1 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: Cynthia Littleton, business editor for Variety Today. My guest in 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: New York is Rob shar Now, President of Programming for 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: A and E Networks, which is the home of cable 6 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: heavyweights A and E, History and Lifetime. Share Now has 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: written the cable roller Coaster for most of the past 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: twenty years. He's been with A and E since two 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: thousand three and worked as a producer for History before that. 10 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: In our conversation, share Now talks about the strategic challenges 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: facing the ad supported cable business. He offers some insights 12 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: into the exercise and brand focus that allowed A and 13 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: E and History to buck the trend against declining ratings 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: and grow their audiences over the past two years, and 15 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: he reveals how the team at Lifetime learned to stop 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: trying to run away from the legacy of the Life 17 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: Time movie and actually embrace it in a big way 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: for fun and profit. Rob's share Now, President of Programming 19 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: for Any Networks. Thank you so much for taking time 20 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: out to speak with us. Absolutely lovely to be here. 21 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 1: Tell me what it was that allowed you to kind 22 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: of turn the tide with programming with ratings um as, 23 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: I understand you really took a big focus on leaning 24 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: into the to the core audience of those three networks. Yeah, 25 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: you know, I think we have. We are having a 26 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: wonderful renaissance right now across all of our brands, which 27 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: is unusual. And I think I get that question a 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: lot where um we do seem to be bucking a 29 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: major trend. But I think one of the things that's 30 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: happening across the industry that I think really speaks to 31 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: how why I think we're doing well right now is 32 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: we're in an age of unbelievable distraction and unbelievable I 33 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: don't want to say excuses, but there's a million reasons 34 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: why I think people in my profession have reason to panic. 35 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: It's like, there's their their incredible shifts going in in 36 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: consumption and who's got the biggest s FOD service and 37 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 1: where where are things being consumed? And I think, again, 38 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 1: I think one of the things we've done very well 39 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: here is really try and drown out all the distraction 40 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: and stay focused on the core mission of what the 41 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: brands has always been which is just to superserve the audience. 42 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: And it sounds it sounds simple and reductive, but it 43 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: really is just about that. And I think one of 44 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: the things that Paul Boucherry has done incredibly well is 45 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: align the entire company around fewer priorities UM. And when 46 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: you talk about like focus, you know, really offering focused 47 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: brands that superserve an audience. I think that's part of it. 48 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: It isn't. As much as I would love to take 49 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: credit for all our success, I do think it's been 50 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: a holy stick shift in focusing the entire company on 51 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: the right things at the right time and making sure 52 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: that you know, we're all getting behind the things that 53 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 1: really are gonna are going to move the dial for us. 54 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: And again, I think a lot of companies and a 55 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: lot of my competitors are very distracted and not necessarily 56 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: just worrying about like, Okay, are you making the best 57 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: show UM for the audience that you want to serve 58 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: on your platform. And if you answer that question well 59 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 1: and clearly, I think everything else does fall into place. 60 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: And uh, and again i think we've done an incredible 61 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: job not being distracted by every other question that's coming 62 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: about you know, you talked about CS and all of 63 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: the when will the cocleal implant happen that well, that 64 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: will really radically change how we're consuming. At the end 65 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: of the day, everyone's consuming going to consume what they 66 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: want to consume um and it's our job to still 67 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: make sure that we are providing things that are exciting 68 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: you need and again super served what I think the 69 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: audience wants wants from us, you know, the again the 70 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: rebound of any in history in particular kind of you know, 71 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: it goes against the conventional wisdom that you just can't 72 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 1: bring viewers to live TV anymore unless it's sports, unless 73 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: it's some gigantic you know, the Grammy Awards or you know, 74 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: a big event telecast how have you? And obviously that 75 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: that's wildly overstated. What in that process of leaning in 76 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: did you guys, did you guys really like drill down 77 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: and look at who was your core live linear audience? 78 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: How did how did you decide where to focus on 79 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: those that shorter list of priorities. It's really about Yeah, 80 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 1: it's really about like leaning into the obvious. And I 81 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: do think that you know, taking them one at a time. 82 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: I think that the best example is obviously any Any, 83 00:04:55,279 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: which went from seventeen in the rancor slowly client being 84 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: over the past few years and now our number squarely 85 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: number three, which is I think our highest rank ever UM. 86 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: And I think the sort of the thing that happened 87 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: in and around a Any was really a focusing on 88 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: what we have always been doing best over the past decade, 89 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: which is this front row nonfiction. UM. I think two 90 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: shows really were the sort of the sort of lights 91 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: that led us through the storm, and one of them 92 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: is First forty eight, which has been in the error 93 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: I think fifteen years UM, but is actually experiencing its 94 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: highest ratings in five years recently. It's one of those 95 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: shows that just, um, I think it is a best 96 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: in class show and really sort of led the charge 97 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: in terms of a certain type of nonfiction crime storytelling. 98 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: And it's a it's the first forty eight hours of 99 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: an investigation of some kind of serious crime, or exactly 100 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 1: it's an immersive documentary verite documentary look at the first 101 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: forty eight hours of murder investigation, the premise being that 102 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: if the key piece of evidence is not unveiled within 103 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 1: the first fourty eight hours, the crime usually does not 104 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: get solved. So there's an amazing Again, this is a 105 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: show that's you know, we've made hundreds of episodes of 106 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: it's really been an incredible anchor for us. The other 107 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: show is Intervention. Intervention also a show that's been on 108 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: another ten year old show. But again I think there 109 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: is a UM, there's a purpose and a style and 110 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 1: an attitude about Intervention that really did help forge what 111 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: I think the model became for what was going to 112 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: make us most successful. This is what our audience have. 113 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: You know, these are the shows that a were the 114 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 1: most successful, they were the most critically lauded, they were 115 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: the ones that won Emmy's. So I think again, those 116 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:53,119 Speaker 1: those two shows really UM we we're we're foundational shows, 117 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: and we started building in and around those nonfiction beachheads. 118 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: And obviously we've had a lot of success with Live 119 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: p D, but there have been a lot of other 120 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: nonfiction formats. Lea Remedy was a huge success for us, 121 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: the scientology and the scientology so born this way. You know, again, 122 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: I think any has always led with UM. You know, 123 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: there was a lot of you know, at a time 124 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: when UM quality scripted drama was being flooded I think 125 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: any was able to jump in and really claim a 126 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: unique space and quality unscripted UM and that people really 127 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: came to expect a really high level of expectation execution 128 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: from us UM, but also to put viewers on the 129 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,559 Speaker 1: front lines of issues that are most urgent and hot, 130 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: high stakes. UM. And did you, UM, was there anything? 131 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: Was there anything promotionally that you did different for those 132 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: shows to get those ratings up? Did you? Because most 133 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 1: of this is it's largely live viewing correct and it's 134 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: not a lot of it is delayed. Yeah, I mean, 135 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: we we've had an we only have great appointment viewing 136 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: on most of the shows I just named UM. And 137 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: I think again it's a unity of focus of the company. 138 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: I think when you know, UM, Paul gathers the department 139 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: heads UM from PR, social Marketing and programming there, I 140 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: think there is a singularity of focus UM in our 141 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: company that you don't see very often. And again, when 142 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: when I compare us to the s bods, and I 143 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: won't pick on any of them individually, where they literally 144 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: have hundreds of launches and mega stars you know, popping 145 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: up all over the place, it's almost hard to keep track. UM. 146 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 1: I know you know, as a consumer, it's hard to 147 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: keep track. But I think even within the company it's 148 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: hard to keep track. Wow, what are we really focusing 149 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: on here? What's you know when when you're Walmart and 150 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: you sell everything? Um, what does that really mean? At 151 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: any Guess what? We knew we were going to make 152 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: live p D a priority and we did it. We 153 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: knew we were gonna make sixty days a priority, sixty 154 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: days in a priority, and we did and that's now 155 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: our highest rated show. You know, shows like Intervention and 156 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: le A Remedy they got the sort of the sort 157 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: of the kind of care and attention, um, when you 158 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: really have to pick pick your babies, and I do 159 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: think it's you get a different result. And I think 160 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: the audience wants to know what matters. I think more 161 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: than ever, the audience wants uh curation and they do 162 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: want a brand to be able to step forward and say, hey, 163 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: here's what we really believe in, here's what we think 164 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:40,559 Speaker 1: that you will you will really engage with UM, as 165 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: opposed to well, here's a thousand things go pick and 166 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: you know, our our matrix will help figure figure it out. Um. 167 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: We we definitely have a more boutique approach where we 168 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: we feel a lot of pride in getting behind singular 169 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: choices and really believing in them. Was there an element 170 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: a and he had experimented, you know, had dabbled in 171 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: the scripted arena for for a while. Was there an 172 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: element of looking at it and looking at the landscape 173 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: and the competitive landscape, as you said, you know, incredible 174 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:15,319 Speaker 1: amounts of money and budget and promotion going into scripted 175 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: programming from the Netflix is and Amazons of the world. 176 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: Was was there a point that you looked at the 177 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: scripted business and just said, we just can't do this 178 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: on Any. Yeah, you know, Look, I Any had an 179 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 1: unbelievable track record and scripted I think when I look 180 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: back on any scripted drama slate, it was wildly successful 181 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: relative to how many we did. We never we never 182 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: had a huge slate, but Bates Motel one of the 183 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: highest rated, best critically acclaimed shows on television, you know, 184 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: and all throughout the lifespan of Any's drama strand we 185 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: always I think punched above our weight class. But I'd 186 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,079 Speaker 1: be lying to you if I didn't tell you that 187 00:10:55,200 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: I was congratulated as much for Madmen as any other show, 188 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 1: and I think that that you know, amc any Like, 189 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: I think there was a lot of a lot of 190 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: confusion out there in the marketplace, particularly as a lot 191 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: of our competitors were proliferate proliferate rating their slates. UM, 192 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: We're like, okay, how can we really have a voice 193 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: that cuts through here? And again, I think there was 194 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: a lot of brand confusion UM. Unfortunately with our drama. 195 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: That said, I do think there you know, Any has 196 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: a great you know, we have a great drama studio. 197 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: We've always had great success with drama on Any. So 198 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: it wasn't as if we were launching things that weren't working. 199 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: They were working, um incredibly well. But I think the 200 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: decision to sort of focus on non scripted UM and 201 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: really clarify and simplify the offering for the audience during 202 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: this period was very beneficial. Can you talk about the 203 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: importance of having a big, fresh franchise that comes in 204 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: and this one in particular, because of the nature of 205 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 1: the show, can really really takes up a lot of 206 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,599 Speaker 1: real estate on your air. Yeah, I mean Live p 207 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: D has been a game changer for sure, but it's 208 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: a game changer that has uh, you know, follows a 209 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: similar path that our company has always followed. It's an 210 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: original show. We did not go out and buy a 211 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: sports franchise. We did not go out and spend five 212 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 1: million dollars on movie rights. We run. We actually made 213 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 1: something ourselves, and we're extremely proud we we actually make 214 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: the show here um with our partners Big Fish. But 215 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: like it's something that um. And again, I think that's 216 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: been the any in history story from the beginning when 217 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: I looked at you know, when I look back at 218 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: our past and some of the mega successes we've had, 219 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: some of them we've just discussed, you know, we make 220 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 1: our own reality. In other words, like you know, the 221 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: you know, I look at the success History had with 222 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: Pond Stars and American Pickers. Again, we're still we're still 223 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: benefiting from those shows. Um. But those were self made 224 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: too and took up a lot of real estate with 225 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,839 Speaker 1: original content. UM. So I do think like Live p 226 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 1: D has been amazing and continues to be, but it's 227 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: also of a piece. I think this is this is 228 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: really how our company has evolved over the years. And 229 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: always when whenever we're having these moments of success, it's 230 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: usually on the backs of of our original stuff, and uh, 231 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 1: you know, I do think it's interesting because live p 232 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: D has become so such so prevalent in culture, which 233 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: is amazing, which is what you hope for. That in 234 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: some ways it has overshadowed some of our other shows. 235 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: Like I mentioned you before, Sixty Days In is actually, 236 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: I believe, our highest rated show. And it's almost taken 237 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: for granted now that this was a an incredibly bold, 238 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:41,719 Speaker 1: innovative format um that still brings in a huge audience. Um, 239 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: and I think a lot of the any you know 240 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: again any now who has a complete ecosystem of non 241 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: scripted which I think is really helping, uh, super serve 242 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: the viewers of that stuff. So let's talk about history, 243 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: where you are about to embark on a big initiative, 244 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: a big priority for you, multipart documentary series about people 245 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: whose names we know, but telling some of the stories 246 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: that maybe aren't as well known about people. And you're 247 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: starting appropriately enough on President's Day with the premiere of Washington. 248 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: Tell me about the importance of this initiative to history 249 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: going forward. Well, history, you know, for us, history is 250 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: more than a channel, it's really it's a category, and 251 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: there is a mission to history that I think we 252 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: are re embracing that that there. You know, we we 253 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: do have a responsibility UM to bring the past live 254 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: and make it relevant for our viewers. And I think 255 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: that that my my main focus of the next couple 256 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: of years will be too really UM bring a lot 257 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: more core documentary to the channel. Washington is sort of 258 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: an opening salvo in this in this new battle we're 259 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: going to be waging UM. But I do think they're 260 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: you know, a it's baked into our name, it's history, 261 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: and I think we are going to be pushing against 262 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: an open door expectation of what people really want from 263 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: us UM, which is to sort of superserve their curiosity 264 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: about history. I think Washington is a perfect example of 265 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: something that everyone takes for granted. UM. I think there 266 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: is a tremendous amount of information about George Washington that 267 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: most viewers don't know or and a lot of the 268 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: assumptions we make about him are our is misinformation. I 269 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: think one of the one of the things that I've 270 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: enjoyed most is watching UM our team build these productions. 271 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: And we have a lot in production. As you know, 272 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: we have an entire slate of of core documentary stuff coming. 273 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: But what's happened is we've been able to assemble sort 274 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: of almost like a super team of historians, storytellers, and 275 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: experts to tell these stories in a way that I 276 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: don't think they've been told before because there is a 277 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: hunger for this. We are in an age where you know, 278 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: facts and truth are being questioned on the news networks, 279 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: and I do think the news networks are trafficking and 280 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: something very different, where you know, they sort of chop 281 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: up the meat of current events into hamburger patties and 282 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: sell them quickly. I think what we're trying to do 283 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: with history is be definitive exactly. We're we're trying to 284 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: give you a really full, nourishing meal that you can really, 285 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: uh you know, can you know, dine on or everyone 286 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: can dine on, and and presents the most complete perspective 287 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: we can we can on the subject matters. I mean, 288 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: Washington is a great example where George Current's Goodwin is 289 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: executive producing. She's our one of our leading presidential historians. 290 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: She had never really done Washington before, so this is 291 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: really a great experience for her. But what she did 292 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: was bring in all of the leading Washington experts, Um 293 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: to be our voices to tell the story. She also 294 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: brought in or our producers helped bring in, you know, 295 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: leaders like Bill Clinton and Colin Powell to talk very 296 00:16:55,600 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: specifically about him as a military leader or as a president. Um. 297 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: And then you know, so on top of that, we 298 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: have these unbelievable cinematic dramatizations with an incredible feature film 299 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: director directing those those moments, with Shakespearean actors like you know, 300 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: so you're getting a this very very rich broth um 301 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: a look at Washington that I don't think anyone's ever 302 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 1: attempted before. And I do think that's what the viewer demands, 303 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: Like the viewer wants to know that they're watching something 304 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: definitive or like really that that that merits their time. 305 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 1: It's the it's the TV's version of a deep dive exactly. 306 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 1: But let me ask the skeptical question, how do you 307 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: make the re enactments not seem cheesy? I invite you 308 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: to watch the show because I think when you watch it, 309 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: you will see something that looks a lot more like 310 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: a very high end feature film, um than what you 311 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: might have seen ten years ago, um with people in 312 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: bad wigs. I mean, you really you know, I would 313 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:05,719 Speaker 1: put our production value up against basically anything. Um. And again, 314 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: I think the difference with history is we are paying 315 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: very very close attention to historical detail in these recreations, 316 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: and we take a lot of pride in the accuracy 317 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: of uniforms and the horses they rode and all of 318 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: those things. UM. So you are you know, I think 319 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: you know, I'll leave it to the viewers, but I 320 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: would stand behind what our producers have done. Um. And 321 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: to be clear, these are like sort of moments in 322 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: between more traditional documentary you know, Doris Kern's Goodwin and 323 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: people talking about Washington. Yeah, it's really a you know again, 324 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: I think we are telling the story in a different way. 325 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,919 Speaker 1: I think there is a very traditional way of documentary 326 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: storytelling where you're just looking at a still photograph and 327 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: banion very slowly, and then you're hearing from your experts. 328 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: What we are trying to do is bring every storytelling 329 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 1: ing tool that we can in our arsenal to tell 330 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: these stories, so it really comes alive in a multidimensional way. Um. Again, Like, 331 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 1: I don't think others are doing it quite this way. Um. 332 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: And I do feel like we have a lot of 333 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,160 Speaker 1: gatekeepers we are. We have you know, US presidents and 334 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: Pultuer Prize winning historians and they are really helping guard 335 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: rail the process. So when you look at it, you're 336 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: not going to see a cheesy guy on a on 337 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: a lame horse. You're going to see something that really 338 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:35,239 Speaker 1: meets the standard of I think everyone who's putting their 339 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: name against this project and and the all the projects 340 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: were doing in that area. Um, but I do think 341 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: there's a hunger for this, this kind of thing, like 342 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: and again, it's something that's sort of it's it's timeless. 343 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: It does speak, it speaks to our current moment, but 344 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: more importantly, it really enriches us as human beings because 345 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,679 Speaker 1: we look at the struggles of these people as human beings. Also, 346 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 1: and in a multi episode format for you guys, as 347 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: a business, that's probably a better proposition for you than 348 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: a big two hour, big two hour something that a 349 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: two hour that you promote as a one time event 350 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: versus this is something that can build regular viewing. Is 351 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 1: that is that been a factor in thinking about how 352 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 1: to present these doc you these elevated docu series. Yeah, 353 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: I mean, well, we definitely are trying to choose subjects 354 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: that merit long long form storytelling, and I think there 355 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,640 Speaker 1: is uh, you know, there have been entire books written 356 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: about Washington's early life, or Washington's experience in the French 357 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: Indian War, or Washington's experience as president only or as general. 358 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: So like I think, when you're dealing with people ask 359 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 1: and same with Grant, when you're dealing with people as 360 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: complex and who have led such storied lives, if you're 361 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: not stretching the taffy very far. And that is one 362 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: of the one of the negatives I see in our business, 363 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 1: and it's a different subject, is I think there's a 364 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: lot of taffy stretching going on, UM, to the detriment 365 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: of the audience. Frankly, I think that a lot of UM, 366 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: nonfiction and scripted you know, take something and try and 367 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: make it, make it longer because they can, and that's 368 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: not always best for the consumer. Again, in this case, 369 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: I think we are choosing subjects that you know, our 370 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: merit you know, long form storytelling. UM. And we really 371 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: don't have a cookie cutter, uh, a cookie cutter approach. 372 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: It's really whatever we think the subject in the approach demands, 373 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 1: we will do. And in terms of the sort of 374 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: the bigger picture of brand focus for History, did you 375 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 1: go through that same process as you did with A 376 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: and E and kind of really looking at what that 377 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: core audience wanted or did. Was History not quite. History 378 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 1: hadn't fallen quite as far ratings wise, so maybe it 379 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: wasn't as much of an urgency there. Yeah, I think, um, 380 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: I think History, Yeah, History is still a top brand. 381 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: And like again, I think you're right, History did not 382 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: experience the down uh that that A and E did. 383 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: But again for me um, as someone who came to 384 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: the company to work on history, UM, I've been in 385 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,120 Speaker 1: graduate school. Like I just wanted to connect history more 386 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: to history um, and people to think of us as 387 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: the place where you go for that kind of stuff. 388 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 1: And like again, we've always had It's always been part 389 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: of our DNA, but I've always felt like it should 390 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 1: be the primary part of the point. We put it 391 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 1: in our front window. So when they, you know, when 392 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: I think viewers think of us, they think of us 393 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 1: as being the leaders in that area. But at the 394 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: same time, you also do have a pretty broad slate 395 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 1: of more traditional you know, sorry, you do have a 396 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: broad slate of unscripted shows. Some in the you know, 397 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 1: varite and some in the American Pickers and um is 398 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: that does that you feel like that balance is working 399 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: for history in terms of in terms of audience, do 400 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: the different types of shows I would imagine draws slightly 401 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: different demographics. Well, I think when this show's work, you know, 402 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: American Pickers is a great example. American Pickers is infused 403 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: with history. It is a in the moment adventure show 404 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: where he's out collecting stuff but searching through America's addicts. Yeah, 405 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,399 Speaker 1: but you really are like that. That's a show where 406 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: I actually think it does harmonize really beautifully because people 407 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 1: go to that show. The currency of all not all, 408 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,719 Speaker 1: but like most of the most successful shows on history 409 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: is always information, and I think that something like American 410 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 1: Pickers is infused with information about whatever he's discovering the 411 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: history of the object, the history of the person who 412 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:53,159 Speaker 1: owns the object, and you're really seeing American history through 413 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: a very different lens. And that's you know, I mean, 414 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: those guys really feel a mission of what they do 415 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 1: and to do it properly and to treat everyone with respect. 416 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 1: So there there is a level of where I think 417 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: that when when it works, well, I think all the 418 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: pieces really do harmonize nicely. And can let's talk about Lifetime, 419 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:15,359 Speaker 1: which I know is still a little bit more of 420 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: a work in progress. Um, you've embarked on a very 421 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: big initiative of you are doing traditional you know, you're 422 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: you're almost like you're embracing you're embracing the Lifetime movie 423 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: as opposed to as opposed to. For years it felt like, 424 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: you know, Lifetime was trying to be anything but the 425 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: notion of the Lifetime movie. And now, um, there's very 426 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: much a there's a there's a robust slate of long 427 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: form that as I understand you, you have ordered so 428 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 1: many TV movies that you are thinking of them as 429 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: a series unto themselves. When you talk about the sort 430 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: of the evolution of that strategy, yeah, I mean, I 431 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: think where again it was it was all about just 432 00:24:55,440 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: leaning into what our core competence is and I think 433 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:04,119 Speaker 1: on you know, any was cutting edge nonfiction, on history, 434 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: the history category. On the Lifetime I think if you 435 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: were to associate Lifetime with most consumers, they say movies. Um, 436 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: So over the past years and a half, we've really 437 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: been focusing a lot more energy on building out our 438 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: our movie capability and really super serving the audience of 439 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: the Lifetime movie and loving them. I think there was 440 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 1: a little bit of a moment where, um, you know, 441 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 1: the Lifetime movie, UM, we sort of backed away a 442 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: little bit from the strategy, UM, which you know now 443 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 1: looking looking at it now, it's like, well, this is 444 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: what our viewers love, why not why not bring into it? 445 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: And I do think we've had some kind of amazing 446 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 1: results UM with what we're doing on Lifetime and what 447 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,360 Speaker 1: we're trying. What we're trying to do is really focus 448 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: on the genres and areas that we know our viewers 449 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:00,919 Speaker 1: love most. Um. We have had a tremendous success reintroducing 450 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: our holiday movies, UM, which we had we're basically first 451 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 1: in the game in original Christmas movies, and then then 452 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: ceded to other other competitors, ceded to other competitors. But 453 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: we we we sort of just got back into the 454 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: game in the past couple of years to great success. 455 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: It's really been wonderful to see all the viewers returned 456 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: to us UM for our Christmas movies, which offer sort 457 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: of you know, and again, I think we do it 458 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: in a unique way. We really embrace diversity and a 459 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: different kind of storytelling than some of our competitors do. UM, 460 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 1: but then also leaning into the stuff that can we 461 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: just know our viewers love. The ripped from the headlines 462 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: category is something that we've always UM done incredibly well 463 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: with Our Megan and Harry movie was one of our 464 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: you know, most highly rated movies of the past couple 465 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 1: of years. We just had a huge success with the 466 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 1: Kamaia Mobili story, which Robin Roberts produced for us, which 467 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 1: I believe is the highest rated movie of the television season. UM. 468 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: But I think really leaning into uh ripped from the 469 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: headlines and what that means, UM and expanding it a 470 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:06,159 Speaker 1: little bit. I think people think, oh, it's traditionally just 471 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: crime and blah blah blah. But I think we're looking 472 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:12,880 Speaker 1: at other stories UM represented by you know what Ripped 473 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: from the headlines means Megan and Harry being able an 474 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: example of that. UM. But then we also have our 475 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: biopics and our end which our viewers love. We just 476 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: had a great success with Patsy and Loretta about Patsy 477 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 1: Klan and Loretta Lynn and again one of the beauties 478 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: of the whole genre. And I think that this is 479 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 1: again gets back to your original question, it's like, why 480 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,360 Speaker 1: do you think you're succeeding and what is the difference 481 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,959 Speaker 1: in what's going on in the company right now? And 482 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: I think it's really leaning into the things that only will, 483 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: only we can do. In other words, like we we're 484 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: the only ones who are gonna make the Megan and 485 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 1: Harry movie and we know there's an audience there for 486 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,479 Speaker 1: four weeks of the big news. Yeah, yeah, we're we 487 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: can do that. We're going to do that, and we're 488 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 1: gonna step in and like we are telling stories that 489 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 1: I think only Lifetime can tell. And one of the 490 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:01,919 Speaker 1: things that I think we take a lot of pride 491 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: in is, you know, we have kind of cut through 492 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: also on a quality level. I think people we have 493 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: been trying to raise the game quite significantly. I think 494 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: last year, um, I think we were the only non 495 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,719 Speaker 1: s VOD service to be nominated for Best Film for 496 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: Emmy's um with for our Flint Our Flint Water Scandal 497 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: movie between Latifa. Really proud of that. This year we had, 498 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: you know, um, you know, the Critics Choice Award. Again, 499 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: we were the only non SVOD or pay service to 500 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: be nominated for Patty and Loretta and both of our 501 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,119 Speaker 1: actresses were nominated for Best Actress UM. And I do 502 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: think that we, you know, we take a lot of 503 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: pride in being being able to compete with some pretty 504 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: heavy hitters. UM. But again, I think it's about super 505 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: serving our audience. And I think there are a lot 506 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 1: of services now that are getting into the movie business 507 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: and they're doing every kind of movie and they're sort 508 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: of sort of you know, again, it's like a little 509 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 1: bit of a Walmart approach to to the business, where Okay, 510 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: we're just going to do everything. And I think Lifetime 511 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 1: focus has really helped us. So we're focusing on holiday movies, 512 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: on Ripped from the Headlines, on biopics, the things we 513 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: know we do well and we know our viewers expect 514 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 1: from us, and we're just gonna do more of them 515 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: and do them as well as we can. Would you 516 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: say that the movies have kind of taken the place 517 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: of scripted series on Lifetime for now? Well, one of 518 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: the one of our proudest moments last year was we 519 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 1: we we First of all, we're trying to innovate. I 520 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: do think that the scripted drama space is incredibly congested 521 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:41,719 Speaker 1: right now, UM, particularly you know, female focused scripted drama series. 522 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 1: There are dozens of them out there, and I think 523 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: we are looking for different ways to win with scripted. 524 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: I think the movie strategy is is scripted. I mean 525 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: it's definitely we do more scripted than almost any channel 526 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: and cable. UM. It just happens to take the form 527 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: of movies. One of the innovations that we're most proud 528 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: of that we're actually doing more of UM is last 529 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: year we we did something very unusual in that we 530 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:14,239 Speaker 1: UM we optioned and produced five movies simultaneously that we're 531 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:18,200 Speaker 1: based on a book series by VC andrews um And 532 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: so what we did was we put all five movies 533 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: into production simultaneously. They were an interconnected a loosely interconnected 534 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: story of family saga and we uh and it was 535 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: the Casteel Family Saga if you want to know the 536 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: name of it, but what what you know? So and 537 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 1: we aired them all together. We aired them in a 538 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: series over a series of weekends, so it kind of 539 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: became a series. Unto itself became a series. And when 540 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: we first of all, it was a huge success for us. 541 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: It really resonated with our movie audience. But it also 542 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: UM did act as a series and when we you know, 543 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: one of the things that did not get a lot 544 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: of notice, which, um, in some ways I'm glad it 545 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: didn't because it's it's really it's been a good strategy 546 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: for us that I don't want other people to copy. 547 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: Is you know when you compare that to all of 548 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: scripted drama from last year, it would be the second 549 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: highest rated new drama for women after Dirty John UM 550 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: in the cable arena, which is like, I don't think 551 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: people that registered for people, but it's like, wow, there 552 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: are a lot of dramas launched last year, and when 553 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 1: we look at the results of how that what we 554 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: call a movie series event did, I do think that's 555 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: provided a little bit of a path for us. We 556 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: are doing another VC Andrews book series, UM but I 557 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: think that's again it's it feels like something others are 558 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: not doing. It feels like it's uniquely tailored to what 559 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:43,959 Speaker 1: we know our viewers love. We know our viewers love 560 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: book series VC Andrews. We've had success in the past 561 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: with VC Andrews titles, um so, and we we are 562 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: looking into other ways to do movie kind of quote 563 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: unquote series events the same way and that's an interesting 564 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: way to interesting way to kind of get at that 565 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 1: same audience just in a different way. Um. That must 566 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: have been quite a logistical challenge to have five movies 567 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: in production, assuming obviously different producers, different production companies, and 568 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: to coordinate plot points and things like that. That's though, well, 569 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 1: it is a little bit of a uh it is 570 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: a challenge, but yeah, we are in some cases working 571 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 1: with one production company, but we are looking as we 572 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: look ahead. Sometimes when we really I want to get 573 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: something on we will parse out different titles different production companies. 574 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: Ideally we do give them to the same company. Um, 575 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 1: so there can be efficiencies. Um, but yeah, it was 576 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: really cool to watch the team come together because I 577 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: don't think anyone had ever done that quite that way, 578 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: and to have it be as successful as it was 579 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: was really a great win for the team. And again 580 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: win it didn't get a lot of attention, but um, 581 00:32:56,080 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: that's fine for us. Because can you talk about the 582 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 1: cost profile of a movie, a two hour movie versus 583 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: doing a ten episode series. I mean, does it financially 584 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: does it work out to about the same per hour 585 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: or are there efficiencies? Are their benefits to doing to 586 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 1: doing the TV movies the two I should say, are 587 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: there benefits to doing the two hour movies? Yeah, there 588 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 1: there's certainly financial benefits to the movie model, UM. And 589 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: it's just there. There are a lot of benefits to 590 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: it in that I think one of the challenges for 591 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: anyone doing series is you know your your actor deals. 592 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: Where I think when you're asking an actor to commit 593 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 1: to a series, it could be ten years worth of work. 594 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:44,719 Speaker 1: Very different when you're coming to them with something like this, 595 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: where it's sort of like, okay, it's it's can be finite. 596 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: And that really helps um a get really interesting talent 597 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: into the movies. UM. But it does make it a 598 00:33:56,200 --> 00:34:01,720 Speaker 1: different financial conversation. And we we have a bust movie 599 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: ecosystem where we have, you know, we use our movies 600 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: a lot. We have our Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Movie 601 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: Club UM. So there's a sort of a long, deep, uh, 602 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 1: you know pool for us to be able to like 603 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: use our movies UM to great success and super serve 604 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 1: that audience. And again that's something others don't have, where 605 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: they don't have a whole other channel dedicated to movies. 606 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: That that is, by the way, I should mention LMN 607 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: is its own channel. UM it has its own programming budget. 608 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 1: We do fifty original movies a year for LMN Lifetime 609 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: Movie Network. There's no crossover between very little with like 610 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: some repeat but like generally it's its own channel. It's 611 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:48,440 Speaker 1: really all thrillers all the time. At this point, I 612 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: have to say, as somebody who covers the business, I'm 613 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:53,200 Speaker 1: embarrassed to say I didn't know that that's that's interesting 614 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: that LMN has its own as its own I mean 615 00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: that is for your hardcore the lifetime lover that I 616 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: would imagine that that's kind of that audience. Yeah, And 617 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:05,920 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things that I think, UM, 618 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: Lifetime Movie Network is a very very like quietly it's 619 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 1: one of the most successful channels in cable. It actually 620 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: outrates Own and E And like I think you think 621 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:21,279 Speaker 1: of those I gotta double check those, but like you know, 622 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: but I think we think of those channels as being 623 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,959 Speaker 1: these huge, big channels, big brands, and like oh little 624 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:31,800 Speaker 1: element on a total day basis actually delivers a big audience. 625 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,360 Speaker 1: And again it's about that. One is a great example 626 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: of just really clear brand focus. It's like we we 627 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 1: do all thrillers, we stunt our thrillers, who we have 628 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 1: Every year, we have our you know, you know, a 629 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 1: New Year's stunt to called Deadly Resolutions, and then we 630 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,920 Speaker 1: have Don't Mess with Mommy weekend on Mother's Day and 631 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: like they have a lot of fun with that brand. 632 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,480 Speaker 1: But um again, it speaks to how much I think 633 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 1: brand clarity matters these days and the audience is getting 634 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 1: they want, they will, they will reward reward your channel. 635 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: What is the most fun part of your job? What 636 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:09,440 Speaker 1: do you like the most about being president of programming 637 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: for any networks? So you have a lot of you 638 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: have so much subject matter to that you can explore, 639 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 1: that seems like that would be a real perk. I 640 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: think it's that, you know, the thrill for me is 641 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:27,360 Speaker 1: watching ideas come alive, and watching ideas come alive that 642 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 1: a are extremely ambitious or seemingly impossible. And I think 643 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: Live PD is a great example of that. When that 644 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:40,359 Speaker 1: started as a piece of paper and all of the 645 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: technological and legal and all the things that had to 646 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 1: go into actually getting that show, you know, onto the air, 647 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,240 Speaker 1: which seemed when it was at the piece of paper 648 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:56,799 Speaker 1: stage like a very distant possibility. But watching it, you know, 649 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: the team build it and get excited and then make 650 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 1: it a reality. It's thrilling. And you know, I feel 651 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:05,919 Speaker 1: the same way about Washington. When we first started talking 652 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,880 Speaker 1: about Washington, it was very abstract and it's like, hey, 653 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:13,600 Speaker 1: could we get Doris Kern's Goodwin, could we get all 654 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: of these experts, could we get president to you know? 655 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:20,880 Speaker 1: You know, and watching again, watching those things come together, 656 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,760 Speaker 1: it's it. That's the dream for me. It's like watching 657 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 1: things that you can really feel great about and proud of, 658 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,240 Speaker 1: um happening before your eyes. And that's that's always the magic. 659 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,040 Speaker 1: And again that's the That's why I love our company, 660 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:38,240 Speaker 1: because our company is always at at heart about making stuff. 661 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:43,719 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. Be sure to tune in next week 662 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: for another episode of Strictly Business