As the TV landscape evolves, networks, and the heads of those networks, have to adapt with it. And sometimes that means finding the best digital platforms, figuring out the best way to measure their audiences and monetizing their programming while viewers watch their shows later and later.
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with 21 network executives at the TCA Winter Press Tour to discuss new trends and where they see TV going next - for better or worse. Below is a snippet of what was said.
When asked what new trend concerns them the most, the overall worry was programming. A few executives said they were frustrated with how many new scripts want immediate commitment, Lifetime’s Robert Sharenow said he is wary of “knockoff programming,” which he says makes for dull TV content across the board. Michael Wright of TBS/TNT brought up the issue of new and emerging platforms (echoed by others, adding the issue of monetizing such content partners), asking: “How do we make the digital platform our friend? How do we make it additive and not something to fear?”
Other worrying subjects covered piracy, cord-cutting and the increasing cost of original programming. AMC’s Charlie Collier said: “Time-shifting. In fact, I’m not going to answer this fully for another four days. Take that, ad sales!”
When asked what they would want to cover in a hypothetical meeting of the network chiefs, audience measurement was the popular answer. ABC’s Paul Lee went so far as to say he would “kill daily ratings” and BBC America’s Perry Simon added: “We somehow often get so caught up in the economics and the challenges of our industry that the first topic would be, ‘How do we get ourselves back inside the heads of our audience?’”
On the topic of the next big programming trend, the network execs predicted it could be anything from live events (NBC), to more family dramas, to a merging of the scripted and unscripted genres.
Other questions asked included their dream showrunners (Vince Gilligan) and the project that got away, which ran the gamut of “Homeland” to the John Mulaney comedy now at Fox.
Read more at The Hollywood Reporter.
Brief Take: Network execs work with their marketing teams to make sense of the new TV landscape - often that means making decisions on a lot of the topics above: monetizing digital platforms, audience ratings and time-shifting viewers. It’s important to stay up-to-date and in communication with one another so that TV brands can improve as the technology moves at a faster and faster pace.
[Image courtesy of HBO]
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