all the time! And they talk about them and we’re always using their experiences. I don’t think anyone has actually put a turkey in a dryer or did any Jimmy Stewart [impressions during] sex play! We always start from a real place and let it build.

WS: Even the bizarre lingerie that Jess wore in a scene when she wanted to have sex?

MERIWETHER: No comment on that!

WS: How can the writers and actors feel

comfortable enough to come up with and perform crazy material?

MERIWETHER: That is a huge part of what I believe in on set and even in the writers’ room—everyone needs to feel safe to say something wrong, to fail.You are never going to get to the right [idea] unless you get through five, even ten ideas that aren’t working at all. The only thing that comes up against that is time. It’s such a crazy

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FOX’s New Girl.

schedule making network television—you don’t have all the time in the world to fail.

We’re constantly coming up with terrible ideas, and that is part of the process. You have to feel safe and the actors have to know that we have their back as writers, and in the editing room we’re going to choose their best stuff. It’s about trust. I’ve heard about some writers’ rooms where everyone gets made fun of for terrible pitches. I don’t think you get your best stuff that way. Everyone has to feel like they are valued and that you are interested in their mind enough and see where their mind wants to go even if it’s really weird and wrong.

WS: When you’re shooting a scene, do you stay with it until you get it right, or do you enhance it in the editing process?

MERIWETHER: Our philosophy is,

Nothing matters until we all agree that something is working and it’s funny. We’re able to always throw out the scene or throw out the line if it’s not working, as opposed to sticking to the script or to the story that we had. The only thing that matters is if it’s funny. We have a really open set. There is improv. We go down to the set with a huge packet of jokes and we [deal] them out to the actors and they incorporate them in what they are doing and then the actors will change some things. Once we’ve shot the scene, there is a lot of rearranging in the editing room. It does feel like a rewriting process in the editing room. I’ve always seen the set as more of a laboratory: you are testing things out and trying to get as many options as you can so that you have a ton 182

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of material for the editing room. That is really where the show comes together.

WS: You trained as an actor. Does that help you write better?

MERIWETHER: Every writer who does plays or TV or film should try to do some acting or take an improv class. I find actors so inspiring and I love working with them. If you don’t you should really write a book or a poem or something! It’s helpful to have acting experience to know what it feels like to get up there and feel vulnerable and to have to say words and make sense of them or make sense of a scene and a character. [If you understand what an actor goes through, then] when you sit down to write you are thinking like an actor, you are thinking,What are the tools that I need to make this work? You have to be able to do that to write.

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Ricky Gervais The Office is one of the most successful British comedies of all time. Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the series was shot as a mock documentary following the daily lives of a group of office workers. Gervais zeroed in on human foibles, social faux-pas and the trappings of ambition, conceit and self-importance.

WS: What were your goals for The Office?

GERVAIS: I wanted The Office to be a study

in body language. I noticed that people talk much more with their bodies and their eyebrows and touching their mouths and touching their hair than they do with what they’re saying. Often there’s a huge juxtaposition with what someone’s saying and what his body is saying. I wanted to explore that with David Brent. I’d say that was The Office’s main innovation. Everything else has been done before. The Office wasn’t the first fake documentary. It wasn’t the first thing to have a group of flawed characters acting like they weren’t flawed. Film has done that for ages, The Larry Sanders Show did it. It wasn’t the first thing to have no stars. It was probably the first to have them all in some

degree at the same time. It was probably the first sitcom that explored body language in comedy. The big secret about The Office that no one has ever picked up on is that it was the first sitcom that was about comedy.

Everything came down to what was funny, what was acceptable. The thing about comedy is that it’s turning a societal norm on its head. It’s someone acting wrongly and people reacting to it. Gareth saying something stupid is one thing, but cutting to Tim looking straight down the lens, that’s another.

That gets a laugh. That’s as effective as a laugh track.

the shark and suddenly take the sitcom to Spain, he’s allowed to be a brat when he’s drunk on holiday jumping in the pool. He’s not meant to be a brat when he’s in his suit and tie, he’s meant to be in charge. Because he was trapped within that, and that’s what all sitcoms do. In sitcoms, you have to be trapped, literally, like the prison comedy Porridge [a British sitcom from the ’70s], or Sergeant Bilko in the army [in the ’50s comedy The Phil Silvers Show], he’s physically trapped. Or a family comedy where they’re emotionally trapped, like Roseanne—she can’t ever leave the kids. David Brent was trapped by his own

LAUGH TRACK Gervais’ genre-changing The Office has been adapted in several markets, most notably in the U.S. by NBC. WS: Can comedy illustrate truths about human nature more clearly than drama?

GERVAIS: Yes, it can, because it’s not beholden to certain structures. It can certainly do it quicker.And it can certainly do it more viscerally. It can do it with feeling. A laugh is there— bang. You can laugh before you realize why you’re laughing—something hits you.You find yourself smiling.You don’t mean to laugh or smile, you just do. It comes back to truth.

In The Office the main themes were men are children and women are adults. I see that men never grow up. Men’s egos run away with them. And we can’t help it, it’s sort of part of our hardwiring. We do have a little bit of alpha-male-ism. But what’s funny is the alpha male is usually to protect the tribe from danger, it’s not to be used to win at Trivial Pursuit or cards. That’s when it’s funny, when the male ego competes with a child, or when it’s in charge of something, like David Brent. That’s why we couldn’t really take him out of the office, because if you’re in the pub with David Brent, he’s offduty, he’s bound to get drunk and have a laugh. If they jump 184

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ambition. He couldn’t get away from that camera. He was like a moth to a flame. He thought it was his way out.That was about the new ambition in society now, fame.

WS: Fame has been a recurring theme for you.

GERVAIS: The Office came out of me watch-

ing a lot of docu-soaps where normal people became famous overnight and they had their 15 minutes of fame. What was funny for me was the second 15 minutes, what they did to hold on to fame. Nowadays, that second 15 minutes is a profession. Now there are people who will literally do anything to stay in the news.There are people under 30 bringing out their third or fourth autobiography. Really?

There’s no difference between fame and infamy now. [After The Office came] Extras, a clear study of celebrity and being body-snatched by fame.

Life’s Too Short is probably the most gruesome face of it because The Office reflected those quaint docu-soaps of the ’90s with normal people getting their 15 minutes. Life’s Too Short was about that second 15 minutes, where being a celebrity is now living their life like it’s an open wound to get another 15 minutes. Now there are these celebrity shows like Celebrity Rehab— why would you do that on television? Going into celebrity spa having enemas! I don’t know where it’s going to stop.

For more from Gervais, see page 218.

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David Duchovny After portraying FBI agent Fox Mulder in the hit series The X-Files, David Duchovny traded investigating paranormal activities for the pursuit of beautiful women on Californication.

As Hank Moody, he plays a troubled novelist who is trying to keep his family together.

Unfortunately his libido and penchant for recreational drugs always get in the way. The result is hilarious chaos.

WS: When you came off the huge success

of The X-Files, what appealed to you about Californication and about doing comedy?

DUCHOVNY: I hadn’t really planned on going back into television, but the premium cable season is 12 episodes instead of, say, 24, and it was a much more workable schedule for me, since I have other projects. So it was a three-month season, and when I started thinking of it that way, I started looking around for stuff. I had wanted to do comedy and this was a show that wasn’t so much a reflection of the kind of comedy that was done in movies or certainly on TV at that point, which seemed boring to me. This was more a comedy like the movies from the ’70s, like

Shampoo, comedies about grown-up people rather than chronologically grown-up people who act like children.

WS: There is a lot of sex in Californication, but isn’t the show a lot about relationships, between man and woman, between father and daughter?

DUCHOVNY: Yes. People react to the sex and that becomes all that they can really see.

But in fact the show is about this struggling little family and the romance of the show is trying to keep this family together and how this man raises his daughter.

set and what happens in the editing room?

Or sometimes do you know you have it when you are acting it?

DUCHOVNY: You know moments when you are doing it; you can’t tell an entire scene until you go in and edit. Certainly you’re right in saying that a lot of comedy is timing and a lot of timing comes from editing. You can be helped or you can be hurt by an editor, for sure. A good comedy editor is a real commodity. I would think that the guys who are making comedy movies, there are only a few editors that they go to.

The final rewrite of the script is the edit.

LAUGH TRACK Californication—for which Duchovny won a Golden Globe—has made its way onto numerous channels worldwide.

WS: Can comedy be more difficult for an

WS: There are some pretty crazy scenes in

actor than drama?

DUCHOVNY: I’d compare comedy to music: it’s either going to sound good or not. There are many ways to judge a drama, but in comedy, if you are not amused or laughing, it’s not working. It doesn’t matter how true to the moment you are or what a greater character you’ve come up with, if it’s not funny and it’s a comedy you will still fail. So the criteria by which you succeed or fail in comedy is much starker and there can be more pressure. Sometimes when you’re working you’re just thinking, This shit isn’t funny. But I always go back to a friend of mine who is a stand-up comic who asked another famous stand-up comic who was older, What can I do that’s funny? The old stand-up comic said, You’ll know when you’re funny— you’re funny when you feel funny. I always go back to that— if I felt funny then I think it was funny, as stupid as that sounds.

Californication. There must be a sense of safety on the set for the actors to do what they do.

DUCHOVNY: The safety for performers is very important to me. It’s something that I always want when I’m working as a director and as a producer of this show. I try to give that to the actors, to everybody on the set to come in and be able to do their best work.

They can’t just be trying to do it correctly, they’ve got to be able to fail. Only when you’re doing something that you might fail at are you going to get the stuff that is really good. You have to feel safe enough to fail.

Beyond that, if you’re doing scenes, a sex scene or a love scene, whatever you want to call it, and people are coming in and they’ve never done one, it’s very vulnerable, obviously, literally to have your shirt off or to show your ass or whatever. It’s work to us and it’s just about making that person feel safe and not doing anything gratuitous and making sure everything you’re doing services the scene or the comedy. I try to make sex funny. I think people take sex way too seriously.The actual physical act of sex is kind of ridiculous looking and funny. I really don’t like it in movies when they try to make it look so smooth and graceful.We try to always get back to the absurd, funny nature of sex, and we’re rarely trying to make it look gorgeous.

WS: When shooting a scene, to

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Marc Cherry With his dark comedic tone, Marc Cherry gave dramedies a new twist when he presented the unsettling world of Wisteria Lane. The pictureperfect setting of manicured lawns and picket fences in Desperate Housewives belies the secrets and jealousies of the women living there.

Cherry now sets his sights on the world of Latina maids working in Beverly Hills in his show Devious Maids for Lifetime.

WS: Devious Maids is based on a Mexican telenovela. What appealed to you about the world it depicts?

CHERRY: Many years ago, before I became a professional writer, I was a personal assistant to Dixie Carter [the actress best known for her role in the series Designing Women]. I worked inside her home and helped run her house. [When I was starting to think about a new show] I was reminded of what it’s like to work in a rich person’s house. You have your own dreams and you are busy helping them live their lives and you’re surrounded by their wealth. It brought up a lot of emotional issues for me about what it’s like to work for someone whose dreams

have come true when you have so many of your own dreams that are still unrealized. Given the fact that I now have people living in my home working for me, I am seeing the issue from both sides, and I thought it might be an interesting thing for me to explore.

WS: How different is the world on Devious

Maids from the world on Desperate Housewives?

CHERRY: Desperate Housewives was a commentary on wives and mothers going insane in the suburbs. Devious Maids is very much about class differences in Beverly Hills, the world of

WS: Will there be your signature style of

comedy in Devious Maids?

CHERRY: My dark comedic tone? Yes, I’m

going to find a little comedy in a lot of dastardly doings!

WS: So many actors who have worked with you said that what you write is musical and is so easy to deliver. When did you first discover you had that gift?

CHERRY: I spent years working on sitcoms where it was all about finding the music of the punch line. Then, when it came time to break out of the sitcom ghet-

LAUGH TRACK The creator of the hit Desperate Housewives turned to a Mexican telenovela for inspiration for his latest dramedy, Devious Maids. privilege, the world of people struggling to achieve their own goals and desires.

WS: Are the women in Devious Maids more aspirational in wanting to better their lives than the ladies on Wisteria Lane were?

CHERRY: The joke about Desperate Housewives is these were women who had ostensibly attained their dreams—they were married to the men they wanted to marry, they were in the suburbs, they had their kids—and yet something had gone wrong with the dreams.Yes, Devious Maids is far more aspirational. It shows a class of women that we don’t often see depicted on TV, workingclass women. The irony of their lives is that they work for very rich people who sometimes aren’t all that happy. One of the themes of Devious Maids is happiness—what is true happiness and do we know it when we’ve gotten it. I look at them from all sorts of angles. Being close to Beverly Hills I’ve heard a lot of stories from both sides of the fence, as it were, and I have a lot of personal experience with what goes on in those households.

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to and I was striving to do more adult kind of writing, I really made sure I wasn’t telling any jokes, that my writing was just about the dark and horrible things people say to each other and the ways that they reveal themselves. I started to teach myself to write contextually so that what the characters are saying on the surface is seemingly pleasant or banal, but it’s really covering up a more insidious emotion inside. It’s something that I feel I have gotten better at but I still struggle with: how do people talk? One of the hardest things for all writers is to make sure that the characters don’t sound alike, that they sound different. So I am constantly listening in real life, trying to hear how people of different socio-economic levels speak. I am a fairly well educated white man from Orange County, so I’m always trying to listen to other people and see if I can capture the music of their personal rhythms. I also love listening to other writers. I’ll admit, it, I’ll steal freely from other writers!

You listen to the staccato of David Mamet’s dialogue. I read some of the poetic flourishes of Tennessee Williams.

You hear that dense political dialogue that Aaron Sorkin does so well. You never feel you are done. There is always more to learn and there are always more people to steal from.

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Lisa Kudrow The world fell in love with her as Phoebe Buffay on Friends. Now Lisa Kudrow is playing Fiona Wallice, the self-absorbed psychiatrist on Web Therapy, who doesn’t really have the patience to spend 50 minutes with her patients, so she comes up with the idea of a 3-minute therapy session via the Internet. The show, which started as online webisodes, now airs on Showtime.

WS: What served as inspiration for the show?

KUDROW: The fact that while people are at

work on the Internet they are doing errands that they would otherwise have to do in person. I just thought it would be funny to take it to another level, and one of the things people would do on the Internet is therapy. What kind of a person thinks this is a good idea? We really got carried away! What kind of therapist thinks, “Oh, here is a service to offer”?

So Fiona is a very self-serving person, and we thought we’d have fun with that. She was in the finance world and she’s actually this greedy, selfish person who has no moral center. She’s married to a successful attorney who is running for office, so we see her in the middle of a campaign.

WS: And Fiona’s husband is in need of

KUDROW: On so many levels, it was a huge

some therapy himself, and you got the fabulous Meryl Streep to try to fix him.

KUDROW: Fiona’s husband, Kip, is running for office, but there’s this little issue of him liking men. He’s not gay, he says. Nonetheless, the campaign backers would like him to go to this center where he can get treatment for his condition. If I were in another country that would be hilarious to me; only in America do they think you can pray away the gay! [Laughs] So Meryl Streep plays the gay-conversion therapist, Camilla Bowner. And then we find out that she’s actually just trying to have sex

learning experience. One of them was that playing Phoebe made me lighten up because she was so optimistic. I had played characters who were ditsy dumb and didn’t have a lot of information—that’s how I would describe Phoebe. She’s excited about things, and she doesn’t do anything halfway. She feels very strongly about a lot of things. And she gets really mad about a lot of things, too. She’d get pretty petulant and a little judgmental, which was funny because the way it came out of her was judgmental, but I learned a lot about lightening up playing her. That’s one of the

LAUGH TRACK Developed initially as an online series, Web Therapy is now in its second season on Showtime. with Fiona’s husband, “I’ll talk you out of it.

I’m so good that this will change ya!”

WS: What kind of comedy do you like to do?

KUDROW: I like people who think they are

pulling something off, but actually they’re not.

I like people who think they are in control and they are not at all. Those are the jokes I like. It’s not that these people are dumb, they are dumb about this thing. What makes me and [Web Therapy co-creators] Don Roos and Dan Bucatinsky laugh is when someone thinks, “Well, it’s a good idea, of course everyone is going to want to do it, because I said so.” In politics nowadays, you have politicians who come on television, and a lot of them are women, and just because they say something ten times—and not answering the question—then it will be true.

“It will be true if I say it with a great deal of authority!” I loved toying with that with Fiona— she just says things with a great deal of authority.

WS: How much of a learning

experience was that whole ten years on Friends?

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things I am really grateful for, among the 50 other things I’m grateful for [laughs] that concern Friends!

Also, getting to spend that much time and being that close with five other actors for ten years—that’s a gift. On a lot of TV shows people don’t get along the whole time. We did in every way; we were like family, we were like our own union businesswise. That was an extraordinary thing.

WS: Did you have any singing talent before you played Phoebe?

KUDROW: I think I’m a little better than that! Phoebe was so much fun—just to play somebody who’s not very good but they think they are. I love that. I love when people don’t know how they are coming off.

She thought she was this fantastic artsy folksinger! And she’s not. She doesn’t play that well, but that doesn’t matter!

WS: Phoebe and Fiona have something in common—Fiona thinks she is completely right and in control and she’s not.

KUDROW: That’s sort of my running theme. If I’m doing a comedic character that’s what I’m looking for. What’s the thing they think that they are really good at and they’re not? The audience will know and then we are all in on it, expect for the person.

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one on one he RTL Group is Europe’s largest broadcaster.

Its success has been based on keeping pace with changing viewing habits and advances in technology. When the audience started showing signs of fragmenting, the group pioneered the concept of a family of channels, a bouquet of services targeting different demographic segments grouped around a flagship station. This model was first created in Germany with RTL Television as the flagship, then replicated in France around M6, in the Netherlands around RTL 4, and in Belgium around RTL-TVI. The RTL Group also has broadcast operations in Hungary and Croatia, and stakes in Grupo Antena 3 in Spain and in National Media Group in Russia.

As technology started providing viewers with multiple ways of enjoying programming beyond the TV screen, the group responded proactively by offering catch-up TV services, which have become extremely popular, particularly in Germany and France. The group is also launching digital channels to complement the linear and nonlinear offerings in several territories.

FremantleMedia is the RTL Group’s content powerhouse.

Producing some 9,200 hours of programming a year, including the mega-hit formats Idols, Got Talent and The X Factor, FremantleMedia is a leading international production entity capable of competing with the Hollywood majors.

When Gerhard Zeiler stepped down as CEO earlier this year, the RTL Board appointed two CEOs to replace him,

Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch. Schäferkordt had been heading up the RTL Group’s revenue driver, the German businesses of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, which includes RTL Television, Vox, RTL II, Super RTL, N-TV and a bouquet of digital channels. She joined the RTL Group in 1991, working at RTL Television, then moved to Vox, where she became CEO, and eventually she took responsibility for all the German operations. As coCEO, Schäferkordt will continue to manage the German TV business of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland. De Posch started his career in media at Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télé diffusion (CLT) in 1993 (it merged with Pearson Television in 2000 to become the RTL Group). De Posch then worked at the French pay-TV company TPS before he joined ProSiebenSat.1 Media in August 2003, first as COO and then as chairman of the executive board and CEO. After leaving ProSiebenSat.1 in 2008, de Posch acted as a consultant to European and U.S. broadcasters. He was appointed COO of the RTL Group on January 1 of this year and then co-CEO in April. As co-CEO, he is responsible for the group’s broadcasting operations outside Germany and for FremantleMedia.

Once competitors (when de Posch was at ProSiebenSat.1 and Schäferkordt headed up Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland), today the two are working in concert to shape the future of the RTL Group and position it to succeed in the digital age.

Guillaume de Posch & Anke Schäferkordt RTL Group

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one on one WS: What has been your strategy

since taking over as co-CEOs? SCHÄFERKORDT: Since taking

over as joint CEOs of RTL Group, in mid-April, we have conducted a comprehensive review of our corporate strategy. RTL Group is a very profitable company, with many growth opportunities and a clear strategy to pursue them. Together with the management teams in our operations we have defined three main investment areas: core, content, digital. We see significant growth potential in all three areas. Core: here, our main goal is to optimize and develop the existing broadcasting business and invest for growth in new territories.This includes launching new channels such as RTL Nitro in Germany and 6ter in France, and increasing distribution revenue from platform operators.

DE POSCH: Our second main area is content: we will further develop and acquire intellectual property and exploitation capabilities, in particular in areas such as general entertainment, U.S. drama, kids’ entertainment, gaming and online-video networks. FremantleMedia will be key for this strategic goal, and we’ll continue growing our content arm through a combination of organic growth and acquisition. FremantleMedia will focus its investments on two goals: fueling its pipeline of intellectual property and serving new digital audiences, for example with YouTube channels or gaming. And third, we will build sustainable digital business models with strong crossplatform presence on all devices and screens, with Internet properties and new on-demand services—our brands will be present wherever our audiences look for quality content.

WS: What factors have contributed

to the success of the RTL family of channels in Germany?

SCHÄFERKORDT: We have established strong channel and program brands in Germany’s very crowded TV market, and are continuously developing and successfully playing them on all platforms: on air as well as

Talent scouts: One of RTL Television’s biggest hits is Das Supertalent, the German version of the Got Talent format sold worldwide by FremantleMedia, which is also owned by the RTL Group.

online and mobile. Our setup is complementary, to ensure that we reach a range of different demographics.

RTL Television offers programs for the whole family across all relevant program genres: drama series and movies are just as much part of this as large-scale shows, comedy and sport events, magazines and news.

Vox’s premium lineup with U.S. series, movies and first-rate commissioned productions caters more to a female audience. With its focus on news, business and talk, N-TV is our news channel. Super RTL is the strongest children’s brand on German television and RTL II is a contemporary channel for young audiences.

WS: How have the digital channels been performing, and do you have plans to launch more?

SCHÄFERKORDT: We are very happy with the development of the pay channels we launched a good five years ago: RTL Crime, Passion and RTL Living. They have a very decent reach, all three with very sound results. In addition to popular programs from the rest of the family of channels, we also air original, fresh premieres. For instance, this fall The Body Farm, a BBC-produced crime series—spun off from Waking the Dead—will debut on RTL Crime; Passion will premiere the awardwinning screen adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South; and Hugh’s Fish Fight—a documentary series that triggered a pan-European campaign for sustainable fishery— will make its debut on RTL Living.

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On top of this, we launched a new free digital channel in April: RTL Nitro, [which] features programming for a broad target group, with a focus on male viewers. The new channel ideally complements our existing program portfolio with free-TV premieres of top U.S. series and crime and sitcom classics, plus fascinating movies. It launched with hits like Modern Family and Nurse Jackie, and we’ll be upping the ante in the upcoming season with Covert Affairs, Breakout Kings and Raising Hope. The viewers found the new channel more quickly than we expected: after attracting 0.3 percent of young viewers in its first month, the channel’s ratings have already stabilized at 0.6 percent—that is the fastest launch by a new channel in our market in recent years.

the “second-generation” channels, led byVox.As the pace of digitization accelerates and following the switchoff of the analog satellites, digital special-interest channels have mushroomed, especially recently—and here we are also shaping the market with RTL Nitro. Even if RTL Television has bucked the market trend and grown in the past two years, we won’t be able to stop the natural fragmentation of the market as more and more channels are available. Instead we have two priorities: we want our program and broadcasting brands to have a presence on all platforms, to entertain and inform our viewers whenever and wherever they want. And we want to do this—in the case of RTL Television—with a considerable lead over the competition.

WS: Looking to the French mar-

WS: As the audience continues to

fragment in Germany, what strategies must the RTL family of channels follow to maintain their competitive edge?

SCHÄFERKORDT: “When the market fragments, fragment yourself ” is one of our guidelines. And that is precisely the reason why we launched our three pay-TV channels for different and very narrowly defined target audiences in 2006, and then RTL Nitro not quite six months ago. Viewed over a longer period of 10 to 15 years, all major channels in Germany will lose audience share as digitization progresses. The primary winners are

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ket, what factors have contributed to M6 and W9’s continued success?

DE POSCH: Above all, M6 has developed a unique ability to capture the spirit of the times and address viewers accordingly. Nicolas de Tavernost and his team simply have an excellent sense of what viewers want. Just look at how M6 has established a major news show, Le 19:45, and the short drama series Scènes de ménages in access prime time—and how this counter-programming is gaining audience share from our competitors.

Other popular formats using the same approach include L’amour est dans le pré, Pékin Express and Un dîner presque parfait.

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The main channel, M6, is complemented by its digital companion,W9, which is the most watched digital terrestrial channel in the key commercial target group. W9 is positioned as a ‘mini-generalist’ channel whose programming covers various genres, including series, movies, magazines such as Enquête d’action, factual-entertainment formats and reality TV shows.

This strategy has paid off: in the first six months of 2012, M6 scored an audience share of 17.3 percent and was once again the only major channel to increase its ratings—and this in an environment that’s still marked by ongoing audience fragmentation.

With the broadcast of live EURO 2012 matches in June, M6 scored its best monthly ratings in four years.

The match between Sweden and France attracted 12.2 million viewers—the channel’s second-highest audience ever. As a consequence, the M6 family increased its combined audience share, both in terms of total audience and in the commercial target group.

WS: RTL Nederland has recently been named media company of the year in the Netherlands. What factors have been driving its success?

DE POSCH: One of RTL Nederland’s biggest achievements in recent years was its ability to very successfully position a fleet of four channels under the RTL brand name and to largely monetize their growing audience ratings: in 2011, nearly all growth in the Dutch advertising market went to RTL Nederland.

In the first half of 2012, RTL Nederland’s family of channels achieved a combined prime-time audience share of 32.4 percent.That was slightly down year-on-year, mostly because the European football championship was broadcast by the public broadcasters in June. Nevertheless, RTL Nederland increased its lead over its main commercial competitor, SBS Group, to 12.4 percentage points and also remained clearly ahead of the public broadcasters.

This is mostly due to great formats such as The Voice of Holland and Holland’s Got Talent, which captivated

millions of Dutch viewers each week. Or take The X Factor: last year, RTL Nederland developed a 360degree approach to increase audience involvement. It launched an app that enabled viewers to interact with candidates—even to follow their heartbeat while they sang onstage and prepared for their turn. This “heartbeat” feature created a real buzz.

Another feature, the “social heartbeat,” showed how many tweets and comments were posted for each candidate. In other words, the second screen has become a crucial addition.

In the past, interactivity used to take place through text messages or callin; today viewers use Facebook and Twitter. Shows like X Factor still create the “coffee-machine buzz,” but today it happens in real time and not the next day.

After the finale, RTL Nederland organized The X Factor Experience, a special concert where fans could contact the candidates they knew from the TV screen. This is a perfect example of what RTL Entertainment does in the event space—

especially since the acquisition of Wentink Events. RTL Entertainment also organizes events that aren’t at all related to any TV show.

To sum it up: RTL Nederland is one of the forerunners in digitization and diversification. Bert Habets and his team have managed to convert RTL Nederland from a TV broadcaster into an all-round media company. Besides the launch of new channels like RTL Telekids, RTL Nederland operates a rapidly growing on-demand platform called RTL XL and a series of popular mobile apps. It also operates online portals like the newly acquired weather site Buienradar and branches out into ventures such as the restaurant-reservation tool Couverts.

WS: Hungary is suffering from a

sluggish economy. What challenges is RTL Klub facing?

DE POSCH: In the first half of 2012, Hungary’s net TV-advertising market continued to decline quite significantly. This difficult economic environment—combined with the on-

WS: The Spanish market, by com-

parison, is a much different situation. How is Antena 3 faring?

DE POSCH: No doubt, Spain is in a difficult economic situation. The country’s TV-advertising market fell by an estimated 16.5 percent in the first six months of 2012. In Spain, we are a minority shareholder in Grupo Antena 3, with a 21.7-percent stake in the company.

Earlier this year, Antena 3 and La Sexta agreed to merge their TV businesses. Following a ruling of the competition authority CNC in July, which was considered unacceptable

by Antena 3, the Spanish government looked into the subject and modified the ruling of the CNC. As I said, the country is facing a difficult economic environment, but it is also a large TV market in Europe with significant recovery potential once the economic crisis is behind [us]—and Spanish people love watching TV, as shown by the very high average viewing time of 239 minutes per person a day.

Taking aim: FremantleMedia Enterprises represents a diverse slate of programming that includes a growing portfolio of drama titles, among them Sky Atlantic’s critically acclaimed Hit & Miss, starring Chloë Sevigny.

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one on one going fragmentation of the highly competitive Hungarian TV market— underlines the rationale behind our acquisition of seven cable channels in 2011 to build a complementary family of channels around RTL Klub.

The newly acquired cable channels increased their prime-time audience share by 25.7 percent compared to the first half of 2011.The new cable channel RTL 2 will further grow our shelf space.

WS: At FremantleMedia, what are the keys to finding successful formats that can travel?

DE POSCH: FremantleMedia is one of the jewels in our portfolio. At the international TV market in Cannes, in spring 2012, you could see how highly FremantleMedia is regarded

by TV professionals around the world.Tried and tested format brands like Got Talent are very valuable.

But you have to remember that you can’t just copy a format from one country to another, you have to adapt to local customs and behavior. Television and TV production is a highly local business: you have to know your audience, and how to address your viewers.This is what FremantleMedia offers through its global network of production companies.

The key to finding successful formats for worldwide travel is to identify formats that can easily overcome these cultural barriers. On the one hand this can be done by relying on a clear set of rules that apply to popular sports such as football or tennis, and to long-running game shows such as The Price Is Right. On the other hand, talent shows such as Got Talent or Idols share a mutual frame of reference. FremantleMedia won’t need to make them more German or French in their respective markets, because the contestants are German and French.Their dreams and aspirations are universal stories. And these stories can travel.

And yet, competition is fierce in the production space; Cecile FrotCoutaz, FremantleMedia’s new CEO, who knows the company inside out, will take FremantleMedia to the next

Flower power: L’amour est dans le pré on M6, part of the RTL Group’s European portfolio, is the French version of FremantleMedia’s The Farmer Wants a Wife.

level with her team as they untiringly find and exploit new formats.

WS: What trends are you seeing in online viewing?

SCHÄFERKORDT: More and more viewers today expect to be able to watch television wherever and whenever they want, especially when they’ve missed a favorite show.Therefore, online views via PC and mobile devices are increasing rapidly. In March this year, we had more than 100 million video views in Germany across all platforms for the first time; up to 20 million were generated by RTLNOW.de as just one member of our NOW family, as we call our several catch-up TV services.

Apart from this ongoing growth, we see that consumption of linear TV remains high on a record level across all relevant target groups.That shows us that online or mobile TV viewing represents an additional use of our content.

One future trend will be the option to use our on-demand services via connected-TV devices. Currently this market in Germany is very small, but we are sure it will grow fast in the next years. [Recently] we signed a first contract with a cable operator to bring back our catch-up services on the big TV screen.

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WS: What has RTL Group learned

about monetizing content on digital platforms?

DE POSCH: We are actively pursuing a digitization strategy: our linear free-to-air channels are already available on multiple digital distribution networks: terrestrial, cable, satellite and IPTV. We complement our channels with nonlinear offers such as free catch-up TV, paid ondemand services and apps on TV, tablets and smartphones—in a nutshell, we are available to viewers on all screens. And we’ll do even more in the future. Let’s not forget that top content is the key driver of demand for such devices.

RTL Group’s online platforms and on-demand offers across Europe collectively generated more than 1.2 billion video views of professionally produced content in the first half of 2012—that’s up 33 percent yearon-year. Mobile video views were up 92 percent in Germany, and up 99 percent in France. This is a rapidly growing market. And this growing audience demand is also attracting advertisers, as you can see from the high growth rates of online video advertising. But the online market is very crowded and you need scale to operate in such a market; we believe that we have the necessary scale.

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We also do see a problem with copyright piracy on the Internet— i.e., when some companies or individuals try to make money with other companies’ content. It is essential that we remain in control of our content and of our advertising sales.

Content needs to be nurtured and properly protected by copyrights. A level playing field must be established among all industry players and across all digital-distribution platforms.

As for our content arm, there are many opportunities in the digital world for FremantleMedia. One way to generate revenues from content online is by micropayments.

FremantleMedia’s digital subsidiary Ludia has shown how to generate profits from games on Facebook or apps for digital devices such as the iPad. Recently, they launched the Jurassic Park Builder app, which is already proving popular with users.

Additionally, the YouTube channel of Britain’s Got Talent has reached over 1 billion video views and is among the top 50 most-watched channels worldwide. In May 2012, FremantleMedia launched its first channel funded by YouTube:The Pet Collective. In July, @radical.media followed with its channel, THNKR, which features programming focused on education and ideas that are changing the world. FremantleMedia’s German arm, UFA, is now also planning to launch two YouTube channels.

WS: Do you have plans to expand

the RTL Group’s pay-TV offerings?

DE POSCH: We currently offer pay-

TV channels in Germany, France and the Netherlands. RTL Nederland recently launched RTL Telekids.The RTL Telekids programming window, which was introduced on RTL 8 in October 2010, will remain on air as well. So the new channel can benefit from the cross-promotion between free-to-air and pay TV. That is our strategy: if a pay-TV channel complements and enhances our free-to-air portfolio we will definitely look into it and expand our portfolio. But we will not become a pay-TV company in the future.

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on the record TV, Independent Television, took to the airwaves in the U.K. in 1955. For years ITV—named “independent” in contrast to the BBC, which is a public broadcaster—operated as a network of some 15 regional television companies and established itself as the country’s leading commercial broadcaster, a position it still holds today.

Not daunted by the deep pockets of the BBC, ITV set itself on a course to win the hearts of British viewers with a mix of high-quality drama and entertainment and a firm commitment to public-service programming: from dramas like Brideshead Revisted and The Jewel in the Crown to crime series like The Avengers, Inspector Morse and Prime Suspect, from the daily soaps Coronation Street (which in 2005 was voted the best ITV show of all time in a poll conducted on the occasion of the broadcaster’s 50th anniversary) and Emmerdale to the current-affairs show World in Action and the documentary series Survival.

In the 1990s, the British television landscape began to evolve rapidly and ITV was directly affected by changes in the marketplace. The Broadcasting Act of 1990 allowed regional companies to merge for the first time. By the year 2000, there were two main ITV companies, Granada and Carlton, and in 2004 they, too, merged and ITV plc was formed. Since then, ITV has launched a family of channels, each of which targets a specific audience. While

ITV1 remains the flagship service, reaching out to all viewers with its general-entertainment offering, ITV2 is for younger viewers, ITV3 aims for an upper-scale audience, ITV4, with its sports-rich schedule, is primarily for men, and CITV is for children.

ITV hit a bit of a rough patch a few years ago, with declining ratings and rising debt. Adam Crozier, who became the chief executive in 2010, claims ITV lost its way for a while because it had abandoned its commitment to quality programming.

Crozier presented shareholders and the public his five-year Transformation Plan, which aimed at making ITV more efficient, diversifying its revenues, lessening its dependence on advertising at a time when the U.K. economy was sluggish at best, and most of all, creating high-quality programming. This programming, to be produced for the most part in-house by ITV Studios, must first perform well with British viewers, but must also have elements that would appeal to audiences in other countries, in order to boost revenues from international sales. Some examples of these shows are the hit drama Appropriate Adult and the successful entertainment format Come Dine with Me. As Crozier tells World Screen, the Transformation Plan is working. ITV has posted positive financial results, its ratings are up, as are non-advertising revenues, and it is outperforming the British advertising market. Although ITV’s name comes up often in the press as a potential buyer of media companies, Crozier won’t comment on what might be, he is singularly focused on what is: ITV is healthier than it was and its content is performing well not only on linear channels in the U.K. and around the world, but also on increasingly popular digital platforms and devices.

Adam Crozier ITV plc

WS: Shortly after you became

chief executive you presented your Transformation Plan for ITV. How far along is it today?

CROZIER: We started about two and a half years ago and we are about halfway through. It’s deliberately a very simple strategy, which is that we want to create great content, make that content famous on our channels and other platforms, and then sell it around the world. Our strategy has four parts. First, it’s all about a lean, creative ITV, which is about the way we work internally to take advan-

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tage of being a producer/broadcaster.

Second, we are trying to maximize revenue and share of viewing from our freeto-air channels. Third, we want to build new revenue streams in online and pay.

And the fourth is to build a strong international content business.

If we jump forward to today, ITV is in a much healthier state. All the different parts of ITV are working together. Two years ago we were producing 47 percent of our own programs—for ITV1 today it’s more than 55 percent. After ten years of decline in our share of viewing, over the last two or three years we stabilized, and in fact last year it went up slightly.

We are outperforming the advertising market. We’ve got real positive growth in online and in pay—this year these revenues are up 24 percent. And lastly, we are building a stronger international content business

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on the record

I

IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER HOW BRILLIANT YOUR TECHNOLOGY IS—IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT TO WATCH, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DO TOO WELL.

and revenues are up this year 34 percent. The whole purpose is to rebalance ITV, and we are making good progress—our nonadvertising revenues are up by 26 percent and we are becoming less reliant on advertising.

Financially we are in a completely different position. Two years ago, we had a net debt of around £612 million ($961 million) and today we have £92 million ($144 million) of positive cash. We had a record profit last year of £462 million ($725 million), and our revenue and profit are up by 10 percent in the first half of this year. So we are well on the way to transforming the business, but we are very aware that there is still a long way to go.

WS: ITV1 is the flagship channel.

What are the main strengths of its schedule?

CROZIER: ITV1 is right at the heart of our channel setup. It’s the biggest commercial channel in the U.K. Not surprisingly, a few years

ago, when ITV wasn’t doing well, it had stopped investing in things like drama and documentaries and current affairs. What we have tried to do in the last two to three years is really return to what made ITV one of the iconic international broadcasters, which is to have a top-class schedule with a real variety of programs.We have gone very heavily back into drama, with series like Downton Abbey, Vera and Appropriate Adult; big entertainment shows like The X Factor, I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! and Britain’s Got Talent.We’ve got lots of top-class live sport like the Champions League in Europe and England football matches, fantastic long-running successful soaps— Coronation Street has been going for 50 years and Emmerdale, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this autumn—as well as high-quality factual, documentary and currentaffairs programming. We have gone back to a full, high-quality schedule that covers all genres and is under-

pinned by a top-class news operation. So we’re back to focusing on what makes ITV’s schedule such an important part of the broadcast industry in the U.K. WS: How do the ITV digital channels complement ITV1?

CROZIER: The great thing about ITV is that we lie at the heart of popular culture in the U.K. and our digital channels are a very important part of that.Their viewing levels have consistently gone up over the last two years and were up 5 percent in the first half of 2012. ITV2 and ITV3 are the two biggest digital channels in the U.K., with ITV4 growing very fast—up 8 percent in the first half of this year. As with all digital channels, we are looking to invest quite heavily in more channeldefining programming. ITV2 is aimed at the valuable younger audience, ITV3 is aimed at the ABC1 audience and ITV4 is primarily aimed at men through sport. What that does as a portfolio

Feeding frenzy: Come Dine with Me has become one of ITV Studios’ biggest format hits, spawning versions in Australia, South Africa, France, Canada and Brazil, among a number of other markets.

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Footy fever: Coverage of top-flight sports—including this year’s EURO 2012 soccer tournament—is a key part of the ITV1 and ITV4 schedules.

of channels, with ITV1 being for everybody, is allow us to pick off key audiences that advertisers demand.

From a schedule-optimization point of view, that is the winning combination for us.

WS: Am I correct that there has been an increase in viewing across the board in the U.K.?

CROZIER: Yes, viewing in the U.K. has been at record levels. The average person is viewing just over four hours a day of linear TV, pretty much the highest it’s ever been.

That doesn’t include the viewing on all the various new devices and platforms, so generally viewing of television is very strong in the U.K. right now.

WS: What’s driving this increase?

CROZIER: It’s a number of differ-

ent things. First of all, there is a very healthy competitive market in the U.K., a lot of good channels.

The U.K. invests per capita more in original content than just about any other market in the world, so there’s very high-quality original programming across all the channels—drama and entertainment as well as sport. There was a view, a few years ago, that social media would detract from TV viewing.

Actually, I think we are pretty clear

that if anything, social media is driving interest in television and in television programming and in many ways creating a two-way relationship with viewers. The number one thing people want online is to be able to access programs at any time, on whatever device, in any place that suits them.

But what they also want alongside that is increased engagement and interaction with the program.

WS: What is the outlook in the U.K. for the advertising market for the rest of the year?

CROZIER: January this year through to September it’s been broadly flat. The truth is, it’s been that way for 12 or 18 months now, and within that we have been gaining market share. I don’t think it’s a surprise when you look at the economy in the U.K. The ad market broadly goes in line with that.

What is interesting from our point of view is that when you talk about a flat market, that could suggest that it’s quite boring, while in fact what you see is that within that there are huge shifts going on. For example, the finance category is 28 percent up year on year, and that is led in the main by Internet comparison sites, [which are] using television effectively as their shop 10/12

window. Retail is down 9 percent and telecommunications is up 16 percent. So although the advertising market sounds flat and dull, actually it’s reflecting what’s going on in the economy and you only need to pick up a newspaper to see that there are winners and losers.

WS: How is ITV diversifying its

revenues beyond advertising?

CROZIER: We grew our nonadvertising revenues by £93 million ($146 million) last year and by £106 million ($166 million) in the first half of this year, an increase of 26 percent, mainly from content. But our online, pay and interactive revenues also did well in the first half of the year, up 24 percent to £46 million ($72 million) from pretty much a standing start. It’s becoming quite a significant number.

As I said, the most significant portion is generated from content.

There is a genuine demand internationally for high-quality content and it’s coming from two areas: from broadcasters all over the world looking to [remove risk from] their schedules by buying proven content, and from all the various platforms, devices and systems that are launching. People are beginning to realize that it doesn’t really matter how brilliant your technology is—

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if you don’t have something that people want to watch, you’re not going to do too well. It’s another area where the Internet is actually proving to be a real opportunity for us. Companies like Netflix, LOVEFiLM and all those connected-TV sites are all a real opportunity for us to sell content, and content is, of course, at the heart of what we are doing. Key to that is investing very heavily in piloting and developing new programs, new scripts and new entertainment ideas. Last year we had 111 new commissions across the world, and in the first half of this year we’ve had 61 new commissions with revenues up by 34 percent and, importantly, our international revenues were up 66 percent last year.We are producing more of our own programs, up from 47 percent to more than 65 percent.

We now have eight shows being produced across more than three countries, while last year it was only four. The dramas we are producing, for example Titanic and Prime Suspect (and we’ve got a lot more in the pipeline, including Mr Selfridge), are beginning to really travel internationally. So too are our new entertainment shows, including Surprise Surprise, which is coming back in the autumn to ITV1 and also looks

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on the record like it’s going to be picked up in the States, which is terrific. We’ve got The Chase, which is being picked up in Germany, and hopefully in the States, and we also have The Audience, which was sold to six countries. And of course Come Dine with Me continues to be the mostdistributed format across Europe, which all goes to show that ITV Studios is really at the heart of the transformation of ITV. WS: There were reports that ITV

would be interested in acquiring Endemol.

CROZIER: You won’t be surprised to hear me say we would never comment on speculation, and because ITV is quite a well-known name, we get associated with a lot! We’ve got great organic growth and we will look at opportunities when they come up.

WS: The ITV Player has been

quite a success.

CROZIER: I have to be honest; it was one of the worst things we inherited. ITV had a really poor technology base and was typical of a company that was trying to create all its own technology and it wasn’t compatible with other platforms. In the beginning, we had to go back and rewrite a lot of the codes and almost start from scratch, and as a result it’s now a very strong proposition. We’ve also improved the distribution of ITV Player massively so that it’s now on pretty much all the major platforms. Our online viewing has gone up by more than five times in the last three years and 20 percent in the last six months. We are going to be augmenting that with a number of different things—a pay version of the player, so that we can start to

bring in more revenues, and we also launched YouView, our connectedTV platform, with partners the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, BT, TalkTalk and Arqiva, which we see as the future version of Freeview.

In trying to drive people to the site we’ve also made changes to our online news site, which has multiplied our viewing levels by four since we launched in the spring.

WS: Because of so much “wherever, whenever” viewing, some in the industry are questioning the relevance of linear channels, and wondering if on-demand viewing will overtake linear viewing. Is television still holding strong in the U.K.?

CROZIER: Television has been remarkably resilient and if anything has grown over the last few years, and social media is driving that— ITV has something like 20 million

Facebook “likes.” There is fantastic opportunity in the fact that people can now watch TV in places they could never watch before: sitting on a train or a bus, in the back of a car.

People can get access to simultaneous schedules when they are watching on iPads or Android. And increasingly, we will be offering consumers the opportunity to access our archives as well, which opens up new revenue opportunities.

As I said before, the really big thing here is that television has a future where it doesn’t just reach mass audiences on linear TV, but also those watching on connected TVs. That represents a wonderful opportunity for us, but I don’t ever see it taking over from traditional television. If you get your programming right and you’ve got great, must-see programs, then linear TV will survive and prosper.

Going shopping: ITV has been ramping up its slate of drama commissions with upcoming series like Mr Selfridge, which ITV Studios Global Entertainment is distributing worldwide.

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in conversation or years Brazilians had a saying: “Brazil is the country of the future and always will be.” Well, the future has arrived. The first of the famous BRIC countries (the others are Russia, China and India), emerging markets whose economies have been far outpacing growth in developed countries, Brazil has been attracting foreign investment, exporting valuable natural resources and investing in infrastructure.

But Brazil’s most valuable resource is its growing middle class. The government estimates that between 2003 and 2009, more than 20 million people were able to pull themselves out of poverty and join the middle class—fueling the labor force and consumer spending.

Economists and investors around the world may be keeping a close watch on the “Brazilian Miracle,” but nobody has witnessed it as closely as TV Globo, the national commercial broadcaster and market leader. Not only has TV Globo been documenting Brazil’s progress through its news and current affairs, but it produces programming specifically dedicated to job training and health issues, all in an effort to help those who are trying to get ahead.

Certainly, TV Globo’s telenovelas and series have both reflected and shaped Brazilian society and culture.

Whether tackling controversial issues, re-creating historical events or traveling to exotic locales, Globo’s novelas

have drawn record-breaking ratings at home and enchanted audiences around the world. The commercial arm, Globo TV International, sells both finished product and formats to international broadcasters and has co-produced novelas with Azteca in Mexico, Telemundo in the U.S. Hispanic market and SIC in Portugal.

TV Globo, however, is much more than novelas. Entertainment formats, documentaries, news and certainly sports—in a country where soccer, “the beautiful game,” is elevated to a religion—have dominant positions in Globo’s schedule. And speaking of sports, the world will be watching Brazil for the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. TV Globo’s CEO, Octavio Florisbal, affirms that Globo is pulling out all the stops in planning coverage of these two mega sports events.

More than ever, Florisbal and his management team are carefully tracking not only the country’s growing consumer base but the new ways it enjoys content on mobile and online: Brazilians over-index in the use of mobile phones.

Brazil is reportedly the sixth-largest mobile market in the world and the second-biggest country on Facebook, after the U.S. Providing content on a variety of screens and devices beyond linear television is a top priority at Globo, as Florisbal tells World Screen in this exclusive interview, and a strategy that has positioned the company to grow by between 8 and 10 percent this year.

Octavio Florisbal TV Globo

WS: How is Globo preparing for the

World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016? How important are these two events for the Brazilian market and for Globo in particular?

FLORISBAL: What we are experiencing here is a rebirth of the Brazilian miracle. Despite several lingering problems, such as a series of structural reforms that the government seems incapable of doing anything about, productivity in agribusiness has grown enormously. As a result we are producing more food, and the world needs food. There have been some important discoveries of oil and natural gas, and we will produce a lot of oil due to presalt reserves [off the coast of Brazil] in the coming years. We have also been investing in infrastructure, ports, steel mills, railroads, renovating roads, and basic sanitation. Huge investments in the coming years have been scheduled, and that will ensure employment and better wages. The economy as a whole will grow significantly through 2020, 10/12

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in conversation

W WE HAVE A

DAILY RELATIONSHIP WITH MORE THAN 5,000 AGENCIES AND MORE THAN 50,000 ADVERTISERS...TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE SHOW ABOUT 20 MILLION COMMERCIALS PER YEAR.

and on top of that, as you mentioned, there will be the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. These are two very important events for the country, not only in terms of investment and advertising dollars but also as an opportunity for “Brazilianness,” of integration. We are already working very seriously on this.

Just to give you an idea, we will cover the World Cup in 2014 with 12 headquarters: five from Globo (São Paulo, Rio, Brasília, Belo Horizonte and Recife) and the other seven headquarters of our affiliates. We have been preparing for over a year with special teams in journalism, sports, engineering and marketing. We have a very close partnership with FIFA (the International Federation of Association Football). FIFA has already installed a branch here in Rio, and we have a very close relationship with them regarding the events that will take place during the tournament.

After that there will be the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. I don’t know if you have been here recently, but Rio looks like a construction site.

The Rio of the Olympics will be a different city. It’s fantastic. All this will bring many opportunities, and we are in it too. In addition to all of our teams, all the investment, we are building the Botanical Garden complex. We already have four buildings. We are building three more buildings. And we are doubling our capacity for studios and newsrooms to meet the needs of sports journalism in preparation for the World Cup and the Olympics.

We have been investing a lot and we are very confident that these two events will bring great business opportunities to the advertising market, to Globo and to its affiliates. Not only for network TV but also pay TV, Internet, mobile, outof-home events, Fan Fests, which we are also helping FIFA organize, and a number of other things.

These are great opportunities that we want to take advantage of.

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WS: Besides product placement and product integration, what options can Globo offer advertisers beyond commercial spots?

FLORISBAL: Over the past 15 years, we have been developing new commercial formats. Today, we have about 40 different formats for marketing and sponsorship, institutional projects, and promotional projects. Product placement here at TV Globo is very well developed. We have a very big team focused on that. When we place products within programs, mainly telenovelas and TV series, we do it carefully, to avoid being too heavy-handed, and it is very well accepted. For example, a 30second spot on our most popular telenovela, Avenida Brasil (Brazil Avenue), which airs at 9 p.m., gets about 45 rating points. That’s a lot of people. A 30-second spot during that telenovela costs $250,000.

Product placement during the same telenovela can cost at least twice as much, $500,000 to $750,000. We place products in our reality shows as well—such as Big Brother and others—and in our celebrity-hosted variety shows.

This is also a format that advertisers have been actively seeking.

Some people say that the 30-second spot will disappear. I think that it is not likely to happen anywhere in the world because you don’t have other formats to replace the 30second spot and you will not be able to please all advertisers. Here at Globo, for example, we have a daily relationship with more than 5,000 agencies and more than 50,000 advertisers. If we stopped running 30-second spots, there would not be enough forms of product placement to fulfill them all. To give you an idea, we show about 20 million commercials per year.

WS: How does Globo manage to reach a huge audience—indeed, a massive audience—while still producing a quality product? I am not only referring to production but to

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anything of interest to anyone with a higher level of education. How do you manage to strike a balance?

FLORISBAL: I will tell you that this is a daily challenge, but you know that already. In television in general, and for broadcast TV in particular, this is a continuous process.You work every day with a lot of dedication.You have to plan short term for this week, this month, this year, for the next two years and for five years. That’s what we have been doing. It is a process that has already lasted more than 40 years. Throughout this period, we have been perfecting some tools that are important to understand and serve our viewers well. We invest heavily in sociological and anthropological research in order to learn the habits and customs of our population and how we can serve them better through television.We invest heavily in technology.

We have completed the conversion from analog to digital, which networks in the U.S. have already done. Today we’re totally digital and almost entirely HD. We are already shooting telenovelas in 4K, with a beautiful visual quality. We invest heavily in information technology, too. And today I would say that Globo is a very computerized company.

We also work closely with our talent, which always makes a big difference. We try to attract, retain, train, and motivate. It is daily work.

If you were to ask me what makes TV Globo different than the other television networks in Brazil and perhaps in other places, I would say that it is precisely our talent, the way we work together and how passionate we are about what we do. It’s about that daily challenge: to strive for the best possible quality and, whenever possible, to innovate and bring something new to the table that can meet the viewers’ needs while generating advertising revenue. That’s what we have been doing. Not only at TV Globo but also at its affiliates that we follow very closely. So this is a process that

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allows us to have diversified programming, 24 hours a day, with diverse genres such as fiction (telenovelas, TV series, sitcoms), journalism (news and sports) and variety programs. These are the three major genres. Yesterday I mentioned to friends here in Rio that last Tuesday I had several meetings and I normally go to sleep very late so I ended up watching late-night shows such as Jô Soares, our David Letterman, and I was calculating that we aired from 6 a.m. until Jô Soares, 23 programs— 22 of them produced by us. You have to have an enormous capacity for creation and production, whether it be in entertainment, sports or journalism. It is about a motivation that inspires us and makes us very different in the quest for quality.We have had a small shift toward themes about everyday working people, especially if you look at our telenovelas, which are mostly stories about working-class people while retaining creativity and production quality. This holds true for journalism, sports and everything we do.

WS: Speaking of the company’s

diversification program, you are now producing more action and police TV series as well as more documentaries, correct?

FLORISBAL: We used to have more sitcoms but today we have a little more variety. Besides sitcoms, we show more action series, more reality shows, and we are going to show The Voice, which I think will be a big hit as well. We have been producing several reality shows in addition to Big Brother. We have been trying to diversify our programming to serve our viewers.

WS: I understand that, besides

novelas, you are also selling other types of programs, such as drama series and documentaries, to the international market. Is that right?

FLORISBAL: Our portfolio is always strongly grounded in telenovelas but we are also selling sit-

coms now and documentary-based shows like Globo Repórter. We have named this strand GloboDOC. We sell a lot of soccer because of the agreements we have with federations. We sell the Brazilian championships to more than 140 countries.

So our licensing department sells a range of genres and programs.

As you know, selling is very difficult, not only because of today’s economic crisis that has shaken several regions of the world but also because whenever possible, local audiences prefer to watch local productions. So we have also tried to develop that. In addition to licensing soap operas, soccer and other formats to over 100 countries, we have begun to sell a new format of co-production with local broadcasters, such as Telemundo in the U.S. We will co-produce Fina Estampa, a very successful telenovela here, with Telemundo. We have an orientation package for art direction, set design, etc. But the direction and the cast is local, to give it a local color. The writing is also adapted to include local characteristics. We are doing that with Telemundo in the U.S., with Azteca in Mexico, with SIC in Portugal. In fact, a few months ago, we launched a telenovela co-produced with SIC called Dancin’ Days. It was created by Gilberto Braga and it was a great success here in Brazil for many years. Today it is the leader in Portugal, just like Laços de Sangue, another co-produced telenovela, that won the [International] Emmy Award last year. So we have invested in these new opportunities for coproductions outside of Brazil.

WS: And what about in Brazil? Is

there an interest to co-produce series at Projac in English or Spanish?

FLORISBAL: We would have to prepare ourselves for that, and at the moment we are busy meeting very large domestic demand. For example, we produce about 2,800 hours of entertainment in all genres, and we produce about 2,600 hours of journalism and sports 10/12

Views from Brazil: Market leader TV Globo delivers a broad mix, including, from top to bottom, the novelas Gabriela and Cordel Encantado, the GloboDOC series and the popular entertainment show Caldeirão do Huck.

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in conversation

On set: Globo films a number of its series, including the talk show Na Moral, at its Rio de Janeiro studios, Central Globo de Produção—more commonly known as Projac—the largest production facility in Latin America.

annually. So our production capacity is full. One day we may create an annex for the international market but we would have to prepare for it. Today we do not have this capability.

WS: You focus mainly on the Brazilian market, then.

FLORISBAL: Yes. It is also because the Brazilian advertising market is the sixth-largest in the world. And it is the third-largest for network TV, after the U.S. and Japan. And the Brazilian market will only grow further, so we still have tremendous opportunities to explore.

Obviously, we would like to grow in licensing and co-production so that we can have an even larger presence institutionally and be the network that brings a bit of the Brazilian culture to other parts of the world. However, from a business point of view, this growth will be relatively limited. It is not in our DNA to compete in content with major media companies such as those from the U.S. and Europe, whose content is mostly in English, because it would take us too far from our core business. We look at the international market in terms

of Spanish and Portuguese. We do not believe it is worthwhile to try to compete in the short term with these big media companies that already have a tradition, an expertise and a significant investment in production.

WS: I understand that pay TV in Brazil is also growing exponentially.

Is that correct?

FLORISBAL: Yes, that is correct. It has had significant growth. If you go back to the year 2000, there were perhaps 2 million cable subscribers. Since that time, the number of cable providers, especially via satellite, has increased, subscriptions have became cheaper and more channels have come to Brazil.

Today there are 14 million subscribers, and that number is expected to grow at a rate of 1 to 2 million subscribers per year. In three or four more years the number of subscribers will reach 20 million.

At that point it will become mass media and important from the standpoint of audience size. These channels, 150 channels in total, already have a large audience. They compete for second or third place in the market, after TV Globo. Of 424

course, from an advertising investment point of view its significance is smaller. Pay TV’s share of advertising spending is between 3.5 percent and 4 percent, say 3.8 percent against 65 percent for broadcast TV. Why? Because most advertisers already have a presence on broadcast TV and there’s little need to supplement this presence on pay TV except when a rare adaptation of a campaign is required for a niche market. So I would say that pay TV will continue to grow exponentially in terms of subscribers and audience size but [not] in terms of advertising dollars. Its growth will be much lower simply because the market is already saturated by network TV and also because of the Internet, which currently has an advertising market share of around 5 percent and should grow in the coming years.

WS: How do you see Globo’s

international growth and expansion over the next year or two?

FLORISBAL: On the licensing front, we have increased our portfolio to be able to offer more programming. We believe that the licensing of soccer-game coverage

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will grow considerably because the World Cup will be held in Brazil in two years. That will attract considerable attention.We will grow a little more in co-production. But we believe that the greatest growth will take place in our international channel, TV Globo Internacional.

We have been investing heavily in it. We used to have the same programming for everyone. Now we have five different feeds: one for the U.S., one for Europe, one for Portugal, which is a specific market, another for Africa and another for Asia. We are now refining these programs and will increase the production of local products as much as we can, primarily for Brazilians living abroad. Basically, TV Globo Internacional has 600,000 subscribers, but we believe that we can reach a million subscribers in the next few years, which is a good business.

WS: Will Brazil win the World Cup? FLORISBAL: Look, I can assure

you of this: on the one hand, it is a shame that we Brazilians leave everything to the last minute. We would be much further along if we had started work back in 2007 or 2008 when we won the rights to host the World Cup from FIFA. Most of the construction would have been ready by now and we would have more time for other projects. Some of the infrastructure work, in traffic and transportation, for instance, may not be fully ready.

We could certainly be better equipped at this point. But on the other hand, one thing Brazilians have is our joy of living, our pursuit of happiness, just like the people in Southern Italy, for example. What I can guarantee is that the World Cup in Brazil will be the happiest, most cheerful and most exciting of all time.Whether or not the Brazilian team wins it will depend on what it does when it is face-to-face with these great teams that you see at the European Cup, plus Argentina, our next-door neighbor, which has an excellent soccer team.

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executive briefing here is no doubt that Haim Saban is a tough and able negotiator, whose skills have allowed him to amass a net worth of more than $3 billion. He made his fortune in the entertainment business and has put his money to work investing in broadcast entities and brands that can be exploited across multiple platforms. In fact, he was in the business of developing and building brands and properties long before the two words became commonly used terms in show-biz vernacular.

He started to hone his business acumen at an early age. As a young man, he built the premier tourpromotion business in Israel. In 1975, he moved to France and set up an independent record label, marking his first foray into the entertainment business. He then moved to the U.S., settling down in Los Angeles, where he opened a chain of recording studios and, in 1988, founded Saban Entertainment, an international production, distribution and merchandising company. A number of television shows followed, developed around Marvel Comics characters.

The company’s growth trajectory changed markedly after Saban spotted a show in Japan. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers turned Saban Entertainment into a major player not only in children’s programming, but also in the media business. Saban merged his company with News Corporation’s Fox Children’s Network, which was rebranded

Fox Family Worldwide. This joint venture was sold to The Walt Disney Company in 2001.

Saban continued to make deals. After setting up the Saban Capital Group (SCG), of which he is chairman and CEO, he led a group of investors in acquiring a controlling stake in the German broadcast entity ProSiebenSat.1 Media, which was sold in 2007, and a controlling stake in Bezeq, the Israeli telecommunications corporation. He also previously held a stake in the Israeli broadcaster Keshet. In 2007, SCG teamed up with other investors to acquire Univision, the leading Spanish-language network serving the U.S. Hispanic market. SCG’s other current private-equity investments include Celestial Tiger Entertainment, a venture with Lionsgate and Astro, Malaysia’s largest pay-TV platform, to launch and operate new branded payTV channels across Asia; Taomee, China’s leading children’s online entertainment company; MNC, Indonesia’s only vertically integrated media company; and Sky Vision, Indonesia’s largest pay-TV platform.

In 2010, SCG set up Saban Brands, whose mission is to acquire and develop entertainment properties and consumer brands. For its first big property, the company returned to its roots, reinventing Power Rangers for today’s multitasking kids. Demonstrating his continued belief in the power of television, Saban, through a subsidiary of SCG, launched a new children’s block, Vortexx, on The CW in the U.S. As Saban tells World Screen, SCG is open for business and interested in investing in content companies.

Haim Saban

Saban Capital Group

WS: You have a track record of investing in

television entities. Even though the business is facing some challenges nowadays with the sluggish economy and fragmentation of the audience, what makes you believe so much in television as a medium?

SABAN: Because it has withstood every assault from any other medium. The fact of the matter is that networks and TV stations are still very profitable businesses.

We just made a major investment in the number one broadcaster in Indonesia.We made the investment in October and that investment is up close to 100 percent. So our experience over the years with broadcasting has been very positive.

ProSiebenSat.1 was a big success. Keshet was a big success. Univision is a magnificent company with magnificent management catering to the fastest-growing demographic in America. We believe it’s going to be a great success for us, too.

WS: Is Asia the area of the world right now where you feel there is a lot of potential and growth opportunities?

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executive briefing

T THE FACT OF THE

MATTER IS

THAT NETWORKS AND TV STATIONS

SABAN: We will continue, obviously,

to look for investment opportunities both in the U.S. and Israel. We are concerned about Europe. There is a lot of uncertainty and volatility.There are too many unknowns in Europe and the prices of companies that we would be interested in are still not low enough despite the crisis.Therefore we have diverted our attention from Europe to Asia, while, on an ongoing basis, we’re looking for opportunities in the U.S. and Israel.

WS: For many years, because of their

ARE STILL VERY PROFITABLE BUSINESSES.

dual revenue streams, satellite and cable were seen as having greater growth potential than broadcast television, which was only advertising based. But broadcast is now diversifying its revenues, isn’t it?

SABAN: Broadcasters are now enjoying a dual revenue stream, retransmission fees as well as advertising. It is no longer a one-revenuestream business, but if an advertiser or a marketer or an ad agency wants to reach masses, and reach is important to them, the best place to be is in broadcasting. I am not trying to minimize the importance

or the penetration of cable, which is very significant. And as a matter of fact, we are looking for opportunities in satellite and cable in Asia.

So we’re not limiting our interest just to broadcasting. Our interest is much broader than that.

WS: Univision has been very suc-

cessful in its retransmission deals.

SABAN: We were the first ones out

of the box, and I believe we came up with a successful formula—we had no disruptions [in service]. As the first one out of the box with no disruptions, I think it’s a significant achievement. The reason we were able to get there is simply because we came up with a formula that was a win-win for both us and the operators.There are ways that you can be paid for the signal that you supply and at the same time deliver to the operators certain items that are important to their growth.We came up with what very quickly became a win-win formula for both the operators and Univision.

WS: Contrary to other broadcast

entities, your negotiations were rel-

atively contention-free, weren’t they? They went rather smoothly.

SABAN: They were contentionfree in the eye of the public, but if you were in the room you had to wear a shield. [Laughs] WS: I guess every time you try something new, you have to deal with what comes up, right?

SABAN: We did OK, the operators are happy. It’s what we call a bar mitzvah! [Laughs] WS: Saban Capital Group has

invested in Taomee, China’s leading children’s online entertainment company. Even though the business models may not always be clear online, is digital media an area that also interests you?

SABAN: That the online world is unclear is the understatement of the year following the Facebook IPO. We are completely open to business for any form of media, or any form of business where we feel we can bring added value. As long as we can bring added value, we are interested. If you have a shoemanufacturing company, don’t come to us.We wouldn’t know how to tell you where to go buy the leather to make the shoes. But if you have a business that is in the content area, merchandising, licensing, marketing, online, gaming, broadcasting, any and all forms of content, we are open for business. And we are actively looking for investments. It isn’t easy to put money to work these days. And we are very fortunate that we have been, during the crisis, pretty conservative in the way that we deploy our capital. So we do have a lot of dry powder and we’re ready and open for business.

WS: Univision is unquestionably a

Taking notice: Betting big on the U.S. Hispanic market, Saban Capital Group led a group of investors to acquire the leading Spanish-language broadcaster, Univision Communications, in 2007.

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powerhouse. Televisa is no longer simply a supplier of programming, it now has a minority stake in the company. What plans do you have for building on the relationship with Televisa even further?

SABAN: The contentious relationship between Televisa and Univision

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was a relationship we inherited when we bought the company. Immediately after we got the keys to the house, we engaged with Televisa, and though it took longer than they or we would have liked, we got to a deal that they were satisfied with and so were we.

And now the relationship is absolutely flourishing.We have a saying at both companies that Univision is Televisa and Televisa is Univision. So to have as a shareholder what is basically the exclusive supplier to our prime-time schedule, which is guaranteed as long as Televisa is a shareholder—at least for the next 15 years—is an achievement that no network anywhere in the world can [claim]. And we are proud of it. We are proud of it because we have programming that airs on Televisa in Mexico before it comes here, and we know upfront which programs are going to be hits and which are not going to be hits, because 65 percent of our audience is of Mexican descent. And 56 percent of Hispanic bilinguals only watch Univision, even though they speak English. So this is a powerhouse and [no other company is comparable to it.] Because having secured programming that has been tested for your prime time for multiple years is just—well—it’s just unique in the world.

WS: And now you have the rights

to stream that programming online.

SABAN: We have exclusive all rights in the U.S. WS: And Venevision continues to

be a supplier as well?

SABAN: Venevision is a very

respectable company. They have been around for a long time. They are Venezuela- and Miami-based.

But obviously their output is smaller than Televisa’s. But they have produced a couple of hits for us, so it’s also working well.

WS: Tell us about the agreement

between Univision and ABC News for a news-and-information channel that will debut later this year.

SABAN: It’s a fifty-fifty joint venture where we will share the content that

it. We are not oblivious to it, but we are also not scared of it. It is what it is; it is competition.

WS: Another form of competition

has come in this past TV season from some of the Telemundo novelas, which got good ratings. Is there room in the Hispanic market for so many players?

SABAN: I think everybody should get out of the Spanish-language business! That’s what I think!

WS: That is a very clear goal!

SABAN: There is a lot of growth in

Korean-language media and Hindilanguage.There are many dialects in the [Indian] language. They should go focus on something else and leave the Spanish audience to us; we’ll take care of them!

Seeing a bright future: Heading into its 20th year, the Power Rangers franchise is still going strong, with the new series Power Rangers Megaforce slated for 2013.

goes on the channel and Disney is in charge of distribution and ad sales.

WS: In the area of advertising, has Univision been working to draw more English-language advertisers into the Spanish-speaking world?

SABAN: It’s an ongoing effort, but it is an effort that yields very positive results for us on a yearly basis.

Much of our growth is due to the fact that more and more marketers realize that to reach Hispanics you need to be on Univision—period, over and out.

WS: What is Hispanic purchasing

power, $1.3 trillion by the year 2015?

SABAN: It’s $1 trillion now and

growing by leaps and bounds.

WS: Do you plan on offering

more product placement and product-integration opportunities to advertisers?

SABAN: Well, obviously, before the deal with Televisa, product integration was pretty rare on Univision, but in view of the very close cooperation 10/12

between Televisa and Univision, we’re seeing more and more of it, and we are working hand in hand with Televisa to increase the marketing solutions that we offer our clients.

WS: The Hispanic TV market is getting more crowded now with the arrival of News Corporation’s MundoFOX.You don’t strike me as a person who is ever scared by competition, but how do you see MundoFOX affecting the market?

SABAN: Look, I will never discount [News Corp. deputy chairman, president and COO] Chase Carey!

[Laughs] So I will say I would have preferred that they stay in Englishlanguage media without coming into Spanish! I tried to convince Chase to do that, but he just laughed when I told him that. But it is what it is.

There is competition and there will be more competition. When you have purchasing power of $1.3 trillion coming down the line and the fastestgrowing population, you are going to have people looking to cater to that population. We are not surprised by

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WS: Speaking again about the power of the Hispanic population, this is an election year and the Hispanics could turn the election one way or the other. Talk to me about the role that Univision’s news has by broadcasting the debates and why it is important for both candidates to take the Hispanic population seriously.

SABAN: There are two facts that I would like to highlight. Fact number one is that Univision News, under the leadership of Isaac Lee, is a very balanced news division, allowing the right, the left and the center to express their views on all matters. At the moment, Hispanics are more with the Democrats, primarily President Obama, than they are with the Republicans. In order to get the nomination, [Mitt] Romney has had to take very extreme positions on immigration that are incompatible with the interests of the Hispanic community. Like every respected politician, [now that] he has the nomination, he’s going to move more to the center. How will that impact the Hispanic vote? Your guess is as good as mine, but we’ll be able to know much more once he clarifies with finality what his position is on immigration. So that’s where we are.

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executive briefing WS: Given all that is happening in

the Middle East right now, I imagine there is quite a lot going on at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

SABAN: We have about 40 people working, looking to supply elected and appointed officials with enough data and information so they can make educated decisions.

WS: We hear so much about job creation and about the need to turn the economy around.You have led successful businesses.What advice would you have for the next president?

SABAN: On the economy, it’s above my pay grade. I will tell you of a dinner I attended about a year and a half ago where Alan Greenspan [the former chairman of the Federal Reserve] was present and I asked him if he believes there will be inflation.

And he gave me a very long answer, which could have been summarized in one word: yes. And then I asked him at what level [would the inflation rate rise by] and he gave me another very long-winded answer, which could have been summarized in one number: 25 percent. I heard that and I wanted to jump off a cliff. I happened to be in New York. I went to sleep and I woke up the next morning and I opened The NewYork Times and Paul Krugman, a Nobel Laureate in economics, predicted deflation. So when you have Greenspan predicting inflation and Paul Krugman predicting deflation, I will answer your question by telling you it’s way above my pay grade to predict what the economy will do, because nobody knows what Greece will do, nobody knows how Germany will react to what Greece will do. Nobody knows whether there will be a run on the banks in Spain and what Greece will do about that. Nobody knows what the new president of France will face going for “growth” versus “austerity.” So the bottom line is, nobody knows. But I don’t like, on a personal level, what I see happening in Europe. Europe is our biggest trading partner.The way Europe goes, we go.

Saban Brands’

Elie Dekel between 25 and 30 percent of the girl audience, because those programs do draw that type of audience mix.

WS: Most children’s programming

As president of Saban Brands, Elie Dekel oversees the development of licensing and merchandising of such brands as Power Rangers and Paul Frank. He was also involved in the recent launch of Vortexx, a children’s block that premiered on The CW in the U.S. on August 25.

is on cable networks. Is there still a business to be had in broadcast?

DEKEL: In the U.S. broadcast landscape there are a couple of preschool blocks, but nothing in this demo or genre and not with this focus. If you look at our lineup, every one of those shows— Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, Yu-GiOh!, Dragon Ball Z Kai, WWE Saturday Morning Slam, Justice League Unlimited, Iron Man: Armored Adventures—has a loyal fan base. By tapping into new tools through

social media, through fan sites, through the viral nature of those types of fans, who are doers and consumers, we feel we can create a very compelling destination both on air on Saturday mornings for kids who wake up and flip on the TV, and for what they may want to log in to or download to their smartphone.

WS: A few years ago, people thought social media and online were detracting from television. Is it fair to say now that they are incremental to linear viewing and drive people back to the TV? WS: Tell us about Vortexx.

DEKEL: We see our properties as DEKEL: It’s a big initiative for us. surviving in a new ecosystem where It’s really a children’s media plattelevision is a critical component, form, because there is a and continues to be a backfive-hour block, from 7 bone component, but all a.m. to 12 p.m., every the surrounding elements Saturday morning on in coordination are, from a The CW, reaching 115 Saban Brands perspective, million homes. It has the an essential part of the stratlargest reach of any of the egy. We are finding that free-to-air children’s platconsumers and audiences, particularly young audiforms. Saturday morning is the prime-time daypart ences, are really embracing for kids. But it is just five that. When the audience hours, so we are surlikes something they want rounding that with an more of it. So why not eclectic digital platform give them more? A lot of and mobile platform.The that comes from expectaaudience we’re targeting, tion. Now children are young boys 6 to 11, overexpecting content on indexes digitally. So the demand. They are expectstrength of an integrated ing to go online and digital platform with a engage. They are expectSaturday morning broading to find the game or the cast daypart is something app or the T-shirt or the that we are excited about. toy. When you can tap We are really looking to into an audience response, super-serve this market of there is a natural opportuboys’ action adventure. nity to extend into those We know it’s predomi- Being frank: After acquiring Paul Frank Industries in other areas. So we look nantly boys; still, we 2010, Saban Brands has been expanding the flagship for properties that have expect to get somewhere Julius brand, which includes a kids’ clothing line. that potential.

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advertisers’ index 41 Entertainment 310 4K Media, Inc. 341 6 Spokes Solutions 163 9 Story Entertainment 133 A Squared Entertainment 261 A&E Ole Networks 578 A+E Networks 425, 432 ABS-CBN Corporation 481 AETN All Asia Networks 489 AFL Productions 85, 597 ALL3MEDIA International 73 Alphanim 231, 250 AMC-Sundance Global Channel 143 American Greetings Properties 308, 309 Animasia Studio 335 Animation From Spain 347 Applicaster 97 APT Worldwide 450 Argentina Audiovisual 185 Argonon International 397 Armoza Formats 368, 369, 385, 387 Arte France 445 Artear 211 Artist View Entertainment 28, 29 ATF 515, 636 ATV 192, 193 Australian Children’s Television Foundation 267 Bandeirantes Communication Group 138, 139 Banijay International 395 BBC Worldwide 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Beyond Distribution 63 Big Media Holdings 447 BoPaul Media Worldwide (BMW) 110, 111 BRB International 329 Breakthrough Entertainment 125, 285, 465 Brightcove 502, 503 BYU Television International 587 CAKE 270, 272, 274, 276, 278 Canal 13 529 Canal Futura 183 Canamedia 451 Caracol Television 213 Cartoon Network 250, 541 CBS Studios International 103 CDC United Network 576 Cineflix Rights 31, 33, 35, 413 Content Television 115 Cookie Jar Entertainment 279 Cyber Group Studios 234, 235, 310, 360 Daewon Media 337 Daro Film Distribution 81 Deutsche Welle 145 DirecTV Latin America 585 Discovery Access 449 Discovery Communications 91 Disney Channels LA 535, 537 Disney Media Distribution 543, 545, 547 Distribution 360 127 Dori Media Group 223, 517 Dreamworks Animation Classics 242, 243, 245, 247 E! Networks Latin America 589 Eccho Rights 372, 373 Edebe Audiovisual 333 Entertainment One 1 eOne Family 280, 281 Filmax International 214, 526 FINAS 483 Fox International Channels 47, 491, 504 Fox International Channels Latin America 571, 573 Fox Telecolombia 553 Foxtel 149 FremantleMedia 365, 420 FremantleMedia Enterprises 191, 197, 283, 477, 482, 501, 505 FremantleMedia Latin America 521 GAIAM Vevendi Entertainment 275, 277 Gaumont Intl. TV 20, 21 GCMA 483 Global Agency 194, 195, 374, 375, 376, 377, 430, 431 Global Screen 203 Globo TV International 226 Globosat 559 GMA Worldwide 155 Goldstein Douglas Entertainment 36, 37 GRB Entertainment 78, 80, 82, 83 Hasbro Studios 287 HBO Latin America 527 Hoho Rights 271, 273 Home Plate Entertainment 343 hTV 591 IATAS 357, 469 Imagina 109 INA Mediapro 75 Incendo 89 Infinito 539 ITV Studios Global Entertainment 12, 13, 389, 435 Jim Henson Company 248, 249 Kanal-D 38 KBS 153 Keshet International 405, 509 Ledafilms 93, 531 10/12

Lionsgate m4e AG Mance Media MarVista Entertainment MDA Media Networks MediaCorp Mediaset Mediatoon Mentorn International MGM Studios Miramax Mission Pictures International M-NET Mondo TV Moonscoop Multi Channels Asia Multicom Entertainment MultiVisionnaire Media Muse Distribution International National Geographic Channels NATPE NBCUniversal NBCUniversal Asia Nerd Corps Entertainment New Dominion Pictures NHK World NonStop Sales Nordic World Nottingham Forest Novavision-MEG OHM:TV Ole MM One Three Media ORF-Enterprise Osiris Entertainment Panini Media Passion Distribution Peace Point Rights PGS Entertainment Playboy Plus Entertainment Pol-Ka Portfolio Entertainment POWER Rainbow RCN Television Record TV Network Red Arrow International Rive Gauche Television RTVE Russia Television & Radio/Sovtelexport Saban Brands Sesame Workshop Shaftesbury Films Shine International Sky Vision Smithsonian Channel Solid Entertainment Sony Pictures Television Sprout Starz Media Strix Television Studio100 Media Sullivan Entertainment Talpa Distribution Tandem Communications Technicolor Animation Tele München International Telefe International Telefilms Telemundo International Telesur Televisa Internacional Televisa Networks Terranoa ToonBox Entertainment Toonzone Studios Tricon Films & Television TruTV Tsuburaya Productions Turner Content Solutions TV5 Monde TV Asahi Corporation TV Azteca TV Chile TV Film International TVA Films twofour54 Univision V&S Entertainment Venevision International Veria Living Worldwide Vision Films Warner Bros. International Television Watch It Now Entertainment WWE Your Family Entertainment ZDF Enterprises Zodiak Rights World Screen

637

14, 15, 105 291 87 4, 5, 187, 236, 237 478, 479 551 161 221 336, 338, 340, 342 151 59 51 77 370, 371 310, 353 232, 233 495 641 455 49 57, 472 593, 635 24, 25 493 263 453 583 169 366, 367, 426, 427 331 457 339 167 207 157 53 41, 43, 45 378, 433 135 238, 239 71 181 351 27, 461 240, 241 219, 561 513, 518, 519 61, 401 393 159, 555 205 2, 3, 344, 345 293 295 199, 201, 391, 439, 441, 500 79 147 428, 429 381, 383 265 16, 17 403 289 18, 19 407 65 299 67, 69 549 523 101, 499, 566, 596 575 209, 419, 485, 516, 525 215 443 307 310 129 590 301 306 196, 595 409 137 581 565 131 22, 511 95 269, 310 99, 225, 569 437 189 107, 642, 217 96, 98, 100 121, 533 303, 305 297 55

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world’s end

IN THE STARS

Almost every national constitution forbids the establishment of an official state religion. But this secular bent doesn’t stop people from looking to the heavens for answers to life’s most troublesome questions: Will I succeed? Will I find love? Will Kim Kardashian compare our friendship to cancer?

Every day, papers and magazines worldwide print horoscopes—projections for people born in a specific month, based on the positions of the stars and planets. While many people rely on these daily, weekly or monthly messages for guidance in their lives, some readers skip over them entirely.

Tom Cruise

Kim Kardashian

Heidi Klum

Clint Eastwood

Kim Kardashian

Global distinction: Masculine cultural icon.

Sign: Gemini (b. May 31, 1930) Significant date: August 30, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The 82-year-old Hollywood leg-

Global distinction: Reality TV star.

Sign: Libra (b. October 21, 1980) Significant date: September 10, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The 31-year-old reality star is

end attends the Republication National Convention in support of Mitt Romney. He delivers a speech directed at an “invisible” President Barack Obama, ranting at an empty chair. A flurry of social-media buzz follows, expressing confusion about the Dirty Harry star’s actions.

Horoscope: “Keep a clear head and don’t lose yourself in your emotions and thoughts today. Following your emotions may not be the wisest move.” (zimbio.com/astrology)

discussing her 72-day marriage with The Guardian when she indirectly compares her TV wedding to cancer. She tells the interviewer, “I spoke to a girl today who had cancer and we were talking about how this is such a hard thing for her, but it taught her a big lesson on who her friends are and so much about life.

She’s 18. And I was like, that’s how I feel.”

Horoscope: “It may be best for you to keep a low profile. Also, be sure to choose your words carefully.” (gotohoroscope.com)

The editors of WS recognize that these little pearls of random foresight occasionally prove prophetic.

But rather than poring over charts of the zodiac to predict world events, our staff prefers to use past horoscopes in an attempt to legitimate the science.

As you can see here, had some of these media figures remembered to

Tom Cruise Global distinction: Actor and devoted Scientologist.

Sign: Cancer (b. July 3, 1962) Significant date: September 1, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The October issue of Vanity Fair

features Cruise’s ex-wife Katie Holmes on the cover. An article within the magazine talks about a top-secret project led by the Church of Scientology that involved auditioning girlfriends for the actor back in 2004, before he and Holmes stepped out together.

Horoscope: “Cancer, keeping secrets doesn’t often turn out well because sooner or later those secrets are revealed. Honesty usually is the best way to go in most situations.” (saultthisweek.com)

consult their horoscopes on significant days, they could have avoided a few surprises.

Sofia Vergara

Jon Hamm Global distinction: Mad Men hunk.

Sign: Pisces (b. March 10, 1971) Significant date: September 9, 2012 Noteworthy activity: A photo hits the Internet of

the actor leaving Barney’s in New York with his girlfriend, Jennifer Westfeldt. The photograph in circulation shows Hamm’s manhood very clearly defined through his trousers. The pic causes much chatter in the blogosphere, with speculation as to whether he was wearing any underwear and whether the images had been altered.

Horoscope: “Get ready for action because it’s coming to find you once and for all. And look your very best, for others are watching.” (sexualastrology.com) 640

World Screen

Heidi Klum Global distinction: Model and TV host.

Sign: Gemini (b. June 1, 1973) Significant date: September 1, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The Project Runway host splits

from her R&B singer husband Seal after seven years of marriage. The divorce seems amicable, until TMZ releases a video of Seal accusing Heidi of cheating. “I would’ve thought Heidi would [have] shown a bit more class...before deciding to fornicate with the help, as it were,” Seal tells TMZ. Klum confirms reports that she is, in fact, dating her bodyguard.

Horoscope: “You like to keep private matters private.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone else you share them with does too.” (cafeastrology.com)

Sofia Vergara Global distinction: Voluptuous Colombian actress.

Sign: Cancer (b. July 10, 1972) Significant date: September 6, 2012 Noteworthy activity: The Modern Family star is planning

her wedding to her longtime boyfriend, Nick Loeb. In addressing the legal aspects of her impending marriage, the Latina actress files a prenuptial agreement that states that if her husband cheats on her it will cost him $10 million, according to the National Enquirer.

Horoscope: “It is difficult for Cancer to open up and have a close emotionally fulfilled relationship. This is driven by their fear of trust.” (zodiac-signs-astrology.com)

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