A+E Networks Showcases Expanded Slate at New Booth

CANNES: A+E Networks is in town with more than 650 hours of new programming, Sean Cohan, president of international and digital media, tells World Screen, along with the stars of Knightfall, SIX, UnREAL and Pawn Stars, and a brand-new, enlarged booth.

Cohan offered up an early look at the new stand at an event yesterday evening in the Palais. In attendance were Tom Cullen, star of the Knightfall; Walton Goggins and Barry Sloane from SIX; Constance Zimmer and Shiri Appleby from UnREAL and Rick Harrison of Pawn Stars.

A+E Networks is touting its expanded programming slate from its new location in the Palais. Scripted is led by the aforementioned HISTORY dramas Knightfall and SIX and the Lifetime hit UnREAL, which has been renewed for a third season. Also among the priorities for the week is talking to buyers “about our long lineage in factual crime,” Cohan said. “We’re bringing The First 48 and the reimagination of Cold Case Files. We’re also bringing crime-adjacent material like the really innovative 60 Days In.”

60 Days In is being sold as both a finished show from A&E and as a format, an area that is increasingly important to the company, Cohan said.

The strategy at MIPCOM “is a continuation of what we’ve done before in scripted and unscripted and formats, but we’re amping it up. [The new stand] hopefully conveys and is fitting with the level of creativity and premium content we’re bringing. It also conveys the ambition and enthusiasm we have around the international market.”

Cohan said that while A+E Networks will do “a lot of business at the market, we’ve done more business before the market than I can remember.” This activity included a wealth of pre-sales on SIX.

“It’s a great situation to be in to have such great content and talent and executives that we all believe in so much.”