ITV Studios’ Mike Beale

While there is much talk about playing it safe in the current broadcast environment, Mike Beale, managing director of global creative and production support at ITV Studios, believes that buyers and commissioners are willing to take risks to find that “next new, exciting thing” in entertainment. He shares with TV Formats his views on the hot topics in the format landscape today.

TV FORMATS: What’s working best in today’s broadcast environment?
BEALE: We are seeing two things emerging from the current broadcast environment. One is large-scale, “noisy” ideas, especially in the reality space, with a number of shows launching like Scared of the Dark, Destination X, Rise and Fall and The Summit. At the other end of the scale are smaller, repeatable factual and quiz shows that cost much less and whose ROI plays out over a longer period of time across various platforms.

TV FORMATS: What’s the climate for risk-taking like for brand-new concepts?
BEALE: I do not think there is a commissioner or buyer out there that wouldn’t take a risk on an idea that they loved, so the appetite is there to find the next new, exciting thing. But as costs rise and budgets become more challenged, it gets harder to do this, so it comes to the creative and production community to come up with new, innovative ways to deliver shows or bring new technologies in front of or behind the camera. There have always been moments of innovation that have moved creativity in a new direction, be it live TV, HotHead cameras, drones, etc.—all things that changed the way TV was made. We are just waiting for the next turn of the dial.

TV FORMATS: What must a new concept have in order to break through in today’s landscape?
BEALE: I always work to the principle that, to break through, a new idea has to have three things. It needs to be unique enough to stand out in the world of content, but also have enough recognizable features that the audience can understand it from a 30-second trailer and be tempted to try it. Finally, it needs to be successful, and this is probably now the hardest part to measure in the modern TV environment. What does success look like when an overnight number does not tell the whole story? I, therefore, like to look at audience engagement or attachment to a new show. Did they watch it, did they talk about it, did they recommend it? If you can get all these things to align, I think you can break a new hit show.

TV FORMATS: Are you seeing renewed interest in titles from the back catalog and revivals of stalwarts?
BEALE: Yes, and we are seeing more spin-offs than reboots with new versions of The Voice (i.e., The Voice Generations and The Voice Rap), Love Island Games, I’m a Celebrity All Stars and Come Dine with Me: The Professionals. This shows that buyers are doubling down on brands that work and provide new viewing but are easier to market to the audience.

TV FORMATS: What’s the strategy for extending the reach (and maintaining momentum) for some of the long-running, established brands?
BEALE: Spin-offs are a strong way to refresh and renew existing brands, but you should always keep the shows fresh with new twists, stunt casting and new rounds. The audiences have a lot of distractions to take them away from the TV screen, so it is our job to keep surprising them, even in the shows they know and love.

TV FORMATS: Where do you see the greatest opportunities in the formats market as you look at the year ahead?
BEALE: The continued need for new and different content, whether that be original concepts, reboots or spin-offs, presents a wealth of opportunity for us. As a global producer and owner of renowned IP, we need to be flexible and agile enough to adjust to the new market conditions and enable our teams to deliver for the local buyers. It’s never about the best idea; it has to be coupled with the best delivery, and if we can do both, we can win more and new business.