Ben Sherwood On Storytelling, Facing Market Disruption

CANNES: Ben Sherwood, the president of Disney/ABC Television Group, delivered a keynote at MIPCOM today before sitting down for an interview with World Screen’s Anna Carugati on stage in the Grand Auditorium.

“We believe in a commitment to the very best storytelling,” Sherwood told delegates in his keynote, which began with an anecdote about Disney’s long history in France. “Serving global audiences is more important than ever. Today, everywhere we turn, we face profound challenge and disruption around the world.”

He referenced the terrorist attacks in France and the “tumultuous” presidential campaign in the U.S. as reflections of “these complicated times. There’s so much talk of building borders and walls. We believe as storytellers that we would do well to remember our global heritage and our traditions. We should meet this unsettled moment by doing what we have always done best, creating connections and understanding through the unifying power of great storytelling.”

Sherwood referenced the changes the industry is facing, from the shifting habits of viewers to audience fragmentation, pressures on ad dollars and subscription fees and “the mind-blowing impact of technological change. For the first time, consumers around the world this year will spend more time watching videos on their mobile devices than they will on desktops and smart TVs.”

Now there are now more than 25 different ways to watch a single episode of television in the U.S. “Some are quite ingenious, some are quite devious.”

Disney/ABC is optimistic in the face of these challenges for two reasons, he said. “The first is, our commitment to making the very best stories is even greater than ever. We believe there is almost unlimited appetite and audience for truly great television that transcends borders and continents.”

The second reason, he said, is that the company is working with partners across the globe on improving how and where these great stories are delivered “in ways that are easy and accessible.”

The best content delivered in the most efficient and accessible ways will win, Sherwood said.

Sherwood then sat down for a Q&A session with Anna Carugati, the group editorial director of World Screen.

Asked about ABC Studios, Sherwood called it a huge engine for growth for the Disney/ABC Television Group. “We are excited about the possibilities, with a premier and privileged relationship with ABC, but also looking at all the possibilities to create content on other platforms around the world.”

As for ABC Entertainment, Sherwood said, “We want to make hugely popular entertainment for women and men that captures great emotion, that is true to the core traditions of some of the great ABC television.”

Sherwood was then asked about the importance of international production. “We recently took one of the great casting leaders at ABC, Keli Lee, and she moved to London to set up an operation there because we were so interested in finding great talent behind the screen and on the screen, and also great formats. Keli is leading our efforts to go after new formats, new opportunities, local production, international co-production. We have a lot of excitement and interest in finding not just the next Priyanka [Chopra—brought to ABC by Lee], but all kinds of other talent we want to bring in.”

Next up for discussion was diversity. “It’s not a strategy, it’s the right thing to do.”

Sherwood also talked about ABC Family’s transition to Freeform to better appeal to the 14-to-34 set. “It’s a young perspective on the world.”

Speaking about Disney Channel, Sherwood weighed in on the rollout of Elena of Avalor. “Elena of Avalor is the first Latina princess in the 90 years of The Walt Disney Company. She embodies and celebrates community and family. She is a spirited, feisty, smart, young woman who is ready to lead. That show rolled out in the U.S. with great success. In the next couple of months it’s going to roll out in more than 100 countries and more than 30 languages. We think she is just the right princess at the right time for the millions of young people.”