1 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, co editor in chief of Variety. Today's guests 4 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: are Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Ravi Ahuja and a separate 5 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: conversation with Mark Marshall, NBC Universal ad Sales chief, and 6 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 1: NBC Sports host Maria Taylor. Both conversations were held on 7 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: January eighth as part of Variety's annual Entertainment Summit at 8 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. At Variety, we 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: love starting the year off strong with a day long 10 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: event that is part of the biggest tech and media 11 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: conference of the year. We were proud to land the 12 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: first interview with Ahuja since he took the reins as 13 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment from Tony Vincent Acquera, who 14 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: is no stranger to Strictly Business. But this year everything 15 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: at CEES was harder as our event happened as devastating 16 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: wildfires were raging in Los Angeles County. I was born 17 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: and raised in Pasadena. Fire danger is a fact of 18 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: life in California. I've never seen anything like this level 19 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: of destruction, pain, and anguish. Dear listeners, please hold good 20 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: thoughts for the tens of thousands of fire victims out there. 21 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: And as I record this on January fourteenth, it is 22 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: definitely not over. The fire situation, not surprisingly, is the 23 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: first thing that Ahuja and I discuss in a conversation 24 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: about leadership and the studio's future. Like the pandemic a 25 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: few years ago, the LA firestorm has put into sharp 26 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: relief the importance of strong leadership in times of uncertainty 27 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: and crisis. That conversation is coming right up after this, 28 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: and we're back with a conversation from cees with Sony 29 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: Pictures Entertainment CEO Rabbi A Hooja. Well, thank you Robbie 30 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: for being here, and I want you to know, folks, 31 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: this is Robbie's first interview as CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, 32 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: So we are honored. 33 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 2: It's true and thank you and actually my first week 34 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 2: in this role. 35 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: Yes, and mother nature has thrown you some curveballs here, 36 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 3: not to belabor it, but you know you are now 37 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 3: and this is actually we're talking about issue, you know, 38 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 3: leadership and you ascending to the CEO post again. You know, 39 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 3: a tough call. Uh. You were saying to me that 40 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 3: you made you made some decisions about the studio. Lut 41 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 3: can you talk about what you're doing? 42 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 2: I mean, obviously, this situation, which I'm sure everyone is 43 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 2: familiar with or at least as much as you can now, 44 00:02:59,919 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: is very fluid. So starting yesterday into today, our you know, 45 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: thoughts were obviously with our employees in this situation. You 46 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: think safety first, right, and you want everyone to be okay. 47 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 2: Some people are not right. Some of our employees have 48 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: lost homes, many are displaced. But then there are other 49 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 2: parts of the city that are okay. You know. We 50 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: find that in our case, the decision is do we 51 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 2: close our lot? Our lot has its own power, and 52 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 2: it actually is in some ways a refuge for some people. 53 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 2: So we've strongly encouraged people to work from home, but 54 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: are keeping a lot open as a refuge or if 55 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: people are close enough and feel it's okay to come 56 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,119 Speaker 2: to work. I don't think we're going to get much 57 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: work done today, even if people work from home. It's 58 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 2: just too difficult of the situation. But you're right, Cynthia, 59 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: it's a it's a classic decision that goes right to 60 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: the top of you know, you have to pull meaning 61 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: from the fog and try to figure out what to do. 62 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 2: The good thing is, you know, ultimately a lot is 63 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: made of who makes the decision. But there are a 64 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: lot of very good people, and. 65 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 3: I have a lot of sound need yees to go 66 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: to you who've. 67 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 2: Been through these situations before. And then of course you 68 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 2: talk to colleagues too, right, other studios that are close by, 69 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: so you sort of in that sense crowd source a 70 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 2: lot of the information so that you can make a 71 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 2: good decision and hopefully you make the right one. 72 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 3: I have long suspected that the Hollywood studios have kind 73 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 3: of that red phone that Commissioner Gordon used to have 74 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 3: in Batman, where where you can all kind of if 75 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 3: you need to communicate with each other on an emergency basis. 76 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 3: But well, your studio a lot is about fifteen minutes 77 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 3: from my house, so I am definitely hoping that everything stay, 78 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 3: everything stays calm in that area. 79 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 4: Yeah. 80 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 3: Never so happy to be in the flatlands, yes, But 81 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 3: to that point, was there when you woke up yesterday 82 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 3: and today and saw this magnitude of it was? 83 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 5: It was? It was there. 84 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 3: A moment of like, wow, the buck stops with me 85 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 3: now I'm the CEO. 86 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 2: I suppose I was well prepared for it, so I 87 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: kind of assumed that was the case. So, No, it 88 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 2: wasn't surprising at all. And honestly, that happens a lot, right, 89 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 2: It's just the question the size of the decision, whether 90 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: it's a small thing or it's something like this that 91 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 2: actually is very serious that in most people's safety. Right, 92 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 2: it's not just money, which is very important, but it's 93 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 2: a very different kind of decision. 94 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, and the metrics aby which those are made are different. 95 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, exactly. 96 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 3: Well, let's talk about it sort of staying on that 97 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 3: kind of big picture level. You have been with Sony 98 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:34,119 Speaker 3: since early ish twenty twenty one, Yes, and what would 99 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 3: you say? You know so, and you've been a key 100 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 3: part of real you know, Sony has really been through 101 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: a transformation the last seven years under your predecessor, Tony Vincequero, 102 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 3: who is a friend to Variety for many years. And 103 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 3: in talking I know that you're kind of coming in 104 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 3: with if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 105 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 2: Yes too, that's correct, right, I mean we're doing very well. Right, So, 106 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: there's no need to go and be revolutionary, and it's 107 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 2: more look like every strategy needs to be refreshed, so 108 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 2: it's more of an evolutionary thing. I think we need, 109 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: right is just to continue to evolve and add to 110 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: our capabilities and lean into places we're growing. Rahul was 111 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: just here right Crunchy rolls a high growth, high growth business, 112 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,119 Speaker 2: so it's just doing much more there. He talked about 113 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 2: some of the things that we're doing with Ghost of 114 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 2: Tsushima with Solo leveling, So within that segment, that's what 115 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 2: we're doing. But each of our segments has a unique 116 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 2: strategy that we lean into. 117 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 3: And you've been been a key architelp to be a 118 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 3: key architect for that. So this is truly as many 119 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 3: people observed, a rare, truly seamless transition of manage. 120 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's good. It's a credit to Tony 121 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: first of all, right in thinking about the importance of 122 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 2: succession and doing it in a very deliberate way. Right. 123 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: I spent time last year as COO, so that was 124 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: a gradual process. Our parent company at Sony, this was 125 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 2: an important thing to them and they were helpful in 126 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 2: the transition. So it can be done right. It doesn't 127 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 2: seem to be done done right in our town often enough, 128 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 2: but it can be done right. So look, I think 129 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 2: it's worked well so far. 130 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 3: And Sony obviously Sony for you know, within the industry, 131 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 3: it is now well known that Sony you know, very 132 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 3: deliberately sort of staked out a strategy of you know, 133 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 3: being a content provider, a content hub, but not going 134 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 3: sort of full bore into into streaming services, with one 135 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 3: big exception of crunchy Roll, which has been you know, 136 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,239 Speaker 3: quite a success story and sort of riding that wonderful 137 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 3: wave of anime. Part of that is, as you are 138 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 3: a creator of content, you know, focusing on delivering content 139 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 3: for other platforms you really I know that that puts 140 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 3: a lot of pressure on the studio to think about 141 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 3: you know, the classic where's the puck going? Yes, the 142 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 3: nature of consumption is changing. Everybody in this room knows that, 143 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 3: the generational change in the way the audience wants to 144 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 3: consume that. Can you talk on the high level, how 145 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: do you wrap your arms around that? How do you 146 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 3: try to you know, sort of figure out where you 147 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 3: want to steer people where you want at your resource? 148 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, the first thing is just strategically. We Arms 149 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 2: Dealer has been used to talk about us a lot, 150 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 2: and that's true. For part. 151 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: I was trying that to be so violent. 152 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 2: It's true for part of our business. We're an independent studio. 153 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 2: It is Hollywood, and we sell content to people. But 154 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 2: the way that I think about it is each of 155 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 2: our segments, it's they're actually the same segments every media 156 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: company has. We have a film studio, we have TV studios, 157 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 2: we have direct to consumer and crunchy role, and we 158 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 2: have an experiences division now, so we have the same 159 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: things everyone else has. The difference is we do each 160 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: one uniquely and differently to what everyone else does. In film, 161 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 2: we are theaters first. The theatrical bar is the highest bar. 162 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: You know, in total we're content focused. The theatrical bar 163 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 2: is the highest bar. So we are theatrical first and TV. 164 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 2: We are the arms Dealer. We're an independent studio that 165 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 2: sells to others. That's the highest bar. It's not internal sales. 166 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 2: We've got to sell to other people, so we've got 167 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 2: to have the highest standards in direct to consumer. Our 168 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 2: view and this preceded me. You know, Tony did this, 169 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 2: and when I was on the outside, I thought it 170 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: was a great decision was not to do what everyone 171 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 2: else was doing a general entertainment streaming service, but instead 172 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: to focus on a particular area where we could be different. 173 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 2: And anime is a fantastic one and crunchy Rolls been 174 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 2: enormously successful. We've just started on experiences and there we've 175 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 2: done some licensing of ourp to others, but we also 176 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 2: bought Alamo Draft House, which is a dine in theater chain, 177 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 2: which is a very different kind of theatrical experience, and 178 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 2: from that we're going to build more IP based things. 179 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: So that's the way we think about it. We're content focused. 180 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 2: So then as part of what you just asked Cynthia 181 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: is so how do you think about the big trends 182 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: in the business right And you're right, some of the 183 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 2: big trends are new platforms, YouTube and TikTok. We have 184 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: the third biggest YouTube chainannel in the world with our 185 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 2: India business because YouTube is so big in India, so 186 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 2: big with kids, so it's really about identifying places where 187 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 2: those platforms are particularly big. We have a kid's YouTube 188 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 2: channel we've just launched very early days, but we'll do 189 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 2: more there with gen Z gen Z's could consumption habits 190 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 2: very different to older generations, right, very very different. Anime 191 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 2: was a perfect example of that. It's primarily a gen 192 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 2: z Jen Alpha product. There are some millennials who also 193 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 2: get Crunchy Rol, not too many xers, but but you 194 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 2: know that's how we lean into that. And then we're 195 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 2: also very hard at work at building on our franchises, 196 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 2: which you know we heard a little bit about in 197 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: the prior panel, but very hard at work on that. 198 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: Example there Karate Kid. We have a Karate Kid movie 199 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 2: coming out in May. So famously Karate Kid was a movie, 200 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 2: TV show and Cobra Kai now back to movie. So 201 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: you know we're pro act actively working on franchise as well. 202 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: So it's taking our mission, which is content focused, pursuing 203 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 2: a differentiated strategy, but leaning into those trends in each 204 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 2: of those businesses. 205 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 3: Interesting that Alamo draft House, when you you know, the 206 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 3: assumption is that you're a studio, you're buying a theatrical chain, 207 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 3: but you're really seeing this as an experience, is in 208 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 3: addition to enhancing your film distribution. 209 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 2: Yes, that's right. We the two are managed separately, so 210 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 2: the Alamo Draft hoos does not report into the theatrical division, 211 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 2: so they work together as any theater chain would work 212 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 2: with a film studio. But that's not how we were 213 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 2: thinking about it, that we're just going to exhibit our 214 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 2: own films. That wouldn't work at all. 215 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 3: Robbie, your background prior to coming to Sony was largely 216 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 3: in television. 217 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 2: Yep. 218 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 3: What was you know in coming into Sony and coming 219 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 3: into the CEO job. You know a lot of big 220 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 3: picture thinking about about film. I know that you led 221 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 3: the Alamo Draft House acquisition, so that was, you know, 222 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,959 Speaker 3: obviously a strategy. What for you was the learning curve 223 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 3: in film? The business were less familiar with. 224 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 2: It's still happening. It's uh yeah, Obviously film is close 225 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 2: enough to television that you have some familiarity with it, 226 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 2: moving pictures, actors, stream right, exactly, exactly. Understanding the mechanics 227 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 2: of the business is actually not the hardest part. The 228 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,199 Speaker 2: people becomes the harder part, right. I think that's even 229 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 2: true in television. If one is new to television, you 230 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,839 Speaker 2: can understand the business relatively quickly after a couple of years, 231 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 2: for sure, but it's really knowing it at a much 232 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 2: deeper level like you do. Cynthia so in film it's 233 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: you know, I think that's the next part of the 234 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 2: journey there. But I do know the business, right, and 235 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 2: I think we've got fantastic colleagues. And Tom is the 236 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 2: best teacher in the world. 237 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 3: Tom Rothman who runs with an iron fist. No, I 238 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 3: mean Tom Rothman, one of the most successful and seasoned 239 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 3: executives out there and one of the biggest champions, one 240 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 3: of the biggest champions of the box office. But you, 241 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 3: I mean you all. You know in the Pandemic and 242 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 3: everything that there was a lot of experimentation, but you 243 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 3: have very much. Sony has very much committed to the 244 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 3: theatrical experience. 245 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 2: Yes, we think there's a lot of value in it. 246 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 2: We also think it's a good business, right, It's it's 247 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:11,680 Speaker 2: the best way to make a movie big. And when 248 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 2: a movie is big in theaters, it's almost always big 249 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 2: in streaming. But the opposite is not true. Some movies 250 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 2: that are good for passing time in streaming won't work theatrically. 251 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,719 Speaker 2: So the theaters really provide the highest bar. 252 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 3: Absolutely, I'm going to just another small elephant in the 253 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 3: room that I'm going to raise here. I know that 254 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 3: there has been a lot of a lot of press 255 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 3: about a little matter involving a movie called It Ends 256 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 3: with Us that was distributed by Sony, and it has 257 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 3: been obviously, it's been the talk of Hollywood, and I 258 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 3: just want to I just want to acknowledge that Sony 259 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 3: was the distributor. It has it has exploded into litigation, 260 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 3: and I understand that it's that this is a you know, 261 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 3: a very touchy topic. I also wanted to to note 262 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 3: that in that case, Sony was the distributor, not the 263 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 3: producer of the problem. And so not not asking you 264 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 3: about the specifics of It Ends with Us, but how 265 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 3: how are you, how do you how are you thinking 266 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 3: about navigating those kinds of relationships. There are some, you know, 267 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 3: some cases where Sony is the bank role and the 268 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 3: develop the very germ of the development idea starts with you. 269 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 3: And in some cases projects come to you correct in partnerships, 270 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 3: and you know, sometimes those can be fraught. 271 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 2: So it's true we play a different role in each situation, 272 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 2: more so in film than TV. Right, I think that's 273 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 2: true in the case of It Ends with Us. I mean, 274 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: for one, I wasn't personally involved with it right out. 275 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 2: My focus was on the TV side, and I don't 276 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 2: know any of the people on a personal level. But 277 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 2: also correct Cyndia, the litigation and so on. I want 278 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 2: to be respectful of the parties and not wouldn't be appropriate, 279 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 2: I think to say anything on that. But yeah, the 280 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 2: situations are different depending on what role we play. That's true. 281 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: Do you and it's an interesting question obviously film that 282 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 3: you know there's often higher costs and other other factors 283 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 3: global distribution, But do you and to I mean, do 284 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 3: you know overseeing the TV business, do you anticipate a 285 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 3: world where there might be more partnerships coming in in television? 286 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 3: There might, certainly there are co productions, but even like 287 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 3: investment in the same way that film sometimes a film slate, 288 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 3: it may even a major studio film slate will bring 289 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 3: in some outside investment. Do you see that happening? 290 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 2: I don't necessarily see slate financing. I mean I think 291 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 2: of anything, it'll go farther away from that. The last 292 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 2: panel talked about how p and ls for shows. I 293 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 2: think Barry was saying it the p and ls for 294 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 2: shows don't exist anymore, so that makes slate financing very difficult. 295 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 2: Apart from if you're doing it with us, So I 296 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 2: don't think we'll see that, but there may be a 297 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 2: change in how it works, right. I think the traditional 298 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 2: cost plus pricing is kind of where streamers have gone. 299 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 2: I'm not sure that's always the best idea. With very 300 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 2: standard terms, standard premiums, with arrange standard licensed terms of 301 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: they own the show for the life of the show, 302 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 2: plus an additional ten years. 303 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 3: It makes it kind of hard for us studio to 304 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 3: make a little money on it. 305 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, right, you become really a producer, right, So it 306 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: becomes very difficult. And we have said to streamers will 307 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 2: make it for less of a premium, but we want 308 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 2: it back faster, so we'll believe in the success of 309 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 2: the show. I think the streamers, while there's an intellectual 310 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 2: openness to that, they haven't quite gotten there. I get 311 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 2: asked that question all the time. Have you guys made 312 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 2: progress with that? 313 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 3: And the internet is not really It seems that there's 314 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 3: been sort of a dawning realization of the importance of 315 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 3: having that those incentives aligned, and sometimes in a cost 316 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 3: plus model where the streamer plays a pays the production 317 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 3: costs plus a ten or twenty percent you know, profit 318 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 3: bonus for a studio that still doesn't that that's not 319 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 3: swinging for the fences like you know, it's when Sony 320 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 3: distributed Seinfeld and you know, watch the Stack of Cash. 321 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 2: Correct, I love correct. Yeah. So I do think some 322 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 2: of those things will evolve. I think we've just been 323 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 2: through this huge gold rush, right the peak TV thing, 324 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 2: and a lot of the business practices got skewed, and 325 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,479 Speaker 2: I think some of them will be completely new and different, 326 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 2: but some will return to normal because they just don't 327 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 2: make sense right. So I think we'll see that over 328 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 2: the course of the next say five years. 329 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 3: You have taken the helm at a very interesting time. 330 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 2: It's always an interesting our business. 331 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 3: Let's talk a little bit. One thing that has been 332 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 3: very noticeable and you know, lots of on screen expressions 333 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 3: of it. But Sony has been very focused on kind 334 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 3: of bringing the parts of Sony together more than they 335 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 3: had in the past, especially Sony Music, especially Sony PlayStation content. 336 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 3: That that initiative helped produce a little show called The 337 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 3: Last of Us, which is coming back in April. As 338 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 3: we learned from the Sony presentation on Monday, and that 339 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,360 Speaker 3: was that was news that was devoured by Variety readers 340 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 3: within seconds of it going up on our site. That 341 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 3: is always such a measure of just how quickly people 342 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 3: gravitate to news. So yeah, rest assured. Season two, there's 343 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 3: a lot of antis the patient. But can you talk 344 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 3: about how that has you know that not just around 345 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 3: the Last of Us, but other other projects and I 346 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 3: know there's a number of things in the hopper, How 347 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 3: that has you know, fostered collaboration, how that has created 348 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 3: opportunity by adding you know, one plus one plus one 349 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 3: to equal five or six. 350 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting because it's maybe people won't believe this, 351 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:24,399 Speaker 2: it's really organic. It truly is, right. I mean, there's 352 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 2: some something of a push in the sense that we 353 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 2: put people together so they meet each other. 354 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 3: Buy them lunch. 355 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,880 Speaker 2: Yes, we feed people and put them in a room. 356 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 5: So there is that. 357 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 2: And then in the case bless you, and then in 358 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 2: the case of in the case of PlayStation there is 359 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 2: a group called PlayStation Productions that focuses specifically on that. 360 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,640 Speaker 2: So there are people who follow up continually. So there 361 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 2: is a little bit of a push, but it is organic. 362 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 2: Right at the parent company level. There isn't a you 363 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 2: must work with each. 364 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 3: Other, nobody's picking okay this title this time. 365 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 2: No no, and what's good. The only way it really 366 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 2: does work I think, I think very strongly is the 367 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 2: creator has to be deeply involved. So you know, when 368 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 2: we were talking about Ghost of Sushima and working across 369 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: the company, it's you really have to have in that 370 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 2: case Aniplex be the guiding light on the creation, or 371 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 2: in the case of Last of Us Naughty Dog and 372 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 2: Neil being deeply involved, because you have to have somebody 373 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 2: who really lives it and feels it. Otherwise, if each 374 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 2: group is kind of doing their own thing, it can 375 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 2: be a bit of a mess. So you know, we 376 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,640 Speaker 2: work that way, but we don't have like a committee 377 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 2: that you know, forces people to do things and says 378 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 2: there must be four collaborations this year. We don't do 379 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 2: any of that. So it's it. You know, this is good. 380 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 2: It's collaboration without bureaucracy. So everybody feels good about it 381 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 2: and leans into it. 382 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 3: And you know, the proof is definitely on screen. 383 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, do you uh? 384 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 3: Has there been sort of just general benefits and people 385 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 3: kind of even just getting to know their colleagues and 386 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,880 Speaker 3: people at Sony Pictures knowing a little bit more how 387 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 3: things are the priorities of Sony Music. I would imagine 388 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 3: in any organization. I've always found communication gaps are the 389 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 3: biggest are usually the source of all problems. Is that 390 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 3: communication gap? So if you're fostering a lot more communication. 391 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely so people also understand your business. What matters 392 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 2: to you? What do you care about? You know? For 393 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 2: our music colleagues, for our PlayStation colleagues, it's if we 394 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 2: do a TV show and it features you know, your talent, 395 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 2: or it features your IP, how does it help you? 396 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,320 Speaker 2: You know, we don't really know. So should we go 397 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 2: fight for a bigger premium on a smaller platform, for 398 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 2: example with PlayStation, or do we go to the biggest 399 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 2: platform and not care so much about that? To be honest, 400 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 2: we're still learning a lot of that, right, We're still 401 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 2: relatively early in a lot of this. But by having 402 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 2: that open dialogue we figure that out and then you know, 403 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 2: competitively we're ahead of people. It becomes our unfair advantage 404 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 2: that for us is you know, is a real positive 405 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 2: from a business point of view. 406 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 3: I mean, the amount you know, Hollywood has I think, 407 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 3: especially in the last couple of years with the Last of 408 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 3: Us and other things, become aware of just the amount 409 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 3: of time that people spend playing video games. There is 410 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 3: such a love and connection to that content that can 411 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 3: be tapped. 412 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 2: Isn't it. It's funny, Cynthia, because five years ago people 413 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 2: would have said there's no way, right, is. 414 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,440 Speaker 3: Every video game adapt takee Yeah, most of them have 415 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 3: been really poor and they didn't satisfy the TV or 416 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 3: film viewer, and they and they only upset usually upset 417 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,159 Speaker 3: the gaming So the worst. 418 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 2: Of all worlds exactly exactly, but now it works. It's 419 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 2: the thing in our business is so execution dependent. Right 420 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 2: when we talk about strategy and we throw around return 421 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 2: on investment and economies of scale, it's just it's really 422 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 2: how you execute the product, and that's primarily driven by 423 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 2: the people who are working on it, right, It's the 424 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,239 Speaker 2: creators who work on it, and it's really having a 425 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 2: clear vision around it and what is this is going to 426 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 2: add for the viewer. It's a kind of delight viewers. 427 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,880 Speaker 2: So it's making sure that we allow people the freedom 428 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 2: to do that. 429 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,679 Speaker 3: Would you say, is there an emphasis on trying to 430 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,199 Speaker 3: kind of thread things together? So the Last of Us 431 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 3: Season two is coming out, we have new gaming content 432 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 3: that will complement that or is that more just you 433 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 3: let those things happen organically. 434 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 2: That's aspirational, so that would we always say things like, oh, 435 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 2: that would be great, we should really do that. But 436 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 2: you know, sometimes things are ready when they're ready, So 437 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 2: it's hard to do that really really well, to do 438 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 2: that perfectly. Disney. I spent a couple of years at Disney. 439 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,360 Speaker 2: They do that really well. It's amazing. Well they do that. 440 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 2: We're not that good, but we're you know, we're getting better. 441 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 3: You spent those couple of years at Disney, were a 442 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 3: really interesting time for Disney. 443 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 2: Right after keep doing interesting things. 444 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 3: Right right after the Box acquisition. That must have just 445 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 3: been a masterclass in corporate integration and how you brought 446 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 3: two formidable organizations together and figured out that must have 447 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 3: been that was boot camp for. 448 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 2: That Hulu, right, And the company went through a lot 449 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 2: and changed its strategy at the same time. So that's 450 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 2: taking on a lot. And then the pandemic happened too, 451 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 2: and the CEO transition, so it was like the most 452 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 2: complicated thing you could ever do. 453 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 3: And a six month strike, you know, just yeah, and 454 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 3: then that later right, let me ask you one of 455 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 3: my favorite one of my new favorite shows is Pop 456 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 3: Culture Jeopardy. Oh good, that's fine, but that is I 457 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 3: know that's been one of the things that you were 458 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 3: tasked with was really looking at existing franchises that the 459 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 3: institutions that are will fortunately Jeopardy. And that's also you know, 460 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 3: that's also fraught because there's a lot of there's a 461 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 3: lot of people that you know that a mediocre version 462 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 3: of pop culture Jeopardy would not reflect well on the brand. 463 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 3: How did you go about sort of figuring out Okay, 464 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 3: here's the iteration that makes sense for Jeopardy. Yeah, that's 465 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 3: the Jeopardy expansion. 466 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:53,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. I mean Jeopardy had had spin offs 467 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 2: in the past, right, So there was a sports Jeopardy. 468 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 3: Rock and Roll Jeopardy. A friend of mine was on. 469 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, and they weren't very good. So you know, one 470 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 2: requirement I've had in Suzanne Pretty and the game show 471 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 2: group do this is it has to be really good, 472 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 2: and we're not doing it. Honestly, we could sell eight 473 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 2: spin offs of Jeopardy tomorrow, tomorrow, today, today, Yeah, I 474 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 2: could do it here if there are any buyers here, 475 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 2: but we're not doing that because our team can't execute, 476 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 2: and we have to make sure because it's too much 477 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 2: and we have to make sure that we that it's additive, 478 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 2: that it brings something new pop culture. Jeopardy has much 479 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 2: younger viewers. Obviously the category there is pop culture. We 480 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:35,640 Speaker 2: do it in a team format because not everyone knows 481 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 2: everything if people are experts at music movies, so we 482 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 2: put together teams so we're doing something different, different host, 483 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 2: same stage, but adapted, right, So we really feel we 484 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 2: can do it well. But it's also the same team. 485 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 2: It's Michael Davies producing, so it's the same team. So 486 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 2: you know, our view has been We've got to do 487 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 2: these things and do them extremely well. Streaming for us 488 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 2: with Jeopardy and Will is a big priority, right they 489 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 2: those shows are in the main shows are in syndication, 490 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,919 Speaker 2: and syndication is declining right in terms of the number 491 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 2: of people it gets to. Interestingly, those shows are not declining. 492 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:12,480 Speaker 2: Will's ratings are up this year. 493 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:14,960 Speaker 3: I could pull I could pull a ratings report from 494 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 3: fifteen years ago and they would be, you know, in 495 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 3: a zone of or maybe ten years ago, they would 496 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 3: be in a zone of they are amazing stallwarts of times. 497 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're amazing. I mean the shows on a nightly 498 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 2: basis rate the same as the NBA Finals, right, So 499 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 2: it's nine ten million people viewing them every night. So 500 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 2: we but we're missing a lot of the audience. So 501 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 2: we are, you know, out talking to people about potential 502 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 2: streaming solutions for those shows. So I think that'll help 503 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 2: reintroduce them to younger people who actually encounter Wheel and 504 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 2: Jeopardy through TikTok where we're very active, or YouTube. So 505 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 2: you know, we're very optimistic that those franchises have a 506 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 2: very long life. I mean, they're fifty and sixty years old, 507 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 2: and we don't view them as they're past their prime. 508 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,360 Speaker 2: We think these things are perennials somewhere. 509 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 3: MERV Griffin, who created Beehows, is smiling, Yes, smiling. We 510 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 3: are out of time. But I can't put so many 511 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 3: more questions. But I got to ask you the thirty 512 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 3: forty five second version, how does the boy from Ohio 513 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 3: come to be a CEO in Hollywood? 514 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 2: That's a good question. 515 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:19,959 Speaker 5: You know. 516 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 2: For me, the focus has always been I didn't start 517 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 2: out saying that's what I'm going to do the way 518 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 2: that I've always guided my experience is just trying to 519 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 2: add new skills, and I have an enormous amount of 520 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:33,879 Speaker 2: curiosity I suppose about everything that we do about the 521 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 2: media business and about leading people and about trying to 522 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 2: create a winning business that will last over time. So 523 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 2: it's really just building skills along the way there. I mean, 524 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 2: I suppose before the Fox Disney deal, I had viewed 525 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 2: it as I was going to stay at Fox forever. 526 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 2: But then things happen too, and you just try to 527 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:56,120 Speaker 2: keep growing and you try to keep learning, and then 528 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 2: you find the right thing, like the place that I'm 529 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,640 Speaker 2: in now, and you, you know, you do your best. 530 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:03,679 Speaker 2: I suppose, I don't know, I'll come up with a 531 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 2: better answer for you, Cynthia, but that's the best. 532 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 3: You know what, Honesty is always the best policy. Thank you, Robbie. 533 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 3: We so appreciate your time. Thanks for giving us your 534 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:12,959 Speaker 3: first interview. 535 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 1: Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with a conversation 536 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 1: between NBC Universal ad sales chief Mark Marshall and NBC 537 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: Sports host Maria Taylor. And we're back with a rollicking 538 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 1: session with NBC Universal ad sales chief Mark Marshall and 539 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 1: Football Night in America host Maria Taylor. Marshall is also 540 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: no stranger to strictly business. We had a terrific interview 541 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three, just before the May upfronts. Marshall 542 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 1: is an advertising guy through and through. He's smart, innovative, 543 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: and he has a really good sense of humor about himself. 544 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: As you'll hear, Taylor teases him more than once about 545 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: his chrome dome, and he takes it in the playful 546 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: spirit in which she meant it. Their camaraderie is palpable 547 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: through this audio. Taylor really impressed me with her sharp 548 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 1: questions about NBC Universal's business future, and folks, let me 549 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: tell you, she is even taller than she looks. On 550 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 1: football Night in America, we were grateful that this buddy 551 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 1: act brought our conference some laughs when we really needed them. 552 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 6: NBC is turning one hundred and the one hundredth anniversary 553 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 6: is something that's going to be celebrated, just like we've 554 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 6: been celebrating SNL's fiftieth and so content is coming down 555 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 6: the pipe that we don't know anything about. 556 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:37,640 Speaker 5: But you do. 557 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 6: So can you give us a glimpse into what's to 558 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 6: come as we continue to celebrate the growth of this company. 559 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's been fun. We've known we've had 560 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 4: this great lineup that's going to happen in twenty five, 561 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 4: twenty six, and then last year we added to that 562 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 4: with partnering with the NBA and bringing the NBA back 563 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 4: to NBC. So we'll start in the fall where we'll 564 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 4: have Ryder Cup, We'll have Bravo Khan, any Bravo fans here, Yeah, 565 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 4: Bravo con absolutely here in Vegas, and then the NBA 566 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 4: will start, and then in February we have three days 567 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 4: and then Super Bowl, three days of the Olympics in Milan. 568 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 4: Super Bowl, another week of Olympics, NBA All Star weekend, 569 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 4: and then another week of Milan. We should go to Milan, Yes, 570 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 4: let's do that. That'd be good. And then we have 571 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:27,280 Speaker 4: the World Cup in Telemundo next summer. So I had 572 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 4: a lot more hair before we got into this stretch 573 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 4: that we're going to roll through. 574 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 5: He did not have more hair before this stretch. 575 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 4: Just because you look the other way doesn't mean I 576 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 4: can't hear you. 577 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 5: He did not have more hair. What would you say. 578 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 6: I mean you kind of touched a little bit on 579 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 6: the NBA rights, But describing just a little bit more 580 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 6: what that means to NBC Universal, especially considering the history 581 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 6: of the NBA and the network. 582 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, it is. It's fun like it's a bit of 583 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 4: a dream for me for a couple of reasons. One, 584 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 4: I was born in Chicago. I was lucky enough to 585 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 4: be through the Jordan years where we would go out 586 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 4: to a bar to watch them play the Charlotte Bobcats, 587 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 4: and every bar was filled in all of Chicago for 588 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 4: a regular season game. It was unbelievable. And then the NBA. 589 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 4: Then I went to go work for Turner, so I 590 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 4: was there for fifteen years at Turner Sports, and then 591 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 4: when we had the opportunity to get back in the 592 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 4: business with the NBA, I was really excited. And we 593 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 4: also when you think about what it's going to do 594 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,400 Speaker 4: for our company is you'll have a game on every 595 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 4: night on Monday Night on Peacock, Tuesday Night, you will 596 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 4: have games on NBC, and then after Sunday Night Football, 597 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 4: you'll transition to Sunday Night Basketball. We did a branding 598 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 4: study that'll be called Sunday Night Basketball, and so it'll 599 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 4: change a complexion of what NBC looks like. It's amazing. 600 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 4: If all of you know, there's a bunch of talk 601 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 4: this week about Live and if you look across NBC 602 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 4: from Morning tonight. On average, seventy percent of all the 603 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 4: hours are live across NBC, so this will even make 604 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 4: that even stronger as we look forward. 605 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 6: And a part of that deal is also the rights 606 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 6: to the WNBA. And we've seen just like the growth 607 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 6: of women's sports in general. I'm not tall for no reason. 608 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 6: I promise I played a sport back in the day. 609 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 4: At one you played two. 610 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 6: Volleyball and basketball. But at Georgia, at Georgia, go dogs. 611 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 4: Who lost it? Notre Dame. 612 00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, I don't want to talk about it. 613 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 4: I didn't know if you saw it. That's wanted to 614 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 4: make sure you still don't have hair. Now we're back. 615 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 4: Now we're back, gloves are off. But so a why 616 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 4: you guys thought this was going to be an informative panel. 617 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 4: You were wrong. You are misled the growth of women's sports. 618 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 6: It's been fun to watch, But how has that changed advertising? 619 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,440 Speaker 6: And how do you, guys in what your role is 620 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 6: help to fuel advertisers and the investment that is being 621 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 6: made in women's sports in general. 622 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 4: Well, it's funny. I mean, this whole idea of women's 623 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 4: sports and having a moment Like for us at NBC, 624 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 4: we're like, thank odd Finally, you know, the Olympics. This 625 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 4: was prior to this was the last Olympics. Ninety nine 626 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 4: percent of all the primetime hours that happened in women's 627 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 4: sports were in the Olympics. That means only one percent 628 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 4: was happening outside of those seventeen days. So we're extremely 629 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 4: proud that we played even a small role of highlighting 630 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 4: these great women. But it takes networks, it takes advertisers 631 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 4: to make it happen. And from a network standpoint, in 632 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 4: the Women's World Cup soccer or the FIFA the last one, 633 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 4: we actually went to the marketplace and said women should 634 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 4: get the same price as men from a cost CPM standpoint, 635 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 4: and we got about ninety percent of the way there. 636 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 4: We were thirty six percent of the way there the 637 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 4: previous World Cup. So we closed the gap tremendously for that. 638 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 4: But you also need advertisers to stand up. And I 639 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 4: give a ton of credit you know, to a state farm, 640 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 4: a Lily, a Delta. These advertisers have stepped up in 641 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:01,360 Speaker 4: a big way to really support and highlight it. And 642 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 4: I think all of us that you know grew up 643 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 4: will bring it back to basketball, like Michael Jordan and 644 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 4: Nike Michael Jordan and Gatorade. Those ads were running everywhere, 645 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 4: just like the State Farm ads that are running everywhere 646 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,479 Speaker 4: with Kitlyn Clark. It's not just the person that's tuning 647 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 4: in to the games themselves, but it's a person learning 648 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 4: about women's sports and understanding who Caitlyn Clark is because 649 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 4: of their ads that they're seeing. 650 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 6: I was going to say, is it chicken or the egg? 651 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 6: The investment comes because the fandom has grown, or it 652 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:31,600 Speaker 6: begins with a State Farm or someone saying we're going 653 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 6: to invest and that grows the game. 654 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,960 Speaker 4: I think it's more like we've had women's sports. You know, 655 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 4: we have the LPGA, we have a ton of women's 656 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 4: sports on but it for some reason, there was a 657 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 4: switch that happened with Caitlyn Clark, and it started, you 658 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 4: know with the women's national soccer team as well. But 659 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 4: there's now a consistency that feels like it's not a moment, 660 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 4: feels like it's more of a movement. 661 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 6: Yeah, no, for sure, let's talk about kind of NBC 662 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 6: in prime time. I just like saying it like that 663 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 6: because I envisioned Deon Sanders prime tem and obviously, I mean, 664 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:06,959 Speaker 6: you enter in, you're one hundred year. 665 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 4: But it's not by one hundred year. 666 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 6: You're getting older. I'm getting younger. NBC is growing and mature. 667 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,279 Speaker 6: Hundred years, yes of anac, not mark mark, not how 668 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 6: long you've been there. 669 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, sometimes looks like it, but. 670 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:19,880 Speaker 4: I can hear you again. 671 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 5: We might should take the show on the road, or 672 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 5: we're going to wrestle. 673 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 4: I don't know which one. I don't know. 674 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,239 Speaker 6: Give me the evolution of what primetime looks like. How 675 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 6: you guys are building content to make sure that the 676 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 6: viewers enjoy the advertisers respond well to it. 677 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:37,800 Speaker 5: Walk me through some of those decisions. 678 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:41,759 Speaker 4: Well, what are you doing for Valentine's Day? I'm not 679 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:42,919 Speaker 4: asking you out, what are you doing? 680 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,880 Speaker 5: I'll probably be with my Oh that's my wedding anniversary. 681 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 5: I almost forgot. 682 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:51,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, well we did forget. It's also SNL's fiftieth anniversary 683 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 4: show will be that night. So the coolest thing I 684 00:34:54,719 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 4: think SNL, which is in its fiftieth year, is probably 685 00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:01,520 Speaker 4: the greatest example of how people consume content today. And 686 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:03,919 Speaker 4: if you look at it, in it's forty seventh year, 687 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 4: it became the number one entertainment show in television. Wow, 688 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 4: which is a crazy to think on linear television. It's 689 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 4: the number one show on social and streaming every day 690 00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:16,479 Speaker 4: you wake up and it's the first thing you see 691 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 4: when you stream as well. And so we use SNL, 692 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:22,920 Speaker 4: which is crazy that probably our oldest show, next to 693 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,799 Speaker 4: Meet the Press, is kind of our beacon of how 694 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 4: we think about the future. How do you create content 695 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 4: in clips that you can push out in different ways. 696 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 4: So when we're looking at the NBA, NBA which is 697 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 4: this great young, multicultural game, these kids aren't all sitting 698 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 4: down to watch a two and a half hour game. 699 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 4: They want to figure out the highlights. They want to 700 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 4: see what happened the night before. So we have to 701 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:49,440 Speaker 4: program differently. So I think you've seen us lean in 702 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:51,680 Speaker 4: much more to sports, and you're a big part of that. 703 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:53,839 Speaker 4: By the way, if the number one show on TV 704 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:56,799 Speaker 4: is SUN and at football, yes, what's number two? 705 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:00,799 Speaker 5: It's not Football Night in America, it is your show. 706 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 4: Your show is the number two show in prime time. 707 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 4: You should use that with your agent. Yeah, you use it. 708 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:09,000 Speaker 5: You don't want that problem? 709 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 4: No, that's yeah, that's a good call. Let's erase that stuff. No, 710 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,320 Speaker 4: but it so I think the NBA we're going to 711 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 4: take that same approach that we did with SNL as well. 712 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:21,880 Speaker 6: I like that you brought up streaming and how that 713 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 6: kind of changes things. And just from your role and 714 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:29,319 Speaker 6: your vantage point, what has the streaming industry done to 715 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:33,120 Speaker 6: content and just advertisers, the viewership and how you have 716 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 6: to think about the way that you do your job. 717 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 4: Well, I mean it's it's a good question. I mean, 718 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 4: if the average consumer today spends thirteen hours with media, 719 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 4: so in order to look at that number, that's really 720 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:51,040 Speaker 4: scary as a marketer, right, So number one, you have 721 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:54,280 Speaker 4: to find them. You need something that delivers scale thankfully, 722 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:57,360 Speaker 4: and vic Universal does that, reaching two hundred and seventy 723 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 4: three million people every month. But then you have to engage. 724 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 4: Once you find, you have to engage them. And so 725 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:05,879 Speaker 4: what we're trying to figure out in all of these 726 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 4: things is what is the right environment. So if you 727 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:11,880 Speaker 4: go back to two thoy and eighteen, we launched something 728 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 4: that was called Prime Pod. So every first pod across 729 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 4: NBCU was one minute long. That used to be a 730 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 4: three and a half minute pod. We took it down 731 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,400 Speaker 4: to one minute because we were testing what was the 732 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,240 Speaker 4: right length. If you go on to Peacock right now, 733 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,439 Speaker 4: it's one minute breaks and there's five minutes an hour. 734 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:32,920 Speaker 4: So we were starting to learn of what we were 735 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:36,320 Speaker 4: doing in streaming and bring into linear and vice versa 736 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 4: on that because for our first ninety seven years, the 737 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 4: only feedback loop we had was really Nielsen ratings, which 738 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,879 Speaker 4: we know aren't exact science. And so now we can 739 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 4: look at it and we're getting the next day. I 740 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 4: can see minute by minute by show what commercials perform better. 741 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 4: Should we have a pharma commercial in the first pod? 742 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 4: Or is a pharma commercial perform better in the third pod? 743 00:37:58,040 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 4: So all of those things are now part of the 744 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:02,160 Speaker 4: ad experience that we're thinking about. 745 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:03,319 Speaker 5: Random side question. 746 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 6: You know the AI content that was built around the Olympics, 747 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 6: so you could have al Michaels basically to you, I 748 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:10,240 Speaker 6: know about. 749 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:11,319 Speaker 5: Whatever you're interested the most. 750 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,800 Speaker 6: You know, So al Michaels has been doing this live 751 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:17,839 Speaker 6: somehow an AI system is creating your highlights for you. 752 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 5: Just how did that work? It was so cool? 753 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 6: But now I'm kind of curious how that worked and 754 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:23,759 Speaker 6: how the market responds to something like that. 755 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 4: It was it was cool. We were in a meeting 756 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,400 Speaker 4: with Brian Roberts, our CEO, and the tech team was 757 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 4: showing them this that they had created. So the concept 758 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:38,319 Speaker 4: was al Michaels delivers your custom highlights every morning. And 759 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 4: al Michaels has been on NBC for on and off 760 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,480 Speaker 4: for thirty plus years. He didn't need to record one thing. 761 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 4: But we went to him and said, how would you 762 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 4: like to be the first person that has ever done this? 763 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:51,319 Speaker 4: And he was like, I'm all in. I love this. 764 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:54,640 Speaker 4: He's a CNBC junkie, so he's like AI, He's like, 765 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 4: I want to be involved in this. So when we 766 00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 4: saw it and they were showing it to Brian and 767 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:02,879 Speaker 4: I was like wait a minute. I was like, this 768 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 4: is who built this? Like how does this work? And 769 00:39:05,560 --> 00:39:08,040 Speaker 4: they were like, oh, it's there was a company out 770 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:11,400 Speaker 4: of Israel and then it's built on a Microsoft instance 771 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:13,560 Speaker 4: and I was like, well, I'm going to take it 772 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 4: to Microsoft and Microsoft was all in on it. So 773 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,200 Speaker 4: that's how that one came to life. And al Michaels 774 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:22,399 Speaker 4: loved it and every morning he would tell me how 775 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 4: we did in basketball team USA won again. But it 776 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:28,800 Speaker 4: is crazy that they took thirty years of his voice 777 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:31,239 Speaker 4: and you could not tell the difference when you would 778 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 4: watch the highlight. 779 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 5: One hundred percent. 780 00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:35,719 Speaker 6: Another big innovation that's coming in announcement that was made 781 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 6: as Universal Ads walk us through what it is essentially 782 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,760 Speaker 6: and why right now is the time to launch something 783 00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:44,440 Speaker 6: of this nature. 784 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:49,440 Speaker 4: So if you think about all of us traditional media companies, 785 00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 4: we probably have in the area of let's say, ten 786 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:57,960 Speaker 4: thousand advertisers. Meta has ten million advertisers, partly because they 787 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,840 Speaker 4: have a self service tool that allows any advertiser to 788 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:03,600 Speaker 4: be able to go on and use a credit card 789 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 4: and buy an ad. For us, we didn't have that 790 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:11,120 Speaker 4: easy button for premium video. So we announced today with 791 00:40:11,239 --> 00:40:15,600 Speaker 4: Comcasts and Freewheel, with multiple other publishers that we will 792 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:17,839 Speaker 4: have that easy button that's going to be created. So 793 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:19,719 Speaker 4: you know, what town. 794 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:20,600 Speaker 3: Are you in Atlanta? 795 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 4: Or what's your favorite pizza place? 796 00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 5: Jets Jets. 797 00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:27,400 Speaker 4: Okay, so now Jets Pizza can go on and buy 798 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:31,320 Speaker 4: a Sunday night football spot in their market. 799 00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 5: That's cool. 800 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, So that's what it is, huh. 801 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 5: And it's not just NBC Universal. 802 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:44,600 Speaker 4: Nope, it's so Paramount, Warner Brothers, Direct TV, Roku, Paramount 803 00:40:45,120 --> 00:40:50,239 Speaker 4: am I saying the same one Paramount as well. So 804 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:53,600 Speaker 4: we're excited and it's a collective and it's looking at 805 00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:55,680 Speaker 4: the industry as really a brand and how do we 806 00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:59,360 Speaker 4: deliver premium video to these advertisers that didn't have access 807 00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:00,759 Speaker 4: prior to programmatic. 808 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 6: Okay, we've talked about the strengths, the innovation, some of 809 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:06,440 Speaker 6: the new technologies. Give me the challenges that are kind 810 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:09,400 Speaker 6: of facing advertisers as we continue to brave into this 811 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 6: new frontier. 812 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,399 Speaker 4: Well, I think it's just it's hard to find your 813 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:16,359 Speaker 4: customer right now. I think a lot of times people 814 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:19,800 Speaker 4: are trying to make a decision between do I do linear, 815 00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 4: do I do digital streaming, do I go into social? 816 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:27,879 Speaker 4: All of them have their pluses and minuses. So last 817 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,520 Speaker 4: year at CES, we rolled out what we called one 818 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 4: platform Total Audience, and what that is is linear and 819 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:36,760 Speaker 4: digital in the same optimizer with the set top box 820 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,960 Speaker 4: data from comcasts in the middle. Now you can buy 821 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 4: against an advanced audience. So we've actually come out with 822 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:46,840 Speaker 4: four different categories that we've done it. It's been dramatically 823 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:50,200 Speaker 4: different and effective for advertisers in the middle of the funnel. 824 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:52,800 Speaker 4: That's what we see. So TV has always got credit 825 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:55,160 Speaker 4: at the top of the funnel, and you know, the 826 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,680 Speaker 4: digital companies have got credit at the bottom. We know 827 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:01,480 Speaker 4: that doesn't work perfectly, but the middle of the funnel 828 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:04,920 Speaker 4: is where premium video is really proving it's worth. So 829 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:07,120 Speaker 4: we're continuing to test on that. And then what we're 830 00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:10,799 Speaker 4: adding on top of that is the creative learning. So 831 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:14,160 Speaker 4: now we have we for the past eleven Super Bowls, 832 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:18,040 Speaker 4: we have all of the ads that have run, so 833 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:21,000 Speaker 4: we can actually take an ad and you could give 834 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:24,360 Speaker 4: us a storyboard, we can run it through this search 835 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:30,000 Speaker 4: optimization or not search. It's an optimization engine, and we 836 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,560 Speaker 4: can tell you against these four KPIs of how it's 837 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:35,239 Speaker 4: going to improve, and then we can provide feedback as 838 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:39,719 Speaker 4: well to say less voiceover more brand will deliver a 839 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:43,960 Speaker 4: higher result, and it's been unbelievable successful. So now we're 840 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:46,440 Speaker 4: taking that which was more manual. We're going to deliver 841 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:49,239 Speaker 4: that into one platform, total audience, and it will be 842 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:52,399 Speaker 4: driven by AI as well, So all of that will 843 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 4: now be part of our everyday targeting process. 844 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:57,799 Speaker 5: What do you think as pretidingly you have a crystal ball, 845 00:42:57,880 --> 00:42:58,960 Speaker 5: it can be the sphere. 846 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:01,160 Speaker 4: Like in my head. Yeah, I've heard a lot of cracks. 847 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,560 Speaker 5: Very shiny. I wasn't going to say anything. We should 848 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:04,680 Speaker 5: have dusted it before. 849 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:09,160 Speaker 4: Chris, I need HR. We're hr. 850 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:11,480 Speaker 5: I'm gonna lose my job. Like we're gonna be like you. 851 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:14,239 Speaker 5: There's no flight for you home. You will not be 852 00:43:14,280 --> 00:43:16,000 Speaker 5: on Sunday Night Football. We'll see you later. 853 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:18,839 Speaker 6: But if you had a crystal ball and you could 854 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:20,919 Speaker 6: tell us what we would be talking about a year 855 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:23,799 Speaker 6: from now at CS here with variety, what would it 856 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:25,920 Speaker 6: be the focus of our conversation. 857 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:31,840 Speaker 4: I think, uh, the power of live. I think we've 858 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:34,840 Speaker 4: we kind of talked about it last year because we 859 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:38,480 Speaker 4: knew the Paris Olympics were going to be special, and 860 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:41,839 Speaker 4: I think Peacock was a great example of you know, 861 00:43:42,239 --> 00:43:44,520 Speaker 4: and I credit to you in the production team. We 862 00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:48,319 Speaker 4: got back to telling stories. And I think we when 863 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 4: the we had the games that were in Asia, we 864 00:43:50,719 --> 00:43:52,880 Speaker 4: were like, great, we can have all sports, all sports, 865 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:56,239 Speaker 4: all sports. We lost our storytelling. So I think we're 866 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,560 Speaker 4: going to get back into more of that storytelling of 867 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 4: what we have and the canvas we get to tell 868 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:04,520 Speaker 4: the stories about over the next you know, fifteen months 869 00:44:04,719 --> 00:44:07,080 Speaker 4: are unparalleled. So I keep saying to the team, we're 870 00:44:07,080 --> 00:44:09,399 Speaker 4: going to have the greatest seven hundred and thirty days 871 00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:12,799 Speaker 4: that any media company has ever had. Before. Yeah, it's 872 00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:17,719 Speaker 4: a sad that you won't be part of it. It 873 00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:18,560 Speaker 4: was too easy. 874 00:44:19,719 --> 00:44:23,440 Speaker 6: You guys still want me to have my job, right, Yeah. 875 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:23,600 Speaker 3: Thank you. 876 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:25,800 Speaker 6: What are you most excited for the next seven hundred 877 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:27,040 Speaker 6: What do you say seven hundred and seven. 878 00:44:26,880 --> 00:44:33,280 Speaker 4: And thirty thirty days? I'm excited for. I think we've 879 00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:37,680 Speaker 4: never had a Olympics, a Super Bowl, and an NBA 880 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:40,520 Speaker 4: All Star Game fall within the Olympics, all on the 881 00:44:40,520 --> 00:44:43,480 Speaker 4: same network. I think that's going to be great. Yeah, 882 00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:45,440 Speaker 4: we got a lot of traveling going back and forth, 883 00:44:46,040 --> 00:44:49,400 Speaker 4: so we go San Francisco, Super Bowl, Milan, back to 884 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:51,200 Speaker 4: LA for for NBL. 885 00:44:51,239 --> 00:44:52,680 Speaker 5: Sir, your hair is going to be on fire. 886 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:55,560 Speaker 4: Oh you lose? 887 00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 3: Wow? 888 00:44:57,360 --> 00:44:58,839 Speaker 4: Like this right? 889 00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:03,480 Speaker 6: Well, I appreciate the conversation, Mark, I appreciate having had 890 00:45:03,520 --> 00:45:07,360 Speaker 6: a job shameless plug watch Sunday Night Football. 891 00:45:10,239 --> 00:45:13,240 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review 892 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,839 Speaker 3: at Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. We love to hear 893 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 3: from listeners. Please go to Variety dot com and sign 894 00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:24,720 Speaker 3: up for the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't 895 00:45:24,719 --> 00:45:27,600 Speaker 3: forget to tune in next week for another episode of 896 00:45:27,640 --> 00:45:28,759 Speaker 3: Strictly Business.