PAGE 18 http://www.mediaweek.com January 13, 1997 MEDIAWEEK

"We have to take those that give the show a chance for success." Access is Worldvi- sion's first choice for the game show; early fringe is next. Going into NATPE, Ryan was holding out for better time slots in a number of key markets in which stations are bidding against each other for the show. Meanwhile, Cohen is working Piction- ary internationally on two fronts. In Eng- lish-speaking countries, Cohen is selling the same show that will air in the U.S. In other countries, he will be selling the for- mat; Worldvision will reproduce the show using local stars. Sunset Beach, which has a 220 -episode order from NBC, has been sold in many international markets with only a four -minute promotional tape. At NATPE, Cohen hopes to nail down most of the other markets; he now has actual episodes for international buyers to screen. Also in Worldvision's mix is product from two -year -old Spelling subsidiary Big Ticket Television, developer of network and off -network comedies. Big Ticket has scored big with Moesha on UPN; the show is already sold into 20 countries. At NAT - PE, Worldvision will seek additional inter- national sales and set the stage for Moesha's "We're not taking deals just to take domestic off -network premiere, perhaps in 1998. Big Ticket also is going into its third deals. We have to take those that give year with two successful syndication origi- ['Pictionary'] a chance for success." nals-Nightstand With Dick Dietrick, a talk -show parody that also airs on E!; and Judge Judy, a daily courtroom series that John Ryan People magazine just picked as one of the WORLDVISION ENTERPRISES breakthrough shows of last year. The job for Ryan, particularly with Judge Judy, is to win station upgrades wherever possible. Though Viacom has a stake in Spelling coming to NATPE, increasingly an international bazaar, and, by extension, Worldvision, the company still functions with many of the major overseas markets already sewn up. as an independent, without station group alliances. Ryan But even in the best of all possible worlds, there are dif- concedes this makes for more of an uphill battle. "We will ficulties. In the case of Dictionary, Worldvision has to hope always be up against those alliances that are deal -driven or that the new game show is appealing enough for stations to ownership -driven," Ryan says. "But we've always been in make room in their already extremely tight fringe and that situation. Because of that, we think we have to have a access time periods. A lone half hour is always a harder better product than others to succeed." sell; the question remains as to how many stations will buy Pictionary without a companion show to turn it into an hour block that makes sense from the outset. Making a suc- cess of Pictionary, Worldvision's only first -run entry this for BVTV, there's life year, is critical both short-term and long-term. after the Disney Afternoon "We've made huge strides in the past couple of years in the area of first -run. We're getting there," says Ryan, who uena Vista Television president Mort Marcus wants to increase the ratio of original product that World - finds it increasingly difficult to justify going to vision handles. The company's business primarily comes the NATPE convention. "We're essentially from the huge library of Spelling Entertainment Group, done," Marcus says of the Disney syndication Worldvision's owner, which holds everything from Ben division's efforts for the new season that begins Casey to Beverly Hills, 90210. The drive to make first -run next fall. "We're already well into our year, and we don't product succeed has made Ryan careful about the deals he use the convention as a place to sell our wares." But Mar- makes on Pictionary. cus is heading into the convention with a few new aces up "We are not taking deals just to take deals," he says. his sleeve and a handful of markets still to chase.