Financing takes centre stage as unscripted budgets bite

Unprecedented scrutiny is being placed on the finance models of unscripted shows as budgets are squeezed, with cost-efficiency becoming the key metric for execs Stateside.

With media companies of all sizes facing diminishing ad returns, senior programming execs at The CW and A+E Networks at Realscreen in Miami admitted that the industry is now refocusing its priorities whne it comes to how a show is put together.

“There’s never been a time in my career when there has been more focus on business models,” said Heather Olander, head of unscripted at The CW.

“For everything that comes in the door now, there’s obviously the question of do we like it but it’s also really about whether it can work for our business model.”

The former USA Network exec, who joined The CW following its acquisition by Nexstar in 2023, has been ramping up unscripted at the company over the past 18 months, with shows such as Hasbro Entertainment duo Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble, and the I Am… strand of docuseries.

But she was clear that delivering a financial return from a show is now taking centre stage in decision making, a point echoed by Elaine Frontain Bryant, exec vice president and head of programming at A&E, Lifetime & LMN.

“Gone are the days of walking in and saying, I just love this show, trust me it will work,” she said.

“Now it’s about saying I believe in this show, my team have developed it and we’ve worked within our development strategy so we’re confident that we can use this content around the world.”

Frontain Bryant has also been mixing up the types of shows on her slate, including ordering Duck Dynasty: The Revival earlier this year.

Two 10-episode series have been commissioned, marking a return for what was once one of the most-watched reality shows in the world. The reboot will follow the Robertson family and is from their Tread Lively Prods and Wheelhouse Entertainment’s Spoke Studios.

Frontain Bryant added that while ordering any new show presented risk, her approach to returning series is delivering returns.

“Today it’s about making a business plan for a show. Everbody wants shows to go to many seasons but you start small then go upwards and that works. On A&E we have had more than ten shows that have gone upwards of 100 eps since the pandemic.”

Lily Neumeyer, exec vice president and head of development at MTV Entertainment Networks, added that she was continuing to order originals despite the company’s soon-to-close deal with Skydance, while Yasmin Rawji, exec vice president of unscripted programming at Fox Entertainment, said that her company’s international format fund is delivering a new way to get shows off the ground.

New methods of funding shows are also being explored, and Olander joked that her main focus is on avoiding “shows that lose money”, cautioning that revenue from ad sales alone was not sufficient. 

“We’re trying to find the distributors and the digital players we can partner with, we’re trying to figure out the windowing - that is all happening more and more.”

The CW previously shared Fight to Survive with Roku, although the show only ran to one season and was ended in 2023, but it has also more recently partnered on scripted shows such as Joan, which aired on ITV in the UK. It is also sharing Australian drama Good Cop/Bad Cop with Roku in the US, with Stan picking up rights in Oz.

Olander added that “serious discussions” are now being had with advertisers to fund programming, which “might be another way to bring in dollars to off-set production costs.”

Returners, she added, ensured marketing costs could be trimmed and Frontain Bryant said talent with hefty social followings also helped.

“Everyone is strapped. Marketing is strapped too, so of course talent with social media following helps, it is part of the alchemy of how you make the business work now.”

Frontain Bryant added that her rights position has also shifted, with more flexiblity for producers to allow for better monetisation.

“We always wanted all rights but times change and we are more and more open to it. We work with Channel 4 in the UK, we work with Canada a lot and we can partner with them both. We’ve been doing it already but there’s definitely more to do.”