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Across Europe, TV networks are looking for lucrative ways to respond to the still-growing appeal of the streaming giants. They also need to take account of the implications of a consolidating global entertainment market. And Brexit is creating further anxieties as buyers once again descend on Cannes for MIPTV.<\/p>\n
Against this disruptive background, some common themes are emerging as international distributors prepare for business on the Croisette.<\/p>\n
Overall, more resources continue to go into local and pan-European bespoke shows. Even the Viacom-owned U.K. service Channel 5 is moving away from its former dependence on American fare as it rethinks its programming strategy across the digital channels it operates. Tellingly, the station has not yet replaced chief buyer Katie Keenan, who exited last year.<\/p>\n
Broadcasters need to think creatively around exclusivity and windowing as their own VOD services become more popular, and audiences\u2014especially hard-to-reach younger audiences\u2014clamor for box sets, series stacking and online-only debuts. The traditional players know that more VOD offerings, some backed by the Hollywood studios, will arrive soon.<\/p>\n
Yet for all the talk of a turn toward more original content, the demand for acquired shows, provided they match programmers\u2019 criteria, remains strong throughout mainland Europe and the U.K., which, with Brexit looming, faces arguably its biggest political crisis since World War II.<\/p>\n
EUROPEAN MIGHT This view is reflected throughout the European TV buying community. \u201cWe are investing more in new content than we did in previous years, with a strong shift into local commissioned content,\u201d explains Wolfgang Link, co-CEO of the entertainment segment at ProSiebenSat.1 Media.<\/p>\n \u201cDanish drama is high on the priority list and we are producing more than ever,\u201d agrees Anette Romer, the head of acquisitions and formats at Denmark\u2019s TV 2.<\/p>\n She adds, \u201cIn the age of the big streamers, across the board, national broadcasters are \u2018going local\u2019\u2014taking every opportunity to stress the local origin of a program. It makes a lot of sense in the home market, but at the same time makes it harder for the program in question to travel well.\u201d<\/p>\n Jakob Mejlhede, executive VP and group head of content at NENT Group, is upbeat as he approaches the market. \u201cAs always with MIPTV, we\u2019re looking for stories with character. We\u2019re increasingly telling these stories ourselves through our original productions. At the same time, high-quality acquired content plays a vital role in NENT Group\u2019s ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n Mejlhede adds, \u201cInternational films and series, in combination with originals, kids\u2019 content and live sports, give us an opportunity to differentiate ourselves even further. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing what MIPTV has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n So what have been some of the breakout shows in recent months?\u00a0At Sky, Sarah Wright, director of acquisitions, highlights a clutch of shows scheduled on Sunday nights on Sky One\u2014MacGyver<\/em>, Hawaii Five-0<\/em>, NCIS: Los Angeles<\/em> and S.W.A.T.<\/em>\u2013plus other series, including Magnum P.I.<\/em>, 9-<\/em>1-1<\/em> and Criminal Minds<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cI think, if anything, we want to spend more on content,\u201d she says. \u201cOur customers love acquired and original shows. I am not sure how much they differentiate between the two.\u201d<\/p>\n ProSiebenSat.1\u2019s Link singles out entertainment stalwarts Dancing on Ice<\/em>\u2014a strong performer on SAT.1 in a very competitive slot\u2014and The Voice Senior<\/em>, a successful brand extension of The Voice<\/em>.<\/p>\n In Denmark, TV 2\u2019s Romer mentions Naked Attraction<\/em>\u2014both the British and German versions\u2014as a hit on youth-friendly channel Zulu and the SVOD platform TV 2 Play. Entertainment juggernauts Britain\u2019s Got Talent<\/em>, The X Fac<\/em>tor UK<\/em> and America\u2019s Got Talent: The Champions<\/em> have performed well for TV 2 Charlie and the main channel.<\/p>\n \u201cIn factual, the high raters tend to be crime shows or other human-interest shows, most often sourced from the U.K.,\u201d she adds. \u201cCurrent-affairs pieces like Escape from Dubai: The Mystery of the Missing Princess<\/em> do not perform to the same degree, but are considered important to the channel.\u201d A strong social media following has helped drive the success of Escape to the Chateau<\/em> on lifestyle channel TV 2 FRI.<\/p>\n In the U.K., Lethal Weapon<\/em> is a consistent audience grabber for ITV on Friday nights, says Sasha Breslau, head of acquired series. ITV 2\u2019s biggest acquired shows remain Family Guy<\/em> and American Dad<\/em>. On the female-skewing ITVBe, glossy reality and lifestyle shows like the Real Housewive<\/em>s franchise and Property Brothers<\/em> are still important. The plastic surgery show Botched<\/em> is another winner.<\/p>\n Over on Channel 4, Nick Lee, head of series acquisitions, says The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em>, Fargo<\/em> and Homeland<\/em> remain the main service\u2019s flagship U.S. shows. This year the final season of Homeland<\/em> will be shown by Channel 4, presenting an opportunity to fill the gap with another scripted vehicle. On youth-friendly E4, long-running sitcom The Big Bang Theory<\/em> is also ending, which means there is another slot that needs filling. Meanwhile, Young Sheldon<\/em> is \u201cdoing a superb job,\u201d Lee says.<\/p>\n FUNNY BONE<\/strong> On sister station More4, geared towards an upscale, female audience, Lee\u2019s MIPTV wish list includes lifestyle-led factual entertainment. \u201cAnything with a voyage-of-discovery narrative is very interesting,\u201d he notes. Ideally, these shows should have a tone similar to the broadcaster\u2019s own commissions. Lee highlights Car S.O.S.<\/em> and Nazi Megastructures<\/em> and the recent purchase of two natural-history shows. Exclusivity isn\u2019t always necessary. \u201cFor More4, we\u2019re very open-minded about second windows from pay-TV or VOD platforms,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Regarding scripted shows, Lee points to the continued success of Outlander<\/em> and the popularity of The Good Fight<\/em>, spun off from The Good Wife<\/em>. He has \u201can appetite to find a classy legal procedural that can play next to The Good Fight<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n On Channel 4\u2019s VOD platform, All 4, Lee is delighted with a recent deal that saw every episode of all six seasons of The <\/em>Goldbergs<\/em> available for exclusive streaming, while spin-off show Schooled<\/em> debuted on E4. Episodes of Schooled<\/em> were stacked on All 4 following their weekly broadcast. \u201cObviously all rights come at a price, but I think there was sense in keeping the franchise together,\u201d says Lee.<\/p>\n ANYWHERE, ANYTIME<\/strong> In the scripted space, Lindstr\u00f6m is seeking content that can play effectively on SVOD, AVOD, linear, free and pay channels. For SVOD, followed by later windows on AVOD and free TV, the dramas The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair<\/em>, Keeping Faith<\/em> and The Little Drummer Girl<\/em> (starring Swedish actor Alexander\u00a0Skarsg\u00e5rd), all exceeded Bonnier\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n She adds, \u201cThe past few years we acquired many Nordic noir thrillers. That genre is still very important to us of course, but at MIPTV I hope to identify some broader, more light\u00adhearted shows that can run alongside the darker material.\u201d<\/p>\n Lindstr\u00f6m identifies the U.S. sitcom Younger<\/em> as an example of a recent series that worked across all platforms.<\/p>\n At RTL in Germany, the Vox channel has successfully established The Good Doctor<\/em>, but Regier warns that \u201cU.S. series are increasingly difficult to outperform on our free-TV lineups.\u201d<\/p>\n NENT\u2019s Mejlhede emphasizes that average viewing time on the premium streaming service Viaplay is growing. \u201cThis means there\u2019s more room for new shows to make their mark. So while our core historical performers continue to top the charts, they\u2019re increasingly complemented by new series that we\u2019ve secured over the past year. Recent U.S. network productions like New Amsterdam<\/em> and edgier material such as Deadly Class<\/em>\u2014both of which reach our viewers on the same day and date as the U.S.\u2014are each finding their respective audience.\u201d<\/p>\n He adds, \u201cViewers in the Nordic region are also very aware of what\u2019s working well elsewhere in the world and are keen to see it for themselves.\u201d For Mejlhede, exclusivity is important.<\/p>\n London-based UKTV runs ten channels and on-demand service UKTV Play. Emma Sparks, head of acquisitions, says it\u2019s \u201cbusiness as usual\u201d for her despite reports that Discovery, Inc., is preparing to sell its stake to its partner in the venture, BBC Studios.<\/p>\n The objective at MIPTV is to find \u201chigh-quality scripted series, both procedural and serialized,\u201d plus factual shows with \u201ca fresh approach to the genre.\u201d<\/p>\n Female-friendly channel W is in the market for contemporary glossy dramas, preferably featuring a strong female lead who appeals to the 25-to-44-year-old female audience. W is also interested in factual entertainment that can form an emotional connection with the audience.<\/p>\n For the Alibi channel, Sparks will be eyeing contemporary crime drama\u2014pacey detective shows for peak and softer investigations for daytime. A recent success for Alibi was Disney\u2019s Australian forensic drama, Harrow<\/em>. The show returns for a second season this year. Sony Pictures Television\u2019s Carter <\/em>was one of Alibi\u2019s top-rated shows in 2018, driven by a box-set preview on UKTV Play, notes Sparks.<\/p>\n Male-friendly Dave requires character-driven, observational documentaries. Ideally, these should have a quirky sense of humor. Flashing-blue-light shows are also on Dave\u2019s hit list. On factual service Yesterday, Impossible Engineering<\/em> was last year\u2019s biggest hit.<\/p>\n \u201cMore and more broadcasters are turning towards originals and as a result, the market is flooded with fantastic content,\u201d explains Sparks. \u201cFor us, that means we have to be clever regarding the content we pursue. We can\u2019t compete with huge pan-territory acquisitions. I have to adapt to the new market conditions and be savvy about it.\u201d<\/p>\n MARKET DISRUPTION<\/strong> The shape of Sky\u2019s future relationship with its new sister company, NBCUniversal, is sure to be a talking point at MIPTV. Now that Comcast owns both companies, does this potentially give Sky more buying clout? \u201cI guess it does if we fully integrate,\u201d replies Wright. \u201cIt\u2019s too early to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Like other MIPTV-bound buyers, Wright is keen to find something to make her audiences laugh. But, \u201cFinding good comedy that really travels and has a European sensibility is not necessarily terribly easy,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cThat grown-up, 10 p.m. comedy slot that we\u2019re going for in commissioning, it would be great if we had some acquisitions there, but I am mindful that sometimes they are a bit too local and don\u2019t travel. Or, frankly, they don\u2019t reflect our audience\u2019s sensibility.\u201d<\/p>\n At Denmark\u2019s TV 2, Romer would like to see more \u201clinear-friendly procedurals\u201d capable of attracting a broad audience. She explains, \u201cIt seems that a lot of great drama is being produced for niche channels or with a streaming service in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n BRITISH EXIT<\/strong> Earlier this year, Discovery announced it was relocating its European hub from London to Amsterdam. One entertainment company that isn\u2019t planning to change its relationship to the U.K. capital is NENT Group. \u201cWhen it comes to the U.K., we\u2019ve been in London for 30 years, and we\u2019re committed to maintaining this presence,\u201d says Mejlhede. \u201cThis is because of the U.K.\u2019s importance as a European programming and content acquisitions hub.\u201d<\/p>\n Adds Romer, \u201cIt is difficult to predict how Brexit will influence the market, but we are certain that there will be more competition from the OTTs. That is going to influence the way we look at exclusivity and windowing. New models are constantly evolving. As long as we are successful in achieving high resonance with our audience on our linear channels while expanding on our digital commitment, we believe that we are needed.\u201d<\/p>\n Pictured: Sky Vision\u2019s <\/em>Riviera.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Steve Clarke checks in with some of Europe\u2019s leading programmers about their content wish lists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/strong>\u201cWhile international content is a little less important for our major broadcasters, it has a growing significance for our smaller free- and pay-TV niche channels, as well as for our VOD services,\u201d says Silke Regier, the senior VP of international acquisitions at Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland.<\/p>\n
\nUnder its new controller, Karl Warner, E4 is scouting boundary-pushing comedy. \u201cWe can be more open-minded about single-cam, prank shows and other types of comedy,\u201d says Lee. \u201cBrooklyn Nine-Nine<\/em>, The Goldbergs<\/em> and black-ish<\/em> are also strong shows for E4. That slate is not going anywhere. Rather, it\u2019s about doing things in addition to that.\u201d A recent innovation was to reintroduce animation to the channel with the award-winning Rick and Morty<\/em>.<\/p>\n
\nIn Stockholm, Bonnier Broadcasting\u2019s acting head of acquisitions, Karin Lindstr\u00f6m, describes her approach to buying as \u201ctotal TV.\u201d She elaborates, \u201cThe content needs to work across all platforms and channels. AVOD is very much a priority for us at the moment. We launched our AVOD platform, TV4 Play, several years ago, but we are now making it a go-to destination rather than just a catch-up service.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nSince last year\u2019s MIPTV, there have been significant upheavals in the global entertainment business, namely Comcast\u2019s successful bid for Sky and Rupert Murdoch selling his 21st Century Fox entertainment assets to Disney. It is too early to tell how these deals will impact the acquisitions market, but buyers are already bracing themselves for change. As ITV\u2019s Breslau says, \u201cYou\u2019re going to have fewer suppliers controlling more content. Who\u2019s going to be selling that content? And what rights will they reserve for their own SVOD start-ups? There are factors that will come into play that will affect us as buyers. As yet we don\u2019t know what the impact will be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFinally, on the vexed question of Brexit, buyers are mainly keeping a diplomatic silence. John McVay, who runs Pact, the U.K. producers\u2019 group, is fond of saying that regardless of the country\u2019s future relationship with the EU, Britain will remain one of the world\u2019s most dynamic and creative audiovisual economies for one simple reason: the demand for high-quality, British content is unlikely to diminish.<\/p>\n