Abbe Raven

This interview originally appeared in the MIPTV 2013 issue of World Screen.

 

A+E Networks operates a portfolio of channels centered on bringing human stories to life. Whether depicting well-known characters and events from history or the struggles and quirks of ordinary people, the original storytelling of brands like A&E, HISTORY, BIO and Lifetime has cultivated vast, loyal audiences. Nobody knows this better than its Abbe Raven, who has been with the company since its earliest days.

 

WS: You were involved in the launch of HISTORY and in the reinvention of A&E. What have you learned about the power of character-driven factual programming?

RAVEN: Probably the most important thing I learned was that brands need to evolve to survive as viewer tastes and habits change. Big characters are essential in good emotional story­telling, whether you are talking about real-life series or original scripted dramas.

 

WS: What kind of appetite is there for this type of programming?

RAVEN: Character-driven factual programming is very popular in the U.S. and around the world right now. A&E and HISTORY are both top-five brands in the U.S. and in most pay markets around the world. Shows like Duck Dynasty, Pawn Stars and even Dance Moms on Lifetime have strong characters at their core with great family relationships playing out on screen. These stories are universal, and people can relate to that wherever they live in the world. 

 

WS: 2012 was the most-watched year in the history of A+E Networks. What factors contributed to this success?

RAVEN: We had a great year. HISTORY is now the number one factual brand in the world, surpassing all its rivals in the genre by far. It has many imitators, but HISTORY has its own unique voice and quality that others can’t compete with. A&E and Lifetime also have their own unique voice in the marketplace, and we are seeing double-digit growth in the U.S. and around the world with other great brands like Crime & Investigation Network and BIO.  

 

WS: Did you expect Hatfields & McCoys on HISTORY to be as huge of a hit as it was?
RAVEN: We knew it was great storytelling with a great cast, but we never expected it would be the first cable program to beat all the broadcast networks in the U.S. It really made history. Kevin Costner and the entire cast and crew deserved all the accolades they received because they did an outstanding job on the film. It was the HISTORY team’s first scripted mini-series and they really hit the ball out of the park. I am excited for Vikings and The Bible.

 

WS: Tell us about the reinvention of Lifetime.

RAVEN: Lifetime has been the number one brand for women for a long time. It needed to be refreshed. And we have done that by capitalizing on its brand strength for the modern woman. We have big hits already with Dance Moms and Army Wives. Lifetime has and will continue to have a great portfolio of great nonfiction series, combined with great scripted series and original movies like the award-winning Steel Magnolias we did [in 2012] with Queen Latifah. We are excited to roll Lifetime out around the world and we have a lot of A-list Hollywood talent on board with projects in the dramatic series and movie genres.  

 

WS: A+E Networks is moving toward owning all of its content. What are the bene­fits of that strategy?

RAVEN: In the U.S., we have become almost 100-percent original content on our schedule across all our brands and we own a good percent of that. As a global company owning your content is critical so you can expand your brands internationally and across every platform and device. It is all about controlling your own destiny.     

 

WS: With so many developments in the media business, what are you keeping your eye on? 

RAVEN: The big issue facing every media company is being able to monetize content on every new platform, and that requires a universal system of measurement. Hopefully, Nielsen has that in the works already. We have great content and we just want to make sure we are able to protect our business model.     

 

We are looking at growing our portfolio with new brands like H2…and new digital opportunities to continue building on our success.