The Power of Paranormal Programming

TV Real speaks with a trio of companies about the international appeal of supernatural-themed television content.

From ghouls and guardian angels to monsters and aliens, there is plenty of source material when it comes to factual fare focused on the paranormal. This type of programming has been growing in popularity as of late thanks to its broad appeal with viewers all around the globe.

A+E Networks’s catalogue boasts a number of supernatural shows, among them Ancient Aliens, My Ghost Story, MonsterQuest and UFO Hunters, which air on such U.S. networks as HISTORY and LMN. “Our paranormal programming generally targets a mixed demographic,” says Joel Denton, the company’s managing director of international content sales. “Ghost and paranormal programming is a fast-growing genre that skews [toward] a more female and younger audience. On the other hand, aliens and UFOs tend to be more male-dominated with a broad-ranging demographic, including that hard-to-hit younger demo.”

Housed within the Rive Gauche Television portfolio is True Supernatural, a three-part series that puts well-known paranormal cases to the test using modern forensic technology. “We want to expand [our slate] to have something for everybody,” says Marine Ksadzhikyan, the company’s senior VP of distribution and development. “Although there’s not much supernatural content out there to acquire, we found one that is intriguing and fresh, listened to our clients and brought this to the market.”

The most popular supernatural show represented by GRB Entertainment is When Ghosts Attack, which tells the tales of real people who believe that they were physically assaulted by unseen, evil entities. The company’s catalogue also contains such paranormal titles as Monsters & Mysteries, Portal to the Unknown, Killer Legends, Angels Among Us and Confessions of Alien Abductions. “It’s different with every country, but I think paranormal is one of those things that hits all ages,” says Mike Lolato, the company’s senior VP of international distribution. “It tends to be the 18-plus [viewers], and I think it tends slightly toward a female audience, but it really is one of those things that everyone is secretly obsessed over.”

Lolato points out that the demand for supernatural content comes and goes, depending on the constantly evolving appetite in the factual market. “It’s cyclical in its popularity,” he says, noting that 2015 was especially strong for the genre. “There’s been a very big resurgence in paranormal. Over the past year, everybody is asking for anything paranormal.”

Rive Gauche’s Ksadzhikyan echoes Lolato’s sentiment: “When we sit in front of our clients and say, What are you looking for?, [in previous] years it’s been lifestyle. But now [they’re asking], Do you have anything supernatural? That’s what we’ve been hearing over the past year and a half or so.”

According to Denton, A+E Networks has been observing significant growth in paranormal TV sales over the last 24 months, and expects that momentum to continue for the next three years. “This type of programming appeals to the fan and the fanatic,” he says. “The audience tends to be super engaged and the shows have huge flexibility and transmit in a mix of different slots, working particularly well in daytime, while late night is [also] repeating well.”

Denton notes that paranormal content sells best for the company in Latin America, and also works well in such English-speaking markets as the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He notes that there has also been increased interest in Southeast Asia. GRB’s Lolato lists the same territories as being key buyers of the genre, while Rive Gauche’s Ksadzhikyan says True Supernatural is selling “all over at the moment.” All three companies are in agreement that they will be on the lookout for more supernatural titles moving forward.

“Paranormal’s universal,” says Lolato. “No matter what language or culture you’re in, there’s always an element of spirits, ghosts or whatever they’re called, whether they’re good or bad—it’s in every single population across the world.” And even for those viewers who are skeptical of the supernatural world, there’s no denying the pure entertainment value that can come from a good ghost story.