MIPTV Spotlight: A+E Networks

CANNES: Seven innocent people volunteer to go undercover in a U.S. jail, exposing what life is like behind bars in A+E Networks’s new docuseries 60 Days In, which the company is presenting at MIPTV.

Joel Denton, the managing director of international content sales and partnerships at A+E Networks, says, “It’s a brave show, both for the sheriff who authorized them to go into a facility that has recently had a very corrupt history, and also for the people who are going [into the jail].”

Another title on the MIPTV roster is Pawn Stars, which Denton calls a “crucial show for A+E Networks” that recently launched in syndication in the U.S. The lineup also includes the treasure-hunting series The Curse of Oak Island, about the search for buried treasure on an isle off the coast of Nova Scotia.

The life and legacy of Kunta Kinte gets a modern retelling in Roots, a remake of the original miniseries. “Roots is a historical portrait of American slavery, recounting the journey of one family’s will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship and inhumanity,” says Denton.

The company is also presenting the miniseries SIX, inspired by the real missions of SEAL Team Six, best known for killing Osama bin Laden. Knightfall, meanwhile, is an epic drama series chronicling the actual events leading up to and following the persecution, downfall and burning at the stake of the Knights Templar, guardians of the Holy Grail, in 1307.

“MIPTV is a great opportunity to see and talk to clients about what’s working in their markets and what the new trends are,” Denton says. “Everyone is looking for the next big thing, so MIPTV offers a great chance to converse with other members of the industry.”