PBS Distribution’s Joe Barrett Talks Factual Trends

On October 14 at 11:45 a.m., PBS Distribution is hosting a screening at MIPCOM for The American Revolution: A Film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, a 12-hour production about America’s founding. “At MIPCOM, our mission remains rooted in bringing powerful, thought-provoking, and globally relevant storytelling to audiences around the world,” says Joe Barrett, VP of sales at PBS Distribution, about the company’s overall lineup in Cannes. As it faces challenges at home with funding cuts for public broadcasting, PBS Distribution is continuing to explore growth opportunities for its slate internationally. Barrett talks to TV Real about the challenges and opportunities in the factual distribution space.

TV REAL: How do you see the overall health of the factual distribution business, against the backdrop of trends in other sectors?
BARRETT: Generally speaking, I believe the factual distribution business is indeed healthy. It is certainly not without its challenges, of course, but there is continued growth projected. My optimism is driven by the voracious appetite of viewers on traditional networks, streaming services and ad-supported platforms who still crave authentic, compelling stories. Audiences are drawn to content that inspires, educates and offers insight into a range of issues and topics. Meeting this demand is at the heart of PBS Distribution’s mandate and guides our strategy to deliver an extensive and engaging collection of titles to the global marketplace.

TV REAL: What are the biggest pressure points in the business right now? And how are you tackling them?
BARRETT: One current pressure point is budget constraints. We have seen a tightening of budgets across the media landscape, particularly in the public media space, over the past 12-plus months. That trend is reversing to a degree, but broadcasters have become very selective with their available budgets, focusing on fewer, bigger tentpole specials or lower-cost returnable series. Our advantage is the quality and diversity of our content, combined with the trust our partners have in PBS Distribution’s content. A second pressure point is the vast number of choices available to viewers to consume content. It’s critical to be everywhere the audience is, and a key to our success is balancing partners and the rights they need across platforms to meet their viewer demands.

TV REAL: What’s been your approach to aligning with producers? How early do you need to start working on projects?
BARRETT: We collaborate with producers at every stage—from fully completed films to early-stage concepts still in development. In addition to supporting creative development, we work with producers to secure co-financing for the right projects, recognizing that co-production and presales remain essential elements of documentary funding. We also initiate projects by sharing internally developed concepts with production companies, ensuring they align with both our clients’ needs and our evolving catalog. At the core of all our partnerships is a deeply collaborative approach.

TV REAL: What opportunities have AVOD platforms provided in terms of your library content?
BARRETT: Streaming platforms across SVOD, FAST and YouTube all offer AVOD opportunities and have provided more options for how documentaries reach viewers. We have an emerging AVOD business in both the U.S. and internationally that will continue to evolve and grow with our audiences’ changing media consumption behaviors. We have found initial success, like many content companies, with the ad-supported platforms breathing new life into our catalog.

TV REAL: What’s your approach to FAST?
BARRETT: PBS Distribution’s FAST channels are part of our multiplatform strategy and are curated to target niche audiences on commercial FAST platforms, including both single-IP and genre-based channels focused on catalog content. We’re seeing success with both approaches, though single-IP genres are the most successful globally. We find that genre-based channels do well when there is a recognizable brand associated with the channels.

TV REAL: What’s your sense of what buyers and commissioners are looking for?
BARRETT: While stand-alone programs are still a significant piece of our business, increasingly, buyers and commissioners are looking for a limited series that will work for both their linear and digital services. With OTT digital platforms continuing to grow, broadcast television still remains a trusted medium for documentary programming worldwide.

TV REAL: How do you see AI impacting your business?
BARRETT: AI is already changing the filmmaking business in many ways. AI is enabling these incredibly powerful tools and putting them in the hands of more content creators. Technological advances in production are the most obvious—from script development to postproduction, VFX and language translation. However, while producers are using it to reduce production costs, broadcasters and digital platforms are navigating what is and is not acceptable in creative output. It’s an exciting time that will require both considered and flexible thinking in an AI environment.

TV REAL: What are your goals for your company in the year ahead, amid an air of uncertainty in the business?
BARRETT: We’re acutely focused on our content and the strategic execution of distributing that content to our global partners. Our slate of films is anchored by this year’s highly anticipated release of The American Revolution by Ken Burns. Over a decade in the making, this epic series examines the founding of the United States and examines the complex domestic and global events that transformed the very idea of self-governance, liberty and freedom. We will be holding a screening at MIPCOM with a Q&A session with producers Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein.