MIPCOM Spotlight: A+E Networks

CANNES: Among its many highlights at MIPCOM, A+E Networks is showcasing the drama series SIX, which is slated to air on HISTORY early next year.

The series tells the story of the real-life SEAL Team Six, known for killing Osama bin Laden. The drama brings to life “their counter-terrorist missions, their experiences with fatherhood and their sometimes very challenging family life,” says Denis Cantin, the VP, head of content sales for EMEA at A+E Networks.

The company is also presenting The Witness for the Prosecution, an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s courtroom drama. The program, which stars Kim Cattrall, will air on BBC One this holiday season. Another historical highlight is Knightfall, which tells the story of the Knights Templar and features “epic battles and divided loyalties,” says Cantin.  He adds: “Our drama series bring film-quality stories to television.”

A+E Networks boasts a varied factual catalog that features blue-chip documentaries, transactional-based reality programs and crime titles. At MIPCOM, the company is presenting Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End, a documentary about potential apocalyptic disasters. Alongside Storage Wars and Pawn Stars, the company is highlighting the transactional-based reality show Counting Cars. “The character-driven title works well internationally and attracts a balanced male and female audience,” says Cantin.

There is also the long-running crime series The First 48, which airs on both pay and free TV. “We always look to surprise our clients by pushing boundaries, which we’ve done in the crime area with 60 Days In and with high-end documentaries like Doomsday,” Cantin adds.

Through its partnership with Pulse Films, A+E Networks is launching the format The New Wife, commissioned by Channel 5 in the U.K. The show, part of the company’s MIPCOM offering, sees a divorced parent move in with an ex and the ex’s new spouse for two weeks. “It’s where good parenting and failed marriages collide,” says Ellen Lovejoy, the VP of international content sales at A+E Networks.

The company is also launching its first scripted format in Cannes for the hit drama UnREAL. “We are in the process of taking the format out into the market, so that is very exciting,” Lovejoy says.

Another relationship-themed format from A+E is Bride & Prejudice, showcasing the struggle some people face to get their families to accept the person they love. “All networks are looking for ways to build a buzz, and our formats can deliver on that,” adds Lovejoy.