1 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of the Variety podcast Strictly Business, 2 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: where we talk shop with some of the brightest minds 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: working in media today. I'm Variety co editor in chief 4 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: Andrew Wallenstate when The People's Choice Awards returns to TV 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: on November eleven for its fourth year, we'll have a 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: new home on the E Network. How this award show 7 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: made the move after all those years is what we'll 8 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: talk about with my next guest, E President Adam Stotsky. 9 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 1: It's well as a number of the latest developments at 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: the Comcast owned brand. Thanks for coming in out, Thanks 11 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: for having me, brightest mind that is, that's a that's 12 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: that's a stretch, but it's a lot to live up 13 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: to it. You're gonna be just fine. Um. So, when 14 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: I saw the headline about you getting People's Choice about 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: a year ago, I understood it to some degree. It's entertainment, 16 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: People's Choice E. On the other hand, awards shows. Live 17 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: programming certainly has its value, but awards shows are tough, 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: tough roads. Sometimes ratings could be tough, cluttered atmosphere. What 19 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: did you see in this particular franchise? Sure, well, for us, 20 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: it was a it was a bang on opportunity for 21 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 1: us UM. I was sitting in my office about sixteen 22 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: seventeen months ago, and I took a call from one 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: of our AUNT sales colleagues in New York who said 24 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: to me, I just took an even stranger call from 25 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: a lawyer deep inside Procter and Gamble. Do you have 26 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: any interest in acquiring the People's Choice Awards? How does 27 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: Proctor and Gamble even come to own an awards show? 28 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,559 Speaker 1: Procter and Gamble actually created the People's Choice Awards forty 29 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: three years ago as a media property to sell their brands. 30 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: You know, they have had UM a long and very 31 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: successful history of UM media development and production. Soap operas 32 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: are called soap operas because of Procter and Gamble. They 33 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: created the format to sell soap and UM in addition 34 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 1: to soaps and Movies of the Week. Forty plus years ago, 35 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: they created their own award show event. They partnered with 36 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: CBS and UM for the past four decades have built 37 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: the franchise into a a legitimate reflection of what audiences 38 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: and fans are are really excited about in the pop 39 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: culture landscape. And so for US as a brand, we're 40 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: focused on entertaining and exciting the pop culture fan and 41 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: all of us. That's our mission statement. That's you know, 42 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: emblazoned on our T shirts and in the halls of 43 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: the But were you in the marketplace looking for award shows? 44 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: Because when I think of the I think red carpet, 45 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: your companioned the awardship. That's true, you know, our our 46 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: head of communications, Sarah Sarah Goldstein likes to say, you know, 47 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: for the past two decades, we've we've built a business 48 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 1: off of filming people walking through a parking lot and UM. 49 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: And that's true. That's a that's a great UM legacy 50 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: for us. UM. It's part of our brand, UM, it's 51 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: part of our identity. It's a great it's a great 52 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: part of our business. But we have always had these 53 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 1: ambitions of getting into UM, into the building UM as 54 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: it were, and UM and so over the course of 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: the past several years, we had had UM discussions about 56 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: acquiring some of the smaller shows that would come up 57 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: for UM come up for discussion. We had talked about 58 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: starting one from scratch, which feels like it feels like 59 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,399 Speaker 1: a very very tough lift. And so when this call 60 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: came into me, I sat back and thought, she's well 61 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: that that couldn't be any more perfect for us. He 62 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: is an egalitarian brand where a populist brand, and I 63 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: mean that with a small p. In today's political climate, 64 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: and um, you know, we are all about reflecting the 65 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: current tastes and interests and and and and passions of 66 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: our audience and the People's Choice awards for forty three years, 67 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: UM has always been about that. I get it. On 68 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: the other hand, award show there's just so many of them, 69 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: and People's Choice I agree as a brand, but I 70 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: don't necessarily I wouldn't say I saw it coming off 71 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: sort of a peak. So what did you see in 72 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: it that you thought you could take it to the 73 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: next level? Well, we saw, we saw forty years of equity, 74 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: we saw forty years of history, UM. And we saw 75 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,559 Speaker 1: an idea, a concept, this idea of for the people 76 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: by the people that felt really decidedly and so UM. 77 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: When we sat down with the Procinant Gamble team who 78 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: had done it, just a great job. And you know, 79 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: their business, like all of our businesses, changing and so 80 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: they were looking to to exit broadcast production. UM, we 81 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 1: thought this is a relatively modest investment for us, to 82 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: take a swing into UM an ownership position. Whereas historically, 83 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: if you think about our red carpet business, which is 84 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: you know, we do eight to ten of these red 85 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: carpet events a year. Uh, you know, we're more of 86 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: a renter or in some cases of squatter. We sort 87 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: of show up on the show, up on the red 88 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 1: carpet with our with with our cameras and UM and 89 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: we build that into you know, into a great story 90 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: for E. This is an opportunity for us to take 91 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: that experience, that exposure, UM, that expertise UM and and 92 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 1: really drive it all the way from the red carpet 93 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: into the main awards show in a in a relatively 94 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: UM cost efficient way. And so UM strategically made a 95 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: lot of sense for us. Live viewership is something that 96 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: you know, many of us in the AD supported linear 97 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: TV space, covet and UM. You know, even even in 98 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: the face of a challenging competitive dynamic for award shows, 99 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: felt like a smart, strategic UM and and really focused 100 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: investment for us. But how do you spruce it up 101 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: and make it your own? Because I think there's expectations 102 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: when you move from say CBSDE we're going to see 103 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: a slightly different better property hopefully will be will be better. 104 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: It will certainly be different. UM. We've spent Jen Neal, 105 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: who's our chief marketing officer and also the executive producer 106 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: of our live events business. UM will share Studios, which 107 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: is our in house unscripted producing facility have long history 108 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: producing our red carpet business. UM and Den of Thieves, 109 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: who's our external producing partner. UM, most famous for producing 110 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: the MTV v m as for the past decade or so, 111 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: have spent the better part of the last year kind 112 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: of stripping the franchise down to the studs as it 113 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: were UM and reimagining it through the lens of E. UM, 114 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: reimagining it for UM where we think award shows are going, 115 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 1: and and reimagining it for global audience. Uh. You know. 116 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: This will be the first time that the franchise has 117 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: been broadcast globally. UM E distributes our Channel two D 118 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: and sixty countries around the world, so this would be 119 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: a global broadcast. It's also going to be a UM 120 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 1: A multi platform UM production for US, so not only 121 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: will E broadcast, it will also be simulcast across the 122 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: USA network, Sci Fi Network, Bravo Roadblock as they say 123 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: the road the roadblock across the entire portfolio. And so 124 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: you know, we we spent the better part of a 125 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: year just looking at the category as a whole um 126 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: and really trying to take the best of what's performed 127 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: in um the category and and really bringing it to bear, 128 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: to reimagine it, reimagining the people's choice for for e 129 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: and for a new audience. And that's what you'll see 130 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: on November eleven. It seems to me that what works 131 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: for award shows is when and I think of how 132 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: MTV does this. This is I think analogous because they're 133 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: a cable network. It's their own show that they own. 134 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: It's really about concocting these viral moments, things that people 135 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: are gonna be talking about minutes after they occur on 136 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: social media. We is People's Choice, gonna maybe unbuttoned the 137 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: top collar and get crazy because that's my only way 138 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: of seeing viral happen. Yeah, I think, you know, we'll 139 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: do We'll do a lot of things that will be different, 140 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: certainly from the show's history and different from other award shows. 141 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: I think, first and foremost, I'm given our two decades 142 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: worth of red carpet expertise. We're gonna take that experience 143 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: red carpet for two hours and drive it right into 144 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: the main show. So they're gonna it's gonna feel like 145 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: a connected hole between the red carpet show, which is 146 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: our legacy UM, and this new expression of the People's 147 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: Choice Awards. So historically, if you think about the way 148 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: UM other award shows UM exist visa vi their red 149 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: carpet experience, they feel like too two very separate and 150 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: discrete things. This is going to feel like a connected whole, UM. 151 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: And right out of the gate, we know that our 152 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: main job is to connect with our audiences and to 153 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: drive those um, those those those moments UM that will 154 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: get people talking. And so we've got a lot of 155 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: things planned UM, a lot of things that I'll wait 156 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: to surprise your viewers with on November eleven. But we 157 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 1: understand what it is we're up against and have planned accordingly. 158 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: And I'm curious about the Procter and gamble of all this. 159 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: What was that acquisition sess like, were they looking for 160 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: you know, tough, very competitive bids. Were there are other 161 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: people in there? We do know there were other people involved, UM, 162 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: some household names to your viewers to your listeners, UM, 163 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: they'll remain nameless. But you know, I think, I think 164 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: what we proposed to UH, to Procter and Gamble was 165 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: an environment that would would would care and nurture this 166 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: baby that they had birth and developed and had grown 167 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: into a sizeable franchise across Barty three years. UM. It 168 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 1: wasn't just simply the acquisition of an asset UM. We 169 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: really made a pitch to them for UM strategically, why 170 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: the brand and the franchise made sense at E how 171 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: it could be an outgrowth of our entertainment news offering 172 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: and our live events offering UM, and so I think 173 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: for them, UM it made financial sense. We put together 174 00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: a financial package that that that was UM that solid 175 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: and obviously UM good for them, but it was also 176 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: a strategic presentation that that we wanted them to understand 177 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: how we were going to use what they had built, 178 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: because you know, in addition to marketing scope and and 179 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: and Crest and oil of l A and lots of 180 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: other products, this was this was one of their brands 181 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: and and and something that they cared for and nurtured 182 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: over you know, over the course of decades, and so 183 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: UM articulating that their baby would have a comfortable home 184 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,199 Speaker 1: at E. U was also part of the pitch in 185 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: addition to the financials. And there's a lot going on 186 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: at e and we'll we'll get into that. But I'm 187 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 1: curious what this means in terms of the brand identity 188 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: of EID as it tell us something new your brand. 189 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: It's been how long now has it been years? And 190 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: it's never there's there's never a time, it seems, even 191 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: for networks that are a lot older. Uh, you can't 192 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 1: rest on your laurels. There's always this constant read definition 193 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: of going on. So what does this addition tell us 194 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,719 Speaker 1: about the brand? Yeah, yeah, it's a great question. You 195 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: know what, We're focused on three things at e We 196 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: create pop culture, uh in the form of the franchises 197 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: that we built, Kardashians obviously being noteworthy, some of our 198 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: scripted efforts, Royals Arrangement, Christian Cavalary, Uh, you know, new 199 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: sort of runaway hit for us. We report pop culture 200 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: um in the form of the news, and we do 201 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:29,120 Speaker 1: that multi platform. I know you and I have spoken 202 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: about that in the past. UM. And then we celebrate 203 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: pop culture, and we celebrate pop culture at these sort 204 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: of seminal pop culture moments throughout the year, whether it's 205 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: the Oscars, the Grammys, the Golden Globes, UM, what have you, 206 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: and the People's Choice Awards. Is really sort of bridging 207 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: those two, those two strategic pillars for us of reporting 208 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: pop culture at the seminal moments of the year and 209 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: the and the events of of pop culture and so UM. 210 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: You know, it says to us that if you're interested 211 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,599 Speaker 1: in what's happening UM inside the pop culture landscape, E 212 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: is the brand UM for you. You know. Actually, just uh, 213 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: just this week, we've taken a dive back into topical 214 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: talk in a fairly sizeable way. You know. UM. Joan 215 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: Rivers is, you may recall, passed away about four years ago, 216 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: UM and UM with Joan passing away with Chelsea Handler 217 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: leaving us for for her her efforts elsewhere, and we 218 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: had gotten out of the topical talk space in UM 219 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: in any significant way and UM on Monday part of me. 220 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: On Sunday night, we launched Busy Tonight, which is hosted 221 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: by Busy Phillips, produced by Tina Fey, which is a 222 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: four night a week topical talk show. UM. Really bringing 223 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: Busy Phillips unique perspective and only on the world, but 224 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: on Los Angeles and the the Hollywood ecosystem. Um uh 225 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: at its uh you know, in its fullest um. But 226 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: which interesting about Busy is sure she's an actress, but 227 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: I think more people know her nowadays from She's got 228 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: a pretty robust in Degram president. She does, she does, 229 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: she's she's done a great job of cultivating a really authentic, 230 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: unique point of view through her Instagram stories. And that's 231 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: really what caught us. I mean, we had been familiar, 232 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: we had known Busy for quite some time. She'd show 233 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: up on the Red carpet with Michelle Williams um and 234 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: you know, sure, certainly she's a she's an actor in 235 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: her own regard Cougar Town to to e r tow 236 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: to Dawson's Creek and so um, you know, for us 237 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: to have, um, you know, a real sort of working 238 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: member of the Hollywood community who also has a real 239 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 1: strong point of view on the world and um an 240 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: authentic voice that has done a great job of connecting 241 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 1: with millions of followers via Instagram, we thought that that 242 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: that needs to come to come to eat. So in 243 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: addition to Busy tonight, also on Sunday we launched Lady Gang. 244 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:53,599 Speaker 1: Lady Gang is a podcast uh topical um pop culture podcast. 245 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: Entertainment Weekly called it the podcast of the Year. It 246 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: was actually nominated for People's Choice Award. UM we had 247 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: nothing to do with that. That was all fan driven. UM. 248 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: And then last night we actually launched a third topical 249 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: talker UM called Nightly Pop. We have a daytime strip 250 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: um talk show called Daily Pop, which is uh nine 251 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: am here on the West coast, noon on the East coast, 252 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: and it's a it's a topical um sort of gossip show. 253 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: And Nightly pops the sort of edge your version, edge 254 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: your sister to two. Daily Pop so a fairly significant 255 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: return into topical talk. And so for us People's Choice Awards. 256 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: Along with with Busy Tonight with Lady Gang, Nightly Pop 257 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: just works to reinforce UM, you know, our point of 258 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: view that pop culture matters, and it matters significantly to 259 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: our audience, and UM, we want to make sure that anywhere, 260 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: um and anytime pop culture is happening, uh, anything's happening 261 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: inside that space. This this brand needs to be there. 262 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: In addition to those sort of um big sort of 263 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: seminal moments which will capture in into People's Choice Awards 264 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: this year. But talk shows are just as challenging a 265 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: place to play as awards shows. I think, particularly we're 266 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: talking about Busy and Late Night. I guess there's a 267 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: two part question, what makes you think late night needs 268 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: another voice? And number two? You know, I think there's 269 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: a special challenge, a challenge that I think he has 270 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: dealt with in the past about taking a digital I 271 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: don't want to call her a digital native star digital 272 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: native ish maybe she might appreciate that and transplant that 273 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: into TV. So how do you make these things work? Yeah? Well, look, 274 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: the entire business is challenging. That's what makes it, That's 275 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: what makes it interesting, and that is what really works. Uh, 276 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: you know, challenges us to raise our game each and 277 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: every time out. Um. You know, I think we didn't 278 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: really set out to get back into back into late 279 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: night per se. Um. We were introduced to Busy and 280 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: just kind of fell in love with her. Um. We 281 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: love her voice, we love her authenticity. She's so fun. 282 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: She's like that friend that every girl wants to have 283 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: and wants to hang out with with a with a 284 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: margharita and uh, you know, a pair of comfortable pants. 285 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: I think she calls him. Um. Actually, she's got this 286 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: thing on her show. She calls it Mr. Knightgown. Um. 287 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: She gets into Mr. Knightgown to close every show because 288 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 1: she knows that our audience is sort of settling into 289 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: bed for the night, and so she wants to be 290 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: that sort of last last moment um for our for 291 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: our audience before they before they kick off for the night. UM. 292 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: And so you know, I think we follow the talent 293 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: and we follow the um. We follow the opportunity more 294 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: so than we look at the competitive dynamic. UM. Busies 295 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: on at ten o'clock. Um, So it's late night adjacent, 296 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: we'll call it. Maybe it's late night for some folks, 297 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: actually late night for me the father to probably late 298 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: night for you as a father one. UM so UM. 299 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: A little bit of a zig against the against the 300 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: pure late night zag of eleven thirty and twelve thirty 301 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: across the rest of the linear ad supported networks. UM. 302 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 1: But I think it's it's really about out. Anytime you 303 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: have an opportunity to find um and collaborate with a 304 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: unique voice, whether it's Busy Lady Gang, the team at 305 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: Nightly Pop. You know you have to find a venue 306 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: for it. UM. Uh competition be damned and UM we 307 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: feel really bullish about UM our dive back into topical 308 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: talk with these these three franchises, and UM, you know 309 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: we know from experience with Chelsea, UH, my experience at 310 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: NBC with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon. Uh, these kinds 311 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: of shows are marathons. They're not sprints. UM. The first 312 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: shows bear very little resemblance to the tenth show or 313 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: the thirtieth show. And UM, you know, we've got to 314 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: create an environment where UM, a voice like Busy, UM, 315 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 1: a voice like the Lady Gang can can can play 316 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: and can really innovate and try some new things and 317 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 1: UM not be worried about about performance. And so we'll 318 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: look at certainly, we'll look at ratings performance that that 319 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: is a key driver for us. We'll also look at 320 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:05,920 Speaker 1: engagement um both uh linearly UM and socially and digitally, UM, 321 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: we'll look at retention, you know, week to week, episode episode, 322 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: We'll look at flow vertically horizontally across across the east. 323 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: So lots of metrics that we can um evaluate our 324 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: success UM through. It sounds like you're really drawing on 325 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: as you eluded your days at NBC when you were there. 326 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: Talk about what you were doing when I first got 327 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: to know you were running marketing then, But are what 328 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: you is? What you did then it was just ten 329 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: fifteen years ago applicable to today's environment. Sure, Uh, it 330 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: was just about ten years ago. So I spent I 331 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: spent three years at NBC as the as the president 332 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: of marketing. UM. You know. During that during that tenure, 333 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: we UM had some terrific late night successes. UM, we 334 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 1: had some some challenges migrating at late night franchise and 335 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: Jay Land know to uh to ten o'clock, which was 336 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: very disruptive, very challenging and ultimately and ultimately um uh 337 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: not something we look back on all that, all that 338 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 1: fondly from a ratings perspective. For me, UM, it was 339 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: a great opportunity to learn how to how to how 340 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: to deal with really interesting, strong talent voices like Jay Leno, 341 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 1: like Jimmy Fallon Um, like Conan O'Brien. You know, we 342 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: launched Conan at thirty to take over the tonight show. UM. 343 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,879 Speaker 1: And so a great opportunity for uh, for someone like 344 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: me to see a new category. I grown up in 345 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: the cable space, Sci Fi and Discovery. Prior to that 346 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: had never spent any time in the broadcast ecosystem. So 347 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: that was that was learning. UM. But I think most importantly, 348 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: these are incredibly strong voices with very very strong executive 349 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: producing partners behind them, and UM, our job really is 350 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: to create an environment within which they can they can flourish, 351 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: and their voices can thrive, UM, and they can tell 352 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: stories and they can connect with an audience. And I think, UM, 353 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: you know, creating uh some some some guardrails within which 354 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: that exploration, that innovation, that creativity can happen is really 355 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: the job of the network. And that's something that UM 356 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: that I learned with uh some exposure to the folks 357 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: who were running Late Night at the time. Rick Ludwin 358 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: actually was this the head of Late Night um at 359 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: an NBC really legend in the industry, UM. And just 360 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: watching the way that he dealt with talent like Conan, 361 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: like Jimmy, like Jay Leno was UM, you know, kind 362 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 1: of worth its weight in gold and just a great 363 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: experience for me that I draw on really on a 364 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 1: on a daily basis, UM. And now more than ever 365 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: as we sort of dive back into it, now that 366 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,159 Speaker 1: I've asked you this deep in the weeds TV question, 367 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: I want to go in the other direction. Really the 368 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: most macro question I could ask you of all, which 369 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: is how much day to day are you thinking of 370 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: the beyond just being a programmer of a linear network, 371 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: but of really a multimedia brand. And I actually think 372 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: there are a very few cable networks that could really 373 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: claim to have the history as a multimedia brand. E 374 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: being pretty robust as a website for quite some time. Yeah, yeah, 375 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: So four years ago, uh, when when I, along with 376 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:19,719 Speaker 1: Francis Barrett came into came into E, we made a 377 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: fairly sizeable UM investment in UM, growing our digital business. 378 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: We had a as you mentioned, UM, a fairly sizeable website, 379 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 1: you online dot com UM, and it's content set mirrored 380 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: what we were producing on a daily basis for our 381 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: E News linear show at seven o'clock. The content looked 382 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: shockingly similar, but they were run as two separate operations. 383 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: Understanding that news and information was increasingly becoming mobile first 384 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 1: UM and social first, in particular especially for ease audience 385 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: of young women, we made the decision to collapse the 386 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: two organizations into one, and in some ways actually in 387 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: the focus. So for young women UM getting their news 388 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: and information in our case about pop culture and entertainment, 389 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 1: UM is really a mobile first kind of experience. And 390 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: so what we produce, what we publish, as it were 391 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: two platforms like Snapchat, platforms like Instagram stories, UM, is 392 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 1: it as important, if not more so UM in terms 393 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:26,360 Speaker 1: of engagement than UM what we produced nightly to our 394 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 1: linear platform at seven o'clock UM. And so you know, 395 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: when we think about the brand on a on a 396 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: macro level, we think about engagement, and we think about 397 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: total engagement. UM on a monthly basis, he will do 398 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 1: about a about about a billion digital engagements and that's 399 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: a a post, a tweet, a comment, a like, a view, 400 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: about a billion engagements across all of our platforms. And 401 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: so when you think about that whole ecosystem in that 402 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: broad away, it really kind of opens up new storytelling opportunities. 403 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: We're talking earlier about Snapchat snaps, a great platform that 404 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: has done a terrific job of engaging millions and tens 405 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,199 Speaker 1: of millions of of young people on a daily basis. 406 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: We felt it was important to a partner with them 407 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: and really learn how to tell stories on that platform, UM, 408 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,199 Speaker 1: and so you know, it's it's a it's a it's 409 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: a great opportunity not only to tell stories on all 410 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 1: these new platforms, but also to connect all these various 411 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,239 Speaker 1: experiences in terms of delivering value to our advertisers. And 412 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: so when we think about partnering with brands, UH, we 413 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: think about not only the value of a thirty second 414 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: spot on our linear feed, but also how do we 415 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 1: take their messaging UM or their objective or their initiative 416 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: really across all these touch points that we have with 417 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: our audience, across all these platforms. Your parent company has 418 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 1: a pretty sizable investment in snap Uh, you have a 419 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: pretty sizable investment in UH being part of snaps, Snapchat 420 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: shows plat form. How's that going for you? You are 421 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: probably the single most prominent TV brand there. There's got 422 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: to be some early lessons. Yeah, we were early in 423 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: on on Snapchat. UM. JOHNA. Jerry And who runs our 424 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: e news business across all of its all of its manifestations, 425 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: brought the platform up to me I think three and 426 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: a half years ago. I was not familiar with Snapchat, 427 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: was not a user UM, and he said, you know, 428 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,159 Speaker 1: we we need to figure out how to how to 429 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 1: tell an E news story on this on this platform, 430 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,439 Speaker 1: because they're doing an amazing job of connecting with, UH 431 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: with twelve to twenty four year olds, which is a 432 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,879 Speaker 1: very elusive audience for linear television, and so very early 433 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: on we said, okay, let's let's figure out how to 434 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: use our infrastructure are E news infrastructure of broadcast, video production, distribution, 435 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: our news gathering organization, let's create something bespoke for the platform. 436 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: And out of that process, together with Nick Bell, who 437 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: I know you've spent some time with snapchats head programmer, 438 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 1: YEP created a show called The Rundown, which is E 439 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: news for snapchatters, and um, you know, over the course 440 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: of the last couple of years since it's launched, I 441 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: think it's maybe eighteen twenty four months old, it does 442 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 1: about three and a half million viewers and episode three 443 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: times a week. That's incredible audience engagement and UM you know, 444 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: for us, it just trains us to learn a new language, UM, 445 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,719 Speaker 1: tell stories in a in a vertical format, UM, and 446 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: I think most importantly, understand how to connect with with 447 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: young people who may not be coming to the linear 448 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:39,399 Speaker 1: platform UM as as frequently as they once were, well, 449 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,639 Speaker 1: looking ahead, what are some of the things that you have, 450 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: whether it's on TV or SNAP or anywhere, that you think, 451 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: UH will be big. I heard a a certain classic 452 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: E franchise, for instance, will be returning to TV. The 453 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 1: E True Hollywood Story will be returning in ten to 454 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: E were incredibly excited about it. Every why, every everything. 455 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 1: I guess this is reboot culture and everything. Of course, everything, 456 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: every every everything had its time and everything will have 457 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 1: its time once again. I think, UH, I think is 458 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: is the adage. UM. You know, for us, anytime we 459 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 1: go out and we talk to our audience, UM, a 460 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 1: couple of a couple of franchises always crop up in 461 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: the conversation. UM. Each of Hollywood Story is one of them. 462 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: It was a seminal UH brand definitional franchise for E 463 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: UM in its heyday. UM, and that brand still is 464 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:35,120 Speaker 1: resonant inside our current and prospective audiences hearts and minds. 465 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 1: And you know, I think we've also seen Netflix has 466 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 1: done a terrific job with this. UM. We've seen UM. 467 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: You know, audiences get really passionate about documentaries, UM and 468 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: about documentary storytelling, and so UM our aim with the 469 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: True Hollywood Story is to bring a documentarians lens to 470 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: a franchise that you know, had applied a little bit 471 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: on the sellasius, maybe a little bit on the uh. 472 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 1: I call it like the you know, the overdose of 473 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 1: the week, um and um, and really tell those definitive 474 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: Hollywood stories, those true definitive Hollywood stories in a unique, 475 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 1: fresh and and hopefully very high quality way. Well, I've 476 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: always thought that this kind of storytelling that we saw 477 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: from each true Hollywood story. And also I would say 478 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: vach Ones behind the music, which how they have not 479 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: rebooted that ten more times? I don't understand. Wait for it. 480 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's coming. I mean these things I think 481 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: would resonate also even on digital platforms. I mean, is 482 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: there any thought to a franchise like that being more 483 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: than just a show? Yeah? Anytime we uh we developed 484 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: content today, we're thinking about it through a multi platform lens. 485 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,479 Speaker 1: UM not only because that's where audiences are consuming content, 486 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 1: not just on linear platforms but on um actually they're 487 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: no longer new and emergent, but on all these other 488 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: platform platforms, be at Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and and the like. 489 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: And so we've got to figure out how we build 490 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,159 Speaker 1: our principal quote unquote legacy business, which is still a 491 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,240 Speaker 1: sizeable and very vibrant business. But also, how do we 492 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: take those franchises and those stories, just as we do 493 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: with the news UM and tell them a cross platform 494 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,199 Speaker 1: UM in a in a unique and fresh way. And 495 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: so you know, our goal ultimately with our stories UM 496 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: is to create a deep and meaningful and rich relationship 497 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: with our audience. And it's it would be naive of 498 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: us and certainly limiting for us to think solely about 499 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: the linear platform is the only way to do that. 500 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: And so everything that we're doing back at the Amy 501 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: and Turcaso Davis, who's our head of head of original content, 502 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: she and her team were thinking about linear stories certainly, 503 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: but also thinking about how do we how do we 504 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: take those concepts, those ideas, those characters, those stories and 505 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: utilize the rest of the ecosystem to to build them 506 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: out into their fullest. Certainly can't let an interview with 507 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: the president of EGO by without throwing out the K 508 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: word Kardashian, Oh that Y word you've heard of her 509 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: or the family. I should say, I'm just actually kind 510 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: of want to status update. I mean, I would think 511 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 1: that this show. This franchise has been so central to 512 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: E for so long, which I think may even be 513 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: a bit of a double edged sword. But do you 514 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: see it as sort of primary and the E identity. 515 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: As Ever, when we think about E and when we 516 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: talk to audiences about E, they're they're really kind of 517 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: three things that that crop up immediately top of mind. 518 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: They think live from the Red Carpet, they think the News, UM, 519 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: and they think Kardashians and UM, you know that kind 520 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: of instant brand clarity, especially given the UM the size 521 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: of the Kardashian ecosystem. UM, I think is a real 522 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: we think it's a real strategic benefit. UM. We've had 523 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: an eleven year partnership with them that's been incredibly successful 524 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: and a very wild ride. UM. Chris Jenner says more 525 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:07,479 Speaker 1: often than I do, she certainly couldn't have scripted the 526 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: stories that we've been able to tell together inside keeping 527 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: up at the Kardashians. It's really kind of an amazing franchise. 528 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 1: I happened to be the current custodian. I didn't. I didn't. 529 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: I didn't originate the idea. I'm just the sort of 530 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: current brand manager. UM. You know, they've got They've got 531 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: incredible social social influence UM and social power as well 532 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 1: as social reach over a billion followers across Facebook, Instagram, uh, YouTube, 533 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: and Twitter. And that doesn't even count Snapchat. Kylie Jenner 534 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 1: is really the queen of Snapchat. UM. And so that 535 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: is an an invaluable marketing and promotional tool for us 536 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 1: that the family has been incredibly gracious and gracious enough 537 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 1: to deploy to the show's the show's benefit, um, And 538 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: I think more than anything, they as a family have 539 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: been incredibly open um with their with their story. UM. 540 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: We seen you know, hilarity, We've seen challenging times, divorces, births, um, 541 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: gender identity shifts, um, and and you know everything in between. 542 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: And that kind of authentic storytelling, that kind of open 543 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: and honest, documentarian kind of kind of story is really 544 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: rare and so UM, we're we're ready willing and able 545 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 1: to tell that story as long as they're ready willing 546 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: and able to be open for it. And as an executive, 547 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: as the brand manager, though in the Procter and Gamble 548 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: sense of the word, how on earth do you maintain 549 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:41,240 Speaker 1: a sense of control over what seems maybe isn't but 550 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: seems so uncontrollable, a lot of pepto bismol. I wonder 551 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: for you, certainly, not for the faint of heart that 552 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 1: that that's for sure. I think that you know, the 553 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: good news is UM, from Chris Jenner to Kim all 554 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: the all the way through the entire family. UM, they've 555 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: been incredibly UM, collaborative partners really across the board. UM. 556 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: And when there are sensitive issues that UM that the 557 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,479 Speaker 1: cameras capture because there's always on you know, we have 558 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: those conversations about, UM, how we want to tell these stories. 559 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: They're not only participants in the show, their executive producers 560 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 1: and so they have a they have a say, and 561 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: they have some influence. UM. But it isn't a one 562 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: way street. UM. You know, they they they seek our perspective, 563 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 1: they seek our opinion. UM. And I think that we 564 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: collectively have had just a great partnership across the eleven 565 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: year history. And UM, you know it's it's it's um, 566 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: it's delivered so so far, so good. Well, I have 567 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 1: but never never doll sure, well, I have no doubt 568 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: they am a whole lot more going to keep things 569 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,240 Speaker 1: interesting that you for you, Aggie, for quite some time, 570 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: Thanks for coming in and talking about thanks for having 571 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: me any This has been another episode of Strictly Business. 572 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: Tune in next we for another helping of scintillating conversation 573 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: with media movers and shakers, and please make sure you 574 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 1: subscribe to the podcast to hear future episodes. Also leave 575 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 1: a review in Apple Podcast let us know how we're doing. 576 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: M