As a long-time follower of the media industry, I find myself in awe of the dynamic changes and challenges these giants face daily. The recent discussions at the Royal Television Society conference in London were particularly insightful, with key figures like Andrew Georgiou, Cécile Frot-Coutaz, Nami Patel, and Sarah Rose sharing their thoughts on the current landscape.
Warner Bros. Discovery U.K.’s head, Andrew Georgiou, commented that the Olympics had been “exceptional” for their media business.
Georgiou was discussing the remarkable success WBD experienced during the summer in Europe, where they held exclusive TV rights for the Olympic Games across many European regions. “We gained more subscribers in just one day (Day 4) of the Olympics than we did throughout the entire Tokyo games,” he stated. “In terms of linear growth, we surpassed our expectations…The performances were exceptional across all markets. However, maintaining customer loyalty remains a challenge.
On Tuesday morning, Georgeiou, who holds the positions of President and Managing Director for WBD in the U.K. and Ireland, as well as the European sports division, participated on a panel discussing “Winning Over Audiences and Influencing Them” at the Royal Television Society conference held in London.
On the panel were Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO and chief content officer of Sky Studios, Nami Patel, senior VP for strategy and business development at Walt Disney EMEA, Sarah Rose, president of Channel 5 and Paramount’s U.K. representative, and John Gapper, a journalist from the Financial Times who was leading the discussion.
Georgiou noted that live television serves as a unifying factor, allowing people from around the world to simultaneously participate in and focus their attention on a particular event, like the worldwide athletics championship.
It’s been affirmed that WBD’s streamer Max will debut in the U.K. by 2026, but it remains uncertain if this will be through a collaboration with Sky. Previous agreements between the two media titans have seen exclusive airings of shows like “House of the Dragon” and “Succession” on Sky platforms. However, Georgiou mentioned that as of now, no agreement has been reached. Max is currently accessible across Europe, except for the U.K. Frot-Coutaz stated that Sky views their partnership with WBD positively and expresses optimism about future collaboration possibilities.
From a passionate cinephile’s perspective, it’s been a challenging period for Sky, a platform I hold dear. Over the past year, there have been several corporate restructurings, one of which expanded the remit of Frot-Coutaz to encompass content creation. Shortly after, a familiar face, Zai Bennett, who had been with Sky for quite some time, departed to join BBC Studios.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but acknowledge the reality that our beloved company, straddling the line between content creation and broadcasting, faces challenges similar to those encountered by other media companies. The competition isn’t just limited to traditional rivals; it extends to platforms like social media and even video games, all vying for viewers’ precious time and focus. As Madame Frot-Coutaz herself put it, “The world is indeed fragmenting, and this trend is undeniable.
When it comes to creating and managing your collection, you need to approach commissioning and acquisition with a slightly unique perspective.
Paramount is going through a time of uncertainty, especially in the U.K., due to its upcoming merge with Skydance Media. This merger raises concerns for Channel 5, a U.K. broadcaster, as it might become unnecessary in the new setup. Rose, speaking about the merger, said, “I can’t discuss the transaction, but from a U.K. perspective within an American organization, it’s reassuring to me that they recognize the value we’re creating and have consistently invested in us.
This year’s RTS conference, backed by Netflix, will feature speakers such as Ted Sarandos, soccer icon David Beckham, along with UK public service broadcasters Tim Davie, Carolyn McCall, and Alex Mahon.
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2024-09-17 13:16