AK,N USIIVR INTERNATIONAL *4°5 ISSUE DECBIBER 1995

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TBI CONTENTS

18 ASIA PACIFIC DEPARTMENTS Interesting Monitor

limes 6 Asian Games Gather An Eager Crowd Asia: promising market or impenetrable maze? There's plenty to make distributors bullish. Japan is 7 CLT Takes Direct Path To Poland opening up to foreign programs, while 's exploding tv market is a goldmine for producers- 7 CanWest Plots Takeover Of Wic as long as they are prepared to sell airtime as well. 8 Rivals Call Off Feud To Take To Skies

18 Out There, Somewhere 10 Wharf Prepares For Pay -TV Battle 24 Commercially -Minded 28 Kiwis Fly High Cover: The Great Wave by Hokusai reproduced by 10 Religious Kicks Back courtesy of the Board Of Trustees of the Victoria and 32 Asia Programming Survey Albert Museum, London 12 Newsworld: Care About Hardware 38 MARKET INTELLIGENCE 14 Pay -TV Change Spurs Soccer War 14 Antena 3 TV In The Black

Harbor View 15 NBC/ZDF To Share Newsgathering 'FBI's comprehensive preview of the second Mip Asia program market. EDITOR'S NOTE 38 Market News 48 Contact Directory Exploring the Inner Limits 50 Mip Asia Product Listings PERSPECTIVE

56 DISTRIBUTION The Lessons Of Rule -Making 4 COMMENT

Partners A -Plenty How Far Will They Go? 16

Now the U.S. networks are allowed to distribute their own shows, everyone's looking HARD TECH to get together and strategize Channel Surf Is Net Surf 64

60 MARKETING DATA

Pav Dream Believers? 66 Image Conscious AT LARGE

Broadcasters are seeing the benefits of branding. Forecasts From The Past 68

Television Business International Decuber 1995

1 EDITOR'S NOTE

TELEVISION111111 BUSINESS Exploring The Inner Limits TBIINTERNATIONAL PublisherPaul Nicholson Imean no disrespect to of Inner Mongolia. But when the pre-Mip Asia press material highlights a quote from someone hailing from that little -visited terri- EditorTim Westcott tory, you can't help wondering about the significance of the event in the calendar Editor At LargeRich Zahradnik of the world's international tv business. Hong Kong Bureau ChiefSarah Walker Walt Disney and Paramount won't set up shop in the Hong Kong Exhibition Cen- Contributing Editors tre, and didn't last year. Among those who did, but who won't be there this time Les Brown, Wilfred Ahrens, around, are the BBC, Columbia Tristar, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Worldvi- Jean -Luc Renaud, Chris Dziadul, Barbara Bliss Osborn (U.S.) sion. India's busy production industry also seems to have given Mip Asia the cold

Editorial AssistantDominic Schreiber shoulder. People will probably be talking about the big names who won't be there. Or will they? Certainly smaller companies, many of which reported good business Director of SalesSally -Anne Wilse last year, won't mind. And the cat won't be entirely away. The majors can always Publishing & Sales Co-ordinator send regional managers to snoop around the market incognito or receive buyers in Caroline 1-laybyrne the exclusive splendor of a hotel suite. Sales ManagerLydia Blackwood Maybe there is a hint of pique at the loss many of the big exhibitors undoubtedly European Sales Manager Helen Strecicici made last time out. Sales Representative Mip Asia seemed to blend seamlessly into Mipcom at the tail end of the year. David Field (Australasia Attracted by the general idea that Asia was a booming market, and in particular by Art Editor/Business Publications the prospect of 50 -odd buyers from Chinese tv stations, exhibitors signed on the dot- Matthew Humberstone ted line, possibly in a haze of post -market euphoria, possibly dogged by the fear of DesignerMarie Calvert missing out on an exclusive multi -year output deal with the CCTV. ProductionDebbie Williams This time, they say they are adequately served by their regional offices and are Managing Director, able to keep up with their big clients in the region either by making trips to see them 21st Century PublishingNick Snow (though I bet Inner Mongolia isn't yet on that itinerary) or at other markets through Correspondents: Argentina Mike Galetto the year. Australia Liz Fell; Brazil Michael Kepp; Canada Noel Meyer, Karen Murray: Czech Besides, this year's crop of network and off -network shows have now been touted Republic Normandy Madden; Denmark Thomas Dodd; Serge Siritzky; around since May, and some may be starting to look a little the worse for wear. Jack Kindred; Stylianos Some have already flopped on domestic tv and suffered cancellation. Papathanassopoulos; Hong Kong Sarah Walker, Owen Hughes; India Asoka Raina, And yet, despite the absentees, the attendance is expected to be slightly up on last Anil Wanvari; Ireland Hugh Oram; Israel year (although judging by the organizers' figures there will be 400 buyers who came Barry Chamish; Cecilia Zecchinelli; Japan Mark Schilling; Kenya Kazunga Ka last year who aren't coming back). Netherlands Dick Versteeg; New Zealand Paul Smith; Nigeria Titus Ogunwale; The majors may have formed an opinion about the marketplace, but others are Eduardo Cintra Torres: South Africa Dezi open-minded. There is a big turnout from Japan, the real power in this region, and a Rorich; Justin Webster; Sweden Berm Hermele, GOran Sellgren; Turkey Erhan Yarar host of distributors looking to meet demand for documentaries, action series, anima- U.K. (Editorialand Advertising) tion and telenovelas, all of which rate well in the region. And two of the majors -

I C3King's Road. London SW10 OTZ Tel: 1+44 171) 352 3211 MCA and MGM/UA - are going to be there. Fax: (+44 171) 352 4883 or (+44 171) 352 9657 There are buyers out there, many of whom may be interested in buying foreign e-mail: [email protected] Telex: 925030 programming but not so much that they would travel all the way across the world to New York (Editorial) Suite 900, 226 W. 47th St. see what's on offer. It makes sense to support a market that brings the international New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: (+1) 212 997 7470 Fax: (+1) 212 997 7472 tv business to their doorstep. Not just in hopes of future demand, but in order to e-mail: 100135.530ecompuserve.com shape it. Hong Kong (Editorial) 2E Twilight Court, Discovery Bay You might even hazard a guess that the majors will be back in force as early as Lantau, Hong Kong Tel/Fax: (+852 2) 987 0797 next year - whether Mip Asia is in Hong Kong, Sydney, , or perhaps Inner e-mail: 100311.176©compuserve.com Mongolia. Australia (Advertising) Tel: (+61 2) 439 4730 Fax: (+61 2) 439 3103

TBI Is published monthly except January and August. 10 Issues (ISSN 0953-6841) try Television Business International, a 21st Century Puhlisting company. TBI is available by subscription only at an annual subscription pnce of 1.50 United Kingdom. US$102 Europe and US$89 USA US$110 Outside Europe including air speed delivery. Send address changes to: TBI, 531.-533 King's Road, London SW10 012.0 All contents copyright 21st Century Publishing Printed in England by Headley Brothers Ltd Ashford Kent. Reproduction by Graphic Ideas Studios, 1.11 Roches Street, London Ni 61)L Tv\AOWT The Editor U.S.A. POSTMASTERS: Send address changes to Television Business htemational. Publications Expediting, Inc.. 200 Meacham Ave., Elmont. N.Y. 11003. Air freight and mailing in the U.S.A. by Publications Expediting, Inc.. 200 Meacham Ave. Elmont, N.Y. 11003. Second class postage paid at Jamaica, N.Y. 11431.

Television Business International December 1995 2 ENTERTAINMENT PERSPECTIVE NEW YORK

In earlier times, one of the idle topics for industry discussion was whether commercial tv in the U.S. was a profes- sion or a business. Most executives liked having it bothThe Lessons Of ways and prided themselves on being professional broadcasters who worked diligently at raising their profit margins. Deregulation ended that kind of talk in the mid -80s. The new wave of station and network owners never had to give a Rule -Making moment's thought to broadcasting as a profession. In a seismic shift, the tradi- tional primary obligation of serving the needs of the citizenry (however theoreti- cal) gave way unabashedly to serving as having some educational component first and foremost the interests of the or value. stockholders. The plot thickened when, in the midst I offer this as background to the story of it all, Group W Broadcasting was pres- I'm about to tell, which otherwise would sured into pledging three hours of good seem absurd, or at least mystifying, to kidvid programming a week when it most professionals across the oceans. acquires CBS. The announcement served Since midsummer a debate has been to call off a petition opposing the merger raging in Washington on how to interpret from three public interest groups which and enforce a law that was passed by would have delayed approval for Congress in 1990. months. The issue not only has the entire The three-hour demand from the industry all worked up but has erupted groups sounded suspiciously like the into a rancorous dispute between Federal Hundt prescription, and this gave more Communications Commission chairman ammunition to Quello and the broadcast Reed Hundt and the agency's senior lobbyists. member, James Quello. BY LES BROWN The somewhat professional broadcast- All the heat is being generated, ers of the past would have grumbled a believe it or not, by the fundamental bit but complied fully with the Children's public service issue of providing proper-made a mockery of the law. So it fell toTV Act, as the pragmatic thing to do. You ly for children. Five years ago. in the FCC to set things right. give up a little to appease government, response to rising complaints over the Hundt proposed in a public speechand after a few years when the heat is exploitative nature of children's tv on thethat the stations be required to provideoff you go back to doing as before. main channels, Congress passed a lawthree hours a week of children's pro- But today's broadcasters don't behave requiring broadcasters to provide somegramming that was definitely education-that way. They know for certain that an educational programming for kids as aal. That's when the shouting began. educational children's program won't condition of keeping their licenses. Quello, angry at the chairman's playmake much money. Kids are a small uni- Reasonable enough, you would think.for public support before the wholeverse made smaller by the fact that they Not a lot to ask as a payback for a freecommission made any determination,are fragmented as an audience by age license to make heaps of money. Butindulged in some name-calling while groupings. what many of the stations logged as theiropenly trashing Hundt's proposal on The genius of scheduling programs educational effort for children were constitutional grounds. like The Flintstones is that all the young reruns of two animated sitcoms of the He argued that the First Amendmentage groups will watch it, and some 60s, The Flintstones and The Jetsons. ( speech/free press) prohibits a gov-adults as well. Moreover, it's a known Some listed the old Yogi Bear cartoonsernment agency from dictating content orquantity to advertisers. Well maybe it's and some more modern kidvid potboil-establishing quotas. not educational - but who's going to ers that raised the protests in the first In the ensuing debates involving legis-prove it? place. lators, broadcasters, lawyers and public That's how the cynical businessman When this was reported in the press,interest advocates, education became areasons, and when this matter is all final- much of the public was outraged, andterm with a slippery definition. Nearlyly resolved his logic is likely to prevail. some members of congress thought itevery kind of program can he defendedThe FCC majority is tilting to Quello's side. Everyone really knows what educa- what many of the stationstional means and what the law intends. But we're dealing with Humpty Dumpty logged as their educational efforthere. Once you've deregulated and fos- tered a whole new mentality in the for children were reruns ofindustry, it's awfully hard to regulate again and restore the old cast of mind. The Flintstones and The Jetsons Let this be a cautionary tale. H711

Television Business International December 1995 4 is ourbusiness

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sport will be crucial for the development of Star, particularly in Indonesia. "They needed mass dis- tribution and we needed sports we could devel- op," said Kelly Butler, head of sports at the Games Gather broadcaster. Star has already developed multiple camera shots for matches. Star also beat ESPN to an $11 million deal to An Eager Crowd broadcast Asian Basketball Confederation games for four years. The region now also has its own Bidders are lining up for the Asian golf tour, an event that feeds off television as Games, but it isn't just about cash much as the sports broadcasters need the hours of live coverage that it provides. With these kinds of figures being paid for sports rights market in Asia is heating up. As rights, it is perhaps surprising that the first major TheESPN and Star's Prime Sports battle it out in the media announcement for the Asian Games pan -regional channel race, the terrestrial broad- (scheduled to take place in Bangkok in 1998) is casters are being forced to look at their own the signing of Samsung as a sponsorship "part- sports coverage in a different light - particularly ner" rather than the first television rights deal. when ESPN and Star have both indicated that the The deal has been estimated at $9 million and ISL only way forward for them is to get more localAsia Pacific general manager Chris Renner with their signals and create country -specific expects to close further deals with five or six sports channels, feeding off their main signals. major sponsors in the next six months. For rights holders of domestic Asian events, Sponsorship is still the most important funding the prospects look good for increased television stream for the games, providing as much as 75% rights fees and better coverage. In Taiwan, rights of revenue. And for sponsors, tv exposure is to the national baseball league were sold for $60 important to their marketing. million in a three-year deal to UGC. Three years It is a circle that has to be kept carefully ago the rights were sold for just $2 million. Star rounded to keep all parties happy. "As an agency TV recently put up $20 million in a 10 -year deal ISL is very sensitive to the needs of good cover- with the International Badminton Federation for age. We have resisted making a fast dollar," said exclusive tv rights to major events. Star will be Peter Sprogis, ISL managing director. While crucial for the development of the sport, and the Sprogis has already arranged an international dis- tribution deal with ESPN for satellite and cable rights, he expects to begin conversations in depth with terrestrial broadcasters at Mip Asia in Hong Kong this month. There are also discussions with broadcasters concerning the expertise they can provide in televising certain sports. ISL (49% owned by Japanese ad agency Dentsu) was chosen as agent for the games as much for its widely -recognized marketing ability as its ability to sell into television markets world- wide. The 13th Asian Games is the major pan - Asian sports event and was established to encour- age and improve the quality of sports throughout the region. The 1994 games in Hiroshima, Japan, saw 7,500 atheletes from 43 countries compete in 34 different sports disciplines.

Making moves: Asian sports rights are bounding up by Paul Nicholson - LONDON

Television Business International December 1995

6 MONITOR

POLAND panies deemed to be from a different country than the services themselves. The imposition of minimum European quotas by the KRRiT, though not stipulated, is left as a possible future option. CLT Takes Direct CLT will join a growing number of foreign companies that have chosen to invest in the Polish television Industry since the collapse of Path To Poland communism. RTL 7 will become the sixth such local language service (after publicly owned Launch of RTL7 follows satellite Telewizja Polska's TV Polonia, the national com- route pioneered by RTL and RTL4 mercial station Polsat, Nicola Grauso's Polonia 1, Canal Plus Polska and MultiChoice) available direct -to -home in the country. IN expected to take the most direct route to Cprovidinga commercial tv service in Poland, by Chris Dziadul - LONDON by launching a channel transmitted via satellite from its Luxembourg headquarters. The channel, CANADA likely to be known as RTL7, could launch later this month (December) using the Astra satellite, which can be picked up by an estimated 1.4 mil- lion tv homes in the country. CanWest Plots Takeover Of Wic $500m deal would create new broadcasting giant

and on the heels of its failed bid for a television nlicenceintheUK,CanWestGlobal Communications Corp. has launched a bid to take over another Canadian broadcasting group, WIC Western International Communications Ltd. If it succeeds in its C$636 million ($490 mil- lion) offer for WIC, CanWest's Global network will become Canada's third national television Greetings from Luxembourg network and control of Canada's premiere nation- al network, the CTV, will be put in play. Although CLT would not confirm details of its Vancouver -based WIC is publicly owned, and plan, it has placed advertisements for Polish - its empire includes eight tv stations, radio sta- speaking staff in the European press to work on a tions, two pay-tv channels, pay -per -view chan- "tv broadcasting project" in Poland. nels, 50% of a cable channel and 53% of The Luxembourg -based broadcaster's interest Canadian Satellite Communications, (Cancom), a in Poland dates back to late 1993 when it bid, network satellite services provider. Through alongside Reuters Television, for a national terres- Cancom it owns 55% of Expressvu, a start-up trial licence. Although it eventually lost out toDTH operator. WIC also holds the Canadian Polsat, it has since mooted the idea of operating a licence for CellularVision, a wireless cable tech- satellite service aimed at the Polish market on nology for carrying voice, data and other media. several occasions. In 1994 WIC had profits of $8 million on rev- According to Cezary Mroczkowski, the Polish enues of $301 million. National Broadcasting Council's (KRRiT's) licens- CanWest Global is a privately -owned broad- ing director, CLT has recently held talks with the caster controlled by Izzy Asper. It has television body confirming its interest in launching such a stations in , and British channel. Once on air, however, it will, like all for- Columbia, the Global Television system in eign -based services, be subject to certain provi- and the MITV network in the Maritimes. sions in Poland's 1993 Broadcasting Act. CanWest also has interests in Chile, Australia and This is currently being amended, with a clause New Zealand. In 1994 it had profits of $35 million being added to its 15th article which will require on revenues of $210 million. all foreign services targeting the Polish market via Effectively, CanWest has a presence in every cable to respect certain program quotas. Besides Canadian province except Alberta, where WIC requiring 30% of its annual output to be obtained has four stations. Leonard Asper, CanWest's direc- from independent local producers, it will also tor of corporate development, said that if success- expect at least 10% of its programming over the ful the bid would fill in "our hole in Alberta. It same period to originate from independent com-would see the emergence of CanWest Global as a

Television Business International December 1995 MONITOR

national system because we don't have any POWER PACTING national branding or promotion right now. It would give us a better marketing position." Fox Broadcasting Asper said CanWest would like to keep all of Company and Saban WIC's assets. However, federal regulator, the Entertainment have CanadianRadio -televisionand Telecom- formed a strategic munications Commission (CRTC) would probably alliance encompassing force CanWest to sell stations in Hamilton and broadcasting, licensing Vancouver - where CanWest and WIC own com- and distribution world- peting stations - if it approved the bid. wide. The alliance On the international side, Asper said the between News Corp. takeover "would give us access to a whole new and Saban - whose cur- pool of management, which is extremely impor- rent mega -hit Mighty tant. We would feel more confident about Morphin expanding our interests in other countries beyond Touching raw nerves at TF1 broadcast." If successful, CanWest has stated that it would Pierre Elkabbach gave a joint press conference on sell the 12.5% interest WIC has in CTV, thusNovember 16 to announce a joint venture to changing the balance of power in Canada's only launch a bouquet of digital channels on the private national network. In a recent power strug- Eutelsat system. The sight of the two former arch - gle, Baton Broadcasting Inc. secured control ofrivals on the same podium was an abrupt change three out of the seven seats on CTV's board of from the war of words in previous weeks. Le Lay directors. If it purchased WIC's interest in the net- attacked the public broadcaster for getting state work, it would be in the driver's seat at CTV. funding and ad revenue, and paying too much Whether or not the deal goes through is anoth- for stars and sports rights. Elkabbach riposted TF1 er question. Analysts believe that CanWest's offer was responsible for the inflation in costs. of Can$24 a share, which expires on December Now it seems they have become the best of 15, is undervalued. , although it is clear that this joint venture To further complicate matters, control at WIC is an attempt to upset Canal Plus, which will soon airs on Fox in the U.S. - has been divided between two families, the launch a digital bouquet on Astra. Recently TF1 is likely to lead to the Griffiths and the Allards. While the Griffiths are was enraged by a sketch on Canal Plus' satirical creation of Fox -branded presently in control of , a court case puppet show Les Guignols de l'info, depicting channels using News being held on December 11 will determine TF1's managers as being ready to do anything to Corp. distribution plat- whether or not Class B non -voting shares can be raise its ratings. Not surprisingly the program forms like BSkyB, Star converted to Class A voting shares. The Griffiths touched a few raw nerves; not only are TF1's rat- TV, and its Latin own a majority of A shares. If the court decision ings falling, but its headquarters have been inves- American joint venture favors the conversion of the non -voting stock into tigated by the police and Le Lay was held in cus- with TV Globo. The chan- voting stock then the bid will be in play, regard- tody for a day and a half in connection with alle- nelswilldraw on less of the Griffiths. gations that the channel paid bribes to obtain the Saban's library of 3,300 tv rights for a lottery draw. Etienne Mougeotte, half-hours and programs by Noel Meyer - MONTREAL the vice-president of TF1, is said to have called airing on FCN in the on the board members of Canal Plus to complain U.S., for which Fox said to the channel's president Pierre Lescure. it would secure interna- FRANCE France Television also has its grudges against tionalrights."This Canal Plus. Elkabbach felt their management was alliance is the culmina- disdainful of his proposition to co-operate with tion of an effort by Fox Canalsatellite, the pay-tv network's satellite bou- to join forces with Saban Rivals Call Off Feud quet. "We believed," said Didier Sapaut, head of in order to access its development atFrance Television,"that considerable library and Canalsatellite's digital bouquet would benefit distinct marketing To Take To Skies from being able to show France 2 and France 3. resources," said Because otherwise subscribers will need two Margaret Loesch, presi- TF1 and France TV find common ports on their tv set to get free public channels. dent of FCN. But Canalsatellite wanted us to pay for that." cause in anti -Canal Plus front The real question is whether this alliance is for real or just talk. Both presidents acknowledged November was an eventful month for Patrick Le they had no experience in selling subscriptions or Lay, president of France's leading channel, TF1. decoders, and that they need other partners to The broadcaster announced a satellite pact withfund the costly venture. CLT, for instance, has former arch rival France Television, saw its senior estimated the investment at $1.04 billion over five executives ridiculed in a hard-hitting sketch on years for a group starting from scratch, while the Canal Plus - its partner in satellite station pay-tv group only has to invest $83 million for Eurosport - and Le Lay himself was detained by three years. police investigating corruption allegations. Le Lay and France Television president Jean - by Serge Siritzky -

Television Business International December 1995 8 Television Street, LondonW1P 6AD 2-4 Fitzroy 262667 ISLUKG Haddon House, (44 171) 5804553. Telex: 411 4333. Fax: Tel: (44 171) MONITOR

HONG KONG launch of its Interactive Multimedia Service (IMS), TV SHOPPING: which, following a six-month VOD trail in 400 of A H.O.T. ISSUE the territory's homes, will be rolled out commer- cially next year. German regulators are Wharf Prepares Some 30 distributors including the BBC, grappling with the issue , E! Entertainment and Walt Disney of whether a tv shopping provided programming for the trial, and accord- service is a television For Pay -PI Battle ing to Dr William Lo, managing director of Hong channel or merely an Kong Telecom IMS Ltd., 16 have agreed to supply electronic mail order cat- Colony's cable monopoly faces up the commercial service. alog. Their decision to demanding competitors Wharf is currently hitting back on all fronts, could have major impli- though. In addition to its basic MMDS service, it cations for interactive tv has also launched what it describes as Cable On - services in Europe's ftlthougha potentiallylucrative market - GDP Demand, a four -tiered interactive service. From biggest national market. riper head is $22,800 and the British Crown November, two services - entertainment and The 15 directors of the Colony boasts one of the highest uptakes of new news - became available to subscribers. DLM, representing the technologies and electronic goods in the world -Entertainment On -Demand offers a selection of media authorities of the pay-tv hasn't got off to a flying start in Hong movies from Wharf's four Cineplex pay -per -view German Lander, have Kong. movie channels, HBO Asia and the Movie already turned down an Currently the exclusive licensee, Cable TV, Channel, repeated every 15 minutes. In addition, application for a broad- owned by Wharf Holdings, has only managed to subscribers receiving their service over the pay-tv casting licence by Home attract 150,000 subscribers to its 20 -channel operator's fiber-optic network, which currently Order Television (H.O.T.), MMDS service, despite the fact that, according to numbers 16,000, are able to access News On - a $72 million shopping Eric Lo, cable operations director, over one mil- Demand, offering an hour of Cantonese -language service backed by com- lion homes have been passed and the subscrip- news. mercial channel Pro 7 tion fees, at HK$208 ($27) a month, remain mini- Shopping on -Demand and Games On -Demand and mail order house mal. But although Cable TV hopes to make its will come on line next year. Quelle Schikkedanz AG, service more extensive and attractive once a on the grounds that it's fiber-optic system has been installed, time is run- by Sarah Walker -HONG KONG a tv channel and there- ning out. fore exceeds the permit- Wharfs three-year exclusivity period, part of BRAZIL ted quota of one hour a its 12 -year pay-tv licence, technically comes to an day of "special commer- end in June 1996. Although it is possible the reg- cial formats." The H.O.T. ulatory body, the Recreation and Culture Branch partners' argument is (RCB), will extend Wharfs licence period on the Religious Net that itis aninteractive grounds it has not had enough time to install its electronic service, and full network and thus create a commercially therefore outside the viable service, it is equally possible it could open Kicks Back jurisdictionof the up the market to other entrants. Lander. H.O.T. started At the moment only two other companies, Star The Catholic Church plans to take broadcasting on a tem- TV and Hong Kong Telecom, have expressed an its mission to the airwaves porary licence in interest in providing pay-tv. The most imminent October. America's QVC threat to Wharf comes from Hong Kong Telecom. has applied for a licence The telco, which is currently upgrading its infra- I n Brazil, a neo-Pentecostal pastor's televised in NorthRhine structure to provide a broadband network which kicking of the statue of a Brazilian Catholic saint Westphalia and will be accessible to 80% of Hong Kong residents on a network owned by his evangelical church Sweden's Modern Times in four years' time, has said it may use the net- has apparently given the Catholic Church the Group is planning to work to provide pay-tv channels. This of course momentum to expand a nationwide, church - launch a German -lan- will be dependent on the RCB decision to dereg- linked network. guage version of its TV ulate the market. More imminent, however, is the On October 12, Pastor Sergio von Helder of Shop service on satel- the Universal Church, Brazil's second largest lite. evangelical religion, created nationwide contro- versy by slapping and kicking 22 times a statue of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady of the Revealed) - a representation of the Virgin Mary and the patron saint of Brazil - on a religious show broadcast by the Universal Church -owned TV Record Network. Von Helder asked viewers during the pum- melling, "how can the creator of the universe even be linked to so ugly and horrible a doll?" Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso responded by calling the gesture an example of "religious intolerance." The Pope expressed Not much in demand so far "shock" and the National Brazilian Bishops'

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Conference (CNBB) called von Helder's actions a more upbeat assessment from the technology FORWARD "dismaying... gesture of disrespect." companies. Held at the Intercontinental Hotel in LOOKING And that hostile gesture, along with the rapid Berlin on November 9-12, Newsworld attracted growth of evangelical churches and electronic almost 300 delegates. The organizers -Newsworld The Asian scheduler's pastors in Brazil, the world's largest Roman is a London -based company funded by Media task can be a complicat- Catholic country, led the CNBB to counter-attack. Ventures International - were encouraged enough ed one. The Malaysian In late October, less than two weeks after the to name the dates for next year's event. It will be government pulled the saint -kicking incident, the CNBB launched a cam- held in the same venue on November 21-24. plug on a broadcast of paign to encourage each of the country's 7,600 The conference sessions covered issues rang- Judge Pao, a Taiwanese - parishes to donate $50 a month (totallinging from new technology and multiskilling to made costume drama. $380,000 a month if each parish contributed) to safety and broadcasting without borders. On the Even though the coun- Redevide de Televisao (RVT) or Life TV, a nation- last morning, a panel of news executives and try's censorship board wide Church -linked network. experts participated in a hypothetical session on had passed the first 33 RVT, which began broadcasting in June, plans current news dilemmas. episodes, the authori- to use the money for programming. The network, Although sparks flew on one panel session ties prevented terrestrial along with the CNBB, is also encouraging dioce- between an Australian newsman and one of the broadcaster Metrovision ses throughout Brazil to raise funds to install the few French delegates - over nuclear testing - the from airing the show at retransmitting stations necessary to capture and most lively debate was generated in the technolo- the last minute. The rea- broadcast its satellite -beamed signal. gy sessions. son given: no more cos- Currently, RVT's signal reaches those who Technological innovations like round-the-clock tume dramas, as the have cable tv in eight state capitals, those with satellite transmission, online editing and digitiza- government wants satellite dishes, and those in 100 smaller cities tion threaten to revolutionize the newsgathering Malaysians to become and towns who capture the signal on UHF orbusiness. But many delegates applauded Andy forward -thinking, not VHF channels. And while RVT is now capable of Lack, president of NBC News, who addressed the steeped in history. The reaching over 40 million of Brazil's 150 million delegates' dinner, when he argued: "Much too real reason, however, is people, the network hopes enough dioceses will much emphasis (is being placed) on the hard- thought to be the gov- install retransmitting stations so that RVT will ware side of the business... This is obscuring the ernment's fear of have 100 million potential viewers in 1996. real challenge - where is the investment we're Chinese imperialism; RVT, which broadcasts 13 hours/day on week- going to make in young talent?" currently 30% of days and 16 hours/day on weekends, serves up a In a veiled dig at CNN, Lack criticized the "two Malaysians are of mix of live masses, religious programs, public ser- chairs and a chat show" formula of news pro- Chinese descent. vice broadcasts, educational documentaries, live gramming, and called for news organizations to Malaysia isn't the only rodeos and music shows and a seven -hour-longinvest in new product rather than recycling the country clamping down. Sunday variety show. It runs ads - not for ciga- same material in a variety of different media. "My Thailand's broadcasting rettes or alcohol - but to pay for programming. great fear about the information superhighway is authority is looking at RVT will not run telenovelas or soccer games. that there's nothing all that great on it." extending its ban on all Brazil's six tv networks each broadcast less Despite these reservations, exhibitors like Sony foreign movies that are than one hour a week of religious and variety and Avid were very positive about Newsworld. not dubbed or subtitled shows for Catholics," said Joao Monteiro de Granby Patrick of Avid Technology Europe said into Thai, to include pay- Barros Filho, vice president of the Brazilian the exhibition offered a "good chance to meet the tv channels. Indonesia, Christian Communications Institute, a Church - users rather than the engineers." which has long banned linked entity, responsible for the content of RVT Newsworld, following a month after Mipcom, the use of Chinese in programs. "We want to expand RVT to allow appeared to have delivered little as a program printed materials, is more Catholics to see programming that has been market. Exhibitors however becoming a lit- developed with them in mind." like WTN and tle more lenient; broad- Reuters TV said casters can now air by Michael Kepp RIO DE JANEIRO they had done little Chinese songs and char- business. Part of acters. MARKETS the problem was the location of the exhibition area at some distance from Newsworld: Care the conference and the fact that the sessions continued About Hardware throughout the entire two and a Conference and hardware side the half days. David Keighley, big draw, but market slow executive director of Newsworld, said Newsworld 95, billed as the first international next year there will conference, exhibition and marketplace forbe fewer confer- television news, closed in Berlin last month with ence sessions and mixed feelings from program exhibitors, but athe exhibition areaLack: talent before technology

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will be moved closer to the conference rooms. to be much larger than the amounts paid by ITV DENIES Keighley expected "much greater numbers" ofTelepin and Rai up to now. One bid on the table BUDGET CUT delegates next year is reportedly worth $500 million for one season He also insisted the event had value as a alone. Britain's ITV took the venue for program sales. "There is no market for The League, pleasantly surprised by its new unusual step of issuing news people. The potential for it to grow is huge. appeal, has postponed its decision on the sale of a statement denying an Once people hear what a success it's been this the 1996-97 championship from November to implication in a newspa- will become the Mip of the news world." next Spring. per report that it plans to cut its $1 billion pro- by Tim Westcott - BERLIN by Cecilia Zecchinelli - MILAN gram budget. A report in The Financial Times on ITALY SPAIN November 10 claimed that ITV, which has seen a slowdown in ad rev- enue and will face com- Pay -111 Change Antena 3 TV petition from Channel Five from the beginning of 1997, was planning Spurs Soccer War In The Black to cut its program costs by as much as a third. Govt opens up pay-tv competition, Spain's ratings leader turns a profit The newspaper quoted causing scramble for rights while rival Tele 5 finds a buyer ITV Association director Barry Cox: "We are going to squeeze our ew legislation opening up pay-tv competition With their balance sheets smothered in red ink, suppliers...if they don't Nin Italy - until now a one-horse race - has con- VT Spain's commercial broadcasters have not like the prices then they centrated minds on who will own the rights to been a very attractive investment since television won'tgetcommis- screen one of the country's major obessions - was liberalized five years ago. But after taking the sioned." The ITV soccer. lead in programming, Antena 3 TV is predicting it Network Centre state- Under the law approved by the Lamberto Dini- will take the lead in profitability too. ment quoted Leslie Hill, led government at the end of October, all tv Pre-tax profit for this year will be Ptas 5 billion chairman of the ITV broadcasters already operating will have the right ($40 million), according to Javier Gimeno, chief Council, saying: "The to launch pay operations terrestrially or via satel- executive officer of the private station, which has 1996 budget is almost lite - with immediate effect. been the audience leader for two months in a £690 million ($1.1 bil- The battle will be decided on satellite, howev- row (September and October) for the first time lion) - asignificant er, since an earlier ruling will oblige the currentever. Gimeno predicted total sales of $584 mil- increase in real terms pay-tv operator Telepin, and any others who lion, operating costs of $352 million, and operat- on 1995... suggestions enter the race, to move on to satellite by ing income of $128 million, of which $88 million that ITV is likely to cut September 1997. would go to provisions and debt servicing. its budget in real terms Telepiii has already announced plans to So far the only Spanish tv station making are completely incor- launch a package of channels from Eutelsat. State money (and at an ever-increasing rate) in this rect." broadcaster Rai will need further legislation to otherwise disaster -strewn panorama, has been the launch pay services - which is likely to be includ- pay-tv channel, Canal Plus Espana. Last year its ed in the sweeping reform of the broadcasting profits stood at $36 million, while Antena 3 and law due next year. Vittorio Cecchi Gori's new- Telecinco recorded losses of $42 million, and $19 born tv group also appears eager to enter the million respectively. new sector, possibly with backing from foreign Public broadcaster RTVE amassed debts of Ptas groups like News Corp. or Cap. Cities/ABC. 300 billion ($2.4 billion), and received $2.23 bil- But once the legislative obstacles have been lion in state subsidies in 1994. removed, the problem of content is still there. Meanwhile, after cost-cutting and falling audi- And content in Italy means movies and soccer. ence ratings, Telecinco has finally found a solu- Pay -rights for movies will be acquired on the tion to its financial problems, at least in the short international markets, just as they always haveterm, by reaching an agreement with Grupo been for , say analysts, addingCorreo, the Spanish regional press group, to sell a Hill: not cutting that the offer of films and good fiction, even if 25% stake in the station owned by La Once, and not endless, is quite wide. parked hitherto in a Luxembourg bank. But soccer means Italian soccer. And already Newspaper reports put the price agreed at the battle to control rights to the matches of the between $96 million and $112 million for the leading clubs - the Guerra del Calcio (Soccerstake. The total value of Tele Cinco has been set War), as the Italian press has dubbed it - hasat $440 million in the deal, according to the flared up. Telepin, backed by its shareholders reports - $32 millionmorethan was offered by Nethold, the Kirch group and Fininvest, is one of its previous most interested potential buyer, many groups rumored to be in negotiation with Mexico's Televisa. the Italian league. If it's still unclear which one will end up with the prize, the fee paid is likely by Justin Webster - BARCELONA

Television Business International December 1995

14 MONITOR

BROADCASTING Televisa Plans Ahead TOP CHAT NBC And ZDF Agree To Share News Mexico's commercial broadcaster Televisa said it Top Cat is coming back had received advance advertising commitments to life, this time as a NBC News and German public broadcaster ZDF from 1996 which put it fractionally ahead on 1995 real-timeanimation. are to share newsgathering resources. The agree-revenue. Under the so-called "French Plan," the Filming has just been ment, which was due to be signed by NBC presi- giant commercial station sellsspaceto advertisers completed on a 20 - dent Robert Wright and ZDF director-generalin advance for a cash deposit and a short-term episode series featuring Dieter Stolte last month, calls for the two organi-obligation to buy a minimum of ad spots. French the streetwise Hanna zations to "co-operate in planning and co-ordinat-plan deposits at November 15 were approximate- Barbera feline which is ing their coverage of international news events." ly NP 4.024 billion ($574 million) which, adjusting destinedforTurner NBC News and ZDF will have access to each oth-for 45.7% annual inflation, was up 0.3% on 1995. Broadcasting's interna- ers' domestic and international bureaus and the tional Cartoon U.S. network will move its German bureau from PEOPLE Networks. Taking the Frankfurt to ZDF's headquarters in Mainz. concept of computer ani- Jordan Replaces Vesey At CNNI mated HB character CBC Forced To Cut Deeper Moxie one stage further, PeterVesey,head of CNN International, is leaving the series will feature The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) the all -news network when his contract runs out Top Cat interviewing and faces a Can$100 million ($77 million) shortfall at at the end of the year to start his own consultancy interacting with a series the end of its financial year next April unless itbusiness. Eason Jordan, head of newsgathering, of real -life guests. Top can slash its billion -dollar operating budget bywill assume Vesey's responsibilities. Vesey, who Cat is played by an actor $270 million. CBC president Perrin Beatty believes has been at CNN for 16 years, said he would con- standing just out of pic- he can deliver $190 million of cuts - imposed bytinue to specialize in the field of international tv ture wearing electronic the federal government - by cutting staff, vice-news and intended to continue advising CNNI nodes which are then presidents and programming, and selling off itsamong other clients. picked up and animated Ottawa headquarters. The task has been compli- on Silcon Graphics Onyx cated by inflation, increased taxes and the cost of SATELLITE computers. Hanna severance pay for laid -off workers which were Barbera hired Swedish not taken into account when the present round ofLaunch Date Set For New Asiasat productioncompany cuts were planned. Trash TV, part of the The much -delayedAsiasat2 satellite was finally Modern Times Group, to Quebecois Broadcasters Swap Assets setto launch on November 28 from the Xichang create the animation. satellite launchsitein southwest China. The pow- Montreal -based cable operator Le Groupe erful satellite, with a pan -Asian footprint, will pro- Videotron Ltee wants to exchange its stake in TVAvide Star TV with its first major entry into the broadcast network with cable interests owned byAsian pay-tv market. The pan -Asian broadcaster CFCF Inc. The asset swap would dramatically has booked between six and eight transponders, change the broadcasting industry in , with from which it intends to broadcast some 30 digi- CFCF becoming the largest broadcaster in thetally compressed channels, in the form of local- French-speaking province, operating competing ized packages for different countries. Other stations in both Montreal and Quebec City. Butbroadcasters set to use the satellite include although CFCF directors clearly favour a deal with Germany's Deutsche Welle, Portugal's RTPi Videotron,CogecoCable Inc., which owns 9.5% International TV and news agencies APTV and of CFCF, has mounted an offer for CFCF, and even if the swap does take place it would face tough regulatory scrutiny. DirecTV Notches Up One Million Subs BUSINESS Claiming to be the fastest -growing phenomenon in U.S. consumer electronics history, the digital Pearson TV Closes ACI Purchase direct -to -homeserviceDirecTV said it had passed the one million UK media group Pearson has added ACI to itssubscriber growing stable of television interests in a dealmark on worthover$40 million. Pearson paid $24.5 mil- November2. lion in cash and loan notes for the shares of theLaunched in Los Angeles -based distributor and agreed to payJune 1994, the eight ACI producers and other key employeesDirecTV trans- an additional $20 million over sevenyears.They mits 175 digital have agreed to use ACI as their exclusive distribu- channels to tor of tv movies for at least the next five years. subscribersDIRECTV ACI derives half its revenues from non-U.S. saleswho have an of tv movies and the remainder from sales to U.S. 18 -inch dish. The company, a unit of Hughes broadcasters. ACI supplies a fifth of tv movies toElectronics Corp., is now in the top ten multiple the Big Three U.S. networks. system operators in the U.S.

Television Business International December 1995 15 COMMENT MUNICH

The first all -digital Astra and Eutelsat satellites are already in orbit far over Europe, and hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on technical prepartions for the new era of 100 chan- How Far Will nels and more. But now, with the digital wonder world just around the corner, there is one major source of uncertainty left: How to fillall those channels - and at what prices? They Go? Part of the answers, of course, is clear. The content will have to be attractive product from the place it has always come, Hollywood. The digital market will be a seller's strong as it can be, the Hollywood market out of all proportion to anything majors still have to tangle with the ques- known in the analog past. But not even tion whether or not to go it alone in the sellers really know how much their Europe. Some of them, including Disney, treasures will be worth in the new envi- Time Warner, Viacom and News Corp, ronment. After all, television at the digital already have footholds - of varying threshold is in another Zero Hour situa- degrees of importance - in German tion, as if the business were beginning broadcasting. all over again. With the drastic deregulation of Nobody knows how the public will German television due to take place take to the plethora of new pay pro- some time in 1996, with any organization grams. permitted to own a network outright, While most agree that there is much provided it doesn't exceed a 30% market money to be made in the digital pay share, the temptation tray be greater for market place, just how much is an open the transatlantic giants to set up shop question. There appears to be agreement independently. on the point that the new pay services BY WILFRED AHRENS But then, the catchword in the digital envisaged need new licences, even if the world is program packages, or as the studios do not know their value. Francophone people of CLT/RTL are apt The respective reactions on either sidethe Kirch Group, bowed out. Why?to say, "bouquets". A single -channel of the market barricades are characteris-Because Warner sold only free tv or pay - enterprise, even if itis operated or tic. The sellers, the major studios, are shyper -view rights, and for a period of onlybacked by one of the American majors, as a bride when it comes to licensingthree years at that. would eventually be forced into alliances their output for digital distribution. Thoma in turn hailed the deal as "awith one or more of the locals control- Accordingly, the buyers are wooing foundation for a long term co-operation,"ling the evolving decoder infrastructure Hollywood more eagerly than evera remark making sense when keepingand, what is more, the conditional access before. the digital future and its program devour-(CA) gateway to it. A typical example of this type ofing character in mind. Thus, the heavy When the ongoing CA war is decided courting was the rights deal RTL manag-RTL/Warner price clearly included a size-- with the Kirch Group and Nethold with ing director Helmut Thoma signed withable goodwill bonus in this respect. their Irdeto system on one side and the Warner Bros International Television While neither RTL nor anybody in theMMBG consortium and its chosen Seca Distribution (WBITD) in September. business is openly discussing what issystem made by CanalPlus and For $240 million, Thoma acquired thegoing on behindthescenesofBertelsmann on the other - the cards can rights to 46 Warner Bros feature films, 75 Hollywood deal -making, itis an openand will be dealt out anew. Then the real tv movies and 60 specials, in ail 500secret that hectic negotiations have beenpoker game between the powerful soft- hours of product. going on. And, with the German marketware sellers and the channel owners in The films include hits like - potentially the most lucrative of themneed of content can begin. Forever, The Firm, Dennis the Menaceall - in view, competitors like Canal Its outcome may be open. The prices and The Fugitive. Sounds good - butPlus/Bertelsmann, Kirch Group and CLTand/or barter conditions of possible part- overpriced. Even Warner's long-standingare determined to come out on top. nerships across the Atlantic may so far be partner in the German -language market, While their seller's position is asunknown. But as things go in the real world of this fantastic business, the market will The sellers are shy as a bride about eventually regulate everything, at least to the satisfaction of the people who count licensing their output. Accordingly, II -lost: the viewers. Until then, the informed professional the buyers are wooing Hollywoodaudiences watching the big players in the field can be assured of great enter- more eagerly than ever beforetainment. iIIl

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With 40 million tv households, Japan is Asia's most attractive market, but imported programs have been few and far between on the networks' schedules. Starting off TBI's focus on the Asia Pacific, Mark Schilling looks at whether the recent success of the X -Files and Major League baseball are just the latest fad or a sign that opportunites for distributors are opening up

Japan has long been a tough sell forAnother is an ongoing boom in books,League baseball games soared, while foreign program suppliers. Althoughfilms and tv shows with supernaturalNHK general channel viewers com- older viewers still hum the themethemes. One such book series, the six -plained that the satellite channels were song to Rawhide and reminisce fondlyvolume Gakko no Kaidan ("Schoolgetting all the good stuff. Also, Fuji TV's about the comedic talents of ElizabethGhost Stories") has sold more than onebroadcast of the All -Star Game, which (Bewitched) Montgomery,inpastmillion copies and inspired a hit domes-Nomo won for the National League, decades foreign shows have been con- tic movie of the same title. scored a 20.8% rating. spicuous by their absence on terrestrial Still another is TV Asahi's belief in the To make sure that all viewers get to tv, particularly in prime time. And whenshow's wide appeal. "This is a show thatsee Nomo next season, NHK, together they do manage to get on the scheduleeveryone from children to middle-agedwith TBS and Fuji TV, will broadcast they seldom last long; even Dallas failedadults can enjoy," said TV Asahi filmMajor League games, including the All - to find an audience in Japan - its onlydepartment general manager KazuoStar Game, league championships and such flop worldwide. Marui. "It's a big -budget production withthe World Series, on a rotating basis, But despite this and other dismala quality comparable to that of featurewith NHK taking games in June and precedents, foreign program sellers keepfilms. It's got a realism that we thinkSeptember, TBS in May and August and trying and, in recent months, Japaneseviewers will find absorbing." Fuji TV in April and July. This three-way networks have been buying. Also, with To reduce the odds on what it stillarrangement will continue for the next the growth of cable and satellite tv, theregards as a major gamble, TV Asahi isthree seasons, with further rotations entry of new satellite service providers,mounting an unusually extensive promo-scheduled for the 1997 and 1998 seasons. and the relaxation of government regula-tional campaign for The X -Files. InThe estimated cost per season will be tions, new markets have been openingNovember the network staged a conven-from $6 million to $8 million, borne up for foreign programming. What wastion in that featured screenings ofequally by the three partners. "We're once a trickle may soon become a flood. episodes not yet released on video anddoing this knowing that there is a con- Leading the foreign invasion is The X -appearances by celebrity fans of thesiderable risk involved. If Nomo fails to Files. TV Asahi, one of Japan's five majorseries. Also, in co-operation with pub-do well, viewers will not tune in," said commercial nets, began broadcasting thelishers and travel agencies, it has beenTakashi Noda, Fuji TV's Sports Business U.S. cult sensation on November 22 in anissuing Japanese translations of The X -Promotion Department general manager. 8 pm slot - its first imported prime -time Files books and planning an X -Files"To be frank, we don't expect to make series in eight years, since a failed exper-Mystery Tour to the show's locations. money on these broadcasts in any case - iment with Night Rider. Another recent sensation that haswe will have to pre-empt regular pro- One reason TV Asahi was willing toresulted in a programming slot for a for-grams for them and it will not be easy to take the plunge is huge success of Theeign import is Hideo Nomo, the localmake up the loss in sponsors' revenues - X -Files in the video shops: 200,000 cas-boy who made good pitching for the Losbut we believe they will enhance our settes sold in a market where sales ofAngeles Dodgers last season. Viewershipimage as a network." 10,000 is an indication of hit status.of NHK's satellite broadcasts of Major Far from representing a growing trend, The X -Files and Major League Baseball broadcasts are exceptions to the general wariness toward foreign pro- gramming among the major commercial networks. The few regular foreign shows usually air in the wee hours of the morn- ing and co -productions with foreign part- ners remain few and far between. Out There, "Foreign shows just don't draw high rat - Somewhere Television Business International December 1995 18 ASIA/PACIFIC

Weird Scene: video sales propelled The X Files onto TV Asahi

Television Business International December 1995 19 ASIA/PACIFIC

ings, and as a commercial network, weTelescreen Distribution and Licensing, havetotakeamarket -orientedPrimation has sold several of its animated approach," explained NTV's Shinichiroseries to the network, including Oxtails, Takeda. Other than the occasionalIn Moomin Land, and Domo. The ideas Hollywood movie, NTV currently has nofor these series were developed in the foreign programming on its schedule. Netherlands, with TV Tokyo serving as On terrestrial tv, the two main marketsco -production partner. remain Japan's largest broadcaster, NHK, Over the years, said Primation manag- and its smallest commercial network, TVing director Sjoerd Raemakers, the com- Tokyo, with five affiliates. In addition topany's strategy has evolved from making setting aside several slots for foreignprograms exclusively for Japan, including films, including a prime -time moviethe first Moomin series in the late 1960s, showcase, and broadcasting the U.S.to producing for the global market. series Secret Service in an early morning"Mitsui has offices all over world," time period, TV Tokyo recently launchedexplained Raemakers. "We can sell our Eco-adventure from Mitsui and Telescreen a new documentaryseries,Lostshows not only in Japan, but Europe and Civilizations, produced by Time -Life.the United States - it's a big advantage." 90210, which became a hit on satellite, Together with Fujitsu, TV Tokyo con- With Mitsui as a co -production partnerthen moved over to the general channel. tributed a share of the series' $15 millionPrimation is currently making BambooA new candidate for a general channel production cost in exchange for all JapanBears, a 52 -episode eco-adventure seriesslot is ER, which NHK will launch on rights. "It's a different type of documen-that introduces viewers to a new animalSatellite Channel Two next spring. tary that uses computer graphics to givecharacter every week, usually from a rare NHK's criteria for purchasing pro- viewers a sense of what these civiliza-or endangered species, and takes themgrams, Onoki admitted, may sound con- tions looked like at their peaks," saidon a trip around the globe. "Our primetradictory. "On one hand, we have to MitsukoSekiyaofTVTokyo'smarket is Japan and Asia, but the showrespect the opinion of the majority of our International Department. has a truly international appeal," saidviewers and give them what they want to In addition to broadcasting 10 install- Raemakers. watch. On the other hand, as a public ments, one a month, in an afternoon Despite the efforts of TV Tokyo tobroadcaster, we have a mission to con- time slot, TV Tokyo plans to exploit theadd an international flavor to its line-up,tribute to the betterment of Japanese series in a variety of media, includingNHK remains by far the biggest program- society and culture. Sometimes there is a books, videos, and, in co-operation withmer of imported shows. In 1994, it conflict." NHK tries to resolve the conflict co -production partner Fujitsu, CD -Rombroadcast more than 1,000 foreign pro-by broadcasting a wide range of foreign software. "We would also like to sell thegrams, of which 300 were dramas. Nearlyprogramming, from operas to Little series to cable and broadcast satellite and60% were shown on the two NHK satel-House On the Prairie. send it over the Internet," said Sekiya.lite channels, the remainder on the NHK NHK is also by far the Japanese TV "This is our first co -production of thisgeneral and educational channels.industry's leading co -producer of pro- type. We hope to do more in the future." "Often, we use satellite as a way of testgrams with foreign partners, In 1994 the Another foreign company that hasmarketing a program," said NHKtotal budget for foreign co -productions established a strong relationship with TVInternational Public Relations directorwas about $97 million, of which NHK Tokyo is Netherlands -based Primation, Yasutoshi Onoki. "If it does well, we willcontributed two-thirds. That year, 190 co - an animation house that is now part ofshow it on one of the terrestrial chan-produced programs and 44 titles were the Mitsui Group. Formerly known asnels." One example is Beverly Hillsbroadcast, one-third of which had been made with U.S. partners. European broadcasters accounted for most of the remainder. "In Europe, especially, there are many public broadcasters," said Onoki. "We find it easier to co-operate with them because we both have the same basic broadcasting policy. The major U.S. networks, however, have little interest in documentaries, which is one of our strengths." In deciding whether to do a co -pro- duction with a foreign partner, NHK asks itself four questions, said Onoki. The first is whether the project allows NHK to use its program production know-how. The second is whether it will enableNHKto develop new know-how (Ed and Haru, a documentary on former U.S. ambas- sador to Japan Edward Reischauer and his Japanese wife Haru, "gave NHK a chance to learn Hollywood production techniques," said Onoki). The third is Over the wall: Lost Civilizations sold to Fujitsu and TV Tokyo whether the project's budget is large

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enough to make risk sharing necessary. In addition to these Japan -based ser-operators who viewed the channel's line- The fourth is whether the nature of thevices, foreign program suppliers are alsoup at the Japan Cable TV Show in project requires local involvement. If thetargeting the Japanese market from out-October "were surprisingly friendly to answer to only one question is , NHKside the country, via Asian satellites. Nextand familiar with" Cartoon Network stars will consider co -production. April Hong -Kong -based Star TV will startYogi Bear, The Flintstones and Tom and Though the chance of scoring witha Japanese -language pay channel offer-Jerry. Japan's 40 million television households ing movies, sports, music and other So far, however, Turner has not con- may be bigger on terrestrial tv, the win- entertainment programming. The channeltracted with any cable operators to dow of opportunity most open to foreignwill beam its programs 24 hours a dayreceive the service. "We are still in the programs is cable and satellite competi-aboard the Asiasat 2 satellite, which wasprocess of creating brand awareness," tion. All of the three broadcast satellite scheduled for launch last month. Viewerssaid McFarland. "Just as CNN's menu of channels - two for NHK and one forwill receive the channel via either cableU.S. and international news gives pay station Wowow - and several of or home satellite dishes. Japanese a different view on the world the 11 communications satellite The new channeland their largest trading partner, we channels rely on foreign suppliers will be abelieve that TNT/Cartoon Network will, for the majority of their program- through its classic animation and ming. Among the foreign -supplied CS movies, give them a different channelsareBBCWorld,CNN view of American culture." International, MTV and Sports i, which The newest foreign arrival sources much of its programming from on the Japanese cable and ESPN. satellite scene is With the launch of JC-SAT 3 in PanAmSat, which received August, yet another window opened. an international Type I car- Using this new digital satellite, rierlicensefromthe channel service provider MinistryofPostsand DMC (Digital Telecommunications in Multi Channel) November. A result of the plans to offer liberalization policy 53 television adopted by the MPT and 100 audio last year aimed at channels. opening the interna- beginning in tional satellite mar- September ket in Japan, the 1996. The 39 license will make companies sup- PanAmSat the first plying the chan- non -Japanese com- nels include NTV, TV pany to offer world- Tokyo, new Tokyo UHF station MXTV, wide satellite ser- Pioneer, Matsushita and BBC. ices to and from DMC will start its commercial service "We believe Cartoon Japan. PanAmSat will with 40 channels. Although BBC World Network will give the start its Japanese opera- Service, a Portuguese -language channel tions by transmitting the for Japanese -Brazilians and a Korean -lan- Japanese a different view of APEC (Asia -Pacific Economic Co-opera- guage channel for Koreans living in American culture" tion) meetings heldin Osaka in Japan will be the only non -Japanese November. It plans to open an earth sta- channel offerings, DMC main sharehold-re-edit of Star's five channels, dubbedtion in Tokyo in the near future and offer ers Itochu, Mitsui, Nissho Iwai andand subtitled in Japanese. Test broad-data communications as well as broad- Sumitomo, together with major domesticcasts will begin in January and, followingcasting services via its three satellites film distributor Shochiku, are planningthe approval of Star's broadcastingnow in orbit and the five more that it pay -per -view services that will featurelicense application by the Japanese tele-plans to launch in 1997. foreign films. corns ministry, full-scale commercial Even if The X -Files scores a hit and Yet a bigger window in the works isbroadcasts will start in April. If theyNomo plays a whole season, the the 100 -channel service being plannedprove successful, Star intends to expandJapanese market will doubtless remain by Directv Japan, a joint venture ofits Japanese -language broadcasts to fivedifficult, especially the commerical nets. Hughes Communications,Culture channels. Cable and satellite, however, promise to Communications Club, Dai Nippon Also, Turner Broadcasting System hasbe a different story. "Now that viewers Printing, and Space Communicationsreceived permission from the Ministry ofknow what's out there, they aren't satis- Corporation. Directv plans to offer a 100 -Posts and Telecommunications to beamfied any more with conventional tv," said channel direct -to -home service in 1997,its TNT/Cartoon Network to Japan viaKleinwort Benson International media relying heavily on U.S. suppliers for itsthe Apstar 1 satellite. Launched in theanalyst Nanako Sakaguchi. "Cable and programming. Although the companyAsian region in October 1994, the chan-satellite broadcasters are offering more has not yet drawn up its channel plan, anel offers movies and cartoons from theshows that viewers want to watch." And major feature of its service will be pay -Turner library 24 hours a day. Accordingmany of those shows, she might have per -view channels, with most of the filmsto Turner International Asia Pacific presi-added, do not have a Made In Japan supplied by major Hollywood studios. dent Ted McFarland, Japanese cable label.fill

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Made in India: Moonstone's feature Jungle Boy The rash of new channels launching in DD's unique system of bartering airtime to program suppliers India has dramatically expanded the horizons for the country's indepen- has made production a highly profitable business for India's dent producers. As befits a countryflourishing independent sector, reports Anil Wanvari whose film industry's output is second only to Hollywood, tv production is booming as more alternatives to the stateof broadcasting outlets. DD, which hasthe diversity of languages and dialects broadcaster (DD) take tonot stayed still as competition from satel-spoken in India. According to Thawani, the air. lite tv has intensified, now operates ademand for programming in Tamil, Now everyone, from film stars andtotal of 19 channels: three terrestrial, 14Telugu, , , Gujarati film directors, to advertising agencies,regional and two via satellite. DD's pro-and Bengali has gone up "dramatically" business houses, journalists, newspapergramming output now exceeds 1300from four to five hours a week in 1992. barons and foreign producers, distribu-hours a week, up from just 500 hours in Demand for programs in the southern tors and broadcasters are jumping onto1992. The major contributor to this is itsIndian language of Tamil is now up to the tv bandwagon. principal service, DD1, with 533 hours. 150 hours a week. According to Harish Thawani, execu- Satellite, which now reaches 13-15 DD's output on regional language tive director of indie producer Nimbusmillion tv homes out of a total 48 mil-channels is 426 hours, and DD2, other- Communications, demand for first -runlion, is the distribution medium for awise known as the Metro channel, commercial program in India's main lan-number of channels, notably Zee TV,accounts for 117 hours per week. guage, Hindi, has shot up from four to India TV, EL TV, ATN, Jain TV and Sony This explosion in airtime represents a five hours a week three years ago to anEntertainment Television, launched lastmassive opportunity for independent anticipated 200 hours in 1995 and 1996 month. producers, the more so because a large more than 300 hours. Another factor in the increase in DD'sproportion of Doordarshan's program- Partly this is a factor of the explosionouput and in new satellite channels isming is either commissioned out of

Television Business International December 1995 24 ASIA/PACIFIC C4NUS INTERNATIONAL house or sourced from producers via apractices, most of the major commercial barter -type system DD defines as "spon-players have not. With certain excep-Consulting sorship" (see table). tions, Zee TV, EL TV, Sony, TV I and Doordarshan's public service vocationATN prefer to acquire or commissionServices means it is happy to keep the businesstheir programming for cash and sell air- of selling commercial airtime at arm time themselves. They also retain more News length.It acquires half-hour or 45 an: So Gathering minute slots of pro- In-house Sponsorship Commissioned Acquired gramming from pro- - Foreign Satellite ducers in exchange DD1 50 30 17 3 for a fee and up to DD2 10 75 15 10 Transmission two minutes of com- Regional 80 15 5 mercial airtime. These Note: percentages vary marginally month -to -month Source: Doordarshan Video spots are then sold on by the producer either directly to adver-of the rights. A quarter of Zee's program- Production tisers or to agencies. ming is produced in-house, while for EL The producer pays a telecast fee rang-TV the figure is 30%. Sony has chosen to Conus Communications, pioneers in satellite ing from $7,000 for a primetime slot to asoutsource all its programming other than technology from SNG to DBS, provides little as $700, depending on the channel library product fromitsaffiliate, clients access to events, information and and the timeslot. In return the producerColumbia Tristar. gets between 90 seconds (in primetime) The arrival of satellite channels has technical facilities throughout the world. and 150 seconds of free commercial timedriven down the cost of tv advertising (FCT), which he is free to market to anyand programming, according to EL TV Conus is the largest independent advertiser at a price, dictated by thechief Karuna Samtani. newsgathering organization in the United viewership of the program. DD also sells There was a time when most produc- States. Conus International is the premier the remaining spots within the programers used to quote about $8,000 for a consulting and operating segment and to protect itself it has been prime -time program to advertisers. This asking for minimum ratings guaranteeswas based on the cost of the telecast fee unit of Conus Communications, offering from suppliers for popular timeslots. on DD which would be about $7,000 for technical and business expertise in broadcast Normally, producers approach DDa prime -time program and the cost of the technology. with a concept for a program. TheFCT. If, say, 90 seconds were being sold broadcaster often asks for a pilot of asat $1,700 for a 10 -second spot and all of Conus is: many as four episodes. Once it has beenthe time was sold, the producer netted Consulting in the areas of new technology cleared, DD then allocates a timeslot for$15,000. Some $7,000 of this amount and system refinement, including design and the program. While some producers saywould then be paid to DD as telecast construction supervision of operation and the approval process can take two tofee, with the remainder being used to three months, others say that it can evenfund production of the program and transmission centers. stretch to a year. generate profits. News facilities throughout the U.S. In most cases, producers retain the "Four years ago, DD had barely seven participating in daily news exchanges, rights of the program. DD has workedslots open toprivateproducers. plus 2 "fly -away" satellite newsgathering out programming deals for soaps, songAdvertisers had no choice and they paid units in Europe. contests, game shows, teleshopping andthe money thinking they were lucky to sports. The daily segment of MTV whichget their commercials onto tv as they A full service bureau in Washington, D.C. were. Then we came along and with facilities at each of the major news commissioned producers to make venues, and a complete newscenter, teleport programs for 50,000 to 120,000 and production studio just blocks from the rupees ($1,400 to $3,400) and sold White House. the time ourselves at lower rates. This gave advertisers an option," Transmission, booking, and coordination said Samtani, "and in the process for all satellite delivery, and a full fleet of changed the way things worked." mobile satellite transmission vehicles across Of course, the rapid growth of the U.S. broadcasting in India has to be Mobile video production equipment with seen in the context of advertising revenue, which is expected to be on site technical and production support $390 million this financial year: available. Doordarshan's cutisforecast at $185 to 215 million, with produc- With Conus you'll find a world of new ideas. Delhi calling: TV18's India Business Report ers making $71 million from ad sales and Zee TV a similar amount. Conus Communications airs on DD2 and foreign feature films areNot bad, but for a country of a billion 3415 University Avenue also supplied on a barter basis. souls, there is room for growth. Some Minneapolis, MN, USA 55414 Although the regional channels Sunfeel that the true revolution may come 612-642-4645. Fax 612-642-4680 TV and Gemini TV have adopted similarlater rather than sooner. ID 1825 K Street NW Washington, DC, USA 20006 202-467-5600. Fax 202-467-5610 Television Business International December 1995 25 ASIA/PACIFI

Empire Builders Production budgets of $20,000 are lavish by Indian standards. But India's tv conglomerates are pouring money into diversification. Anil Wanvari profiles someof the leading players

Plus Channel UN The (confusingly named) Plus Channel Once UTV was just a production house for advertising films and corporate videos has more than ten programs on DD: which used to dabble in tv programming for DD. Unlike both Nimbus and Plus, ranging from a daily business news show UTV actually made its mark with Zee TV. It started with game, chat, astrology, chil- to two daily soaps (one in Hindi, the dren's, and entertainment shows and a soap on the satellite network. other in English). To date, UTV has produced 1,500 hours of programming, including more than Plus Channel chief Amit Khanna said half a dozen shows to DD. The highlight is DD's 520 -episode daily afternoon soap, the company focuses on DD as it is the Shanti, which is showing in seven languages across the Asian region. With Grundy dominant player, but it is also developing Productions, UTV co -produced a game show called Kriket for Star Plus which, programs for SET, the planned Home although it lasted only 15 episodes, will come back for a second series, according Television and MTV. This apart, the pro- to UTV director Ronnie Screwvala. duction house is also interested in diver- Part -owned by News Corp., UTV is expanding its portfolio of activities to cover sifying into programming in Bengali. everything from cinema to multimedia. Screwvala. said UTV is likely have a public Telugu, Tamil and Marathi. listing by the end of 1996. Khanna is determined to build Plus Channel into "India's first entertainment conglomerate." The company is building said executive director Harish Thawani.partner for the channel's India -specific studios in Bombay and Delhi via a pri-"Those with stock music and shots candebut. E! Entertainment's vice-president vate placement of $20 million. It has also be priced as low as 125,000 rupeesfor international development Jon moved into music, cinema production (it($3,600)." He sees the company becom-Helmrich is in preliminary talks with TV has 14 films currently in the pipeline),ing a supplier to several networks. 18's managing director Raghav Bahl event management and syndication. Next up is a private placement towhich may lead to some co -production. investors, the money from which will be Nimbus pumped into setting up a studio in Mudra Videotec Like many other companies, Nimbus hasBombay. Mudra Videotec, an offshoot of Mudra been nurtured by DD commissions. It Communications, is a company trying to started out by marketing airtime for a DD N18 make a comeback into tv production. soap in 1987. Today, it has a highly suc-With revenues of about $3.4 million, TVMudra acquired foreign programming for cessful chart show which is one of DD's18 is a minnow compared to the otherDD in the eighties. But then it faded out. five programs. players. Starting with two shows, IndiaToday, the Ambanis and Mudra chairman In addition to music and soaps, Business Report on BBC and lifestyle and A.G. Krishnamurthy are pumping in over Nimbus has developed a line in sports, culture weekly magazine The India Show$4 million into Mudra Videotec, which selling shows to DD and Prime Sports. on Star Plus, it has since ventured intowill be targeting programming at south- It is currently distributing a preview ofgameshows, music countdowns andern Indian satellite channels and at DD. this winter's cricket world cup tourna-drama series for an array of channels likeA $1.4 million project on the mythologi- ment, shot in four countries. The pro- EL TV, Sony and DD3. cal Lord Vishnu is in production. gram, which cost close $20,000 an The buzz is that TV18 will be provid- episode, has sold to four Indian and fiveing the pan -Asian satellite channel AsiaAmritraj Solomon Communications overseas networks. Business News with a chunk of newsThe company formed by tennis star "Not all projects are so stiffly priced,"programming and may even serve as aturned movie mogul Ashok Amritraj and ex -Warner Bros executive Michael J Solomon has already cut an agreement Modi Entertainment Group with Sun TV to provide it with seven Lalit Motifs Medi Entertainment Group (MEG) has joint ventures with New Wor half-hour segments every week. Amritraj and Multimedia Enterprises to make soaps and talk shows for the Indian mar has plans to produce five mega -budget Currently Modi New World is believed to be on the lookout for properties mythological and historical series, some acquire and has a concept in place which it hopes will lead to a production soon of which will be telecast on DD. It already airs New World soap The Valley of the Dolls on DD five days a we Amritraj has earmarked an investment Modi Multimedia, on the other hand, has gone beyond the concept stage and has of $20 million in the next few years to already given a two -episode pilot for a talk show to DD's screening committee for make his mark. He is on the verge of clearance. taking a 25% equity stake in Madras - Modi has also forged a joint venture with Walt Disney Co.'s production arm based CTV, a company that has rights to Buena Vista which produces a daily animated segment on DD1. Hanna Barbera films and to versions of Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Television Business International December 1995 26 E X P L O R YOUR WORLD

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Domenick FioravanS Dawn L. McCall Kevin john McIntyre Kira 3Karaik International Networks Latin America Asia India 301.986.1999 305.461.4710 852.2822.7100 301.986.1999 Going places: TVNZ's Natural History Unit is one of Japan's leading foreign suppliers Kiwis Fly High New Zealand is building a reputation for its locations, its talent pool and its creativity - particularly when it comes to making co -production work. Paul Smith reports

Nccessity has been the mother of Increasingly, overseas broadcasters to start production onTales Of The South invention for the new generation ofshoot productions in the country or linkSeas, a 22 -part adventure series based on Kiwi producers. For years the coun-withtheproductionsubsidiariesnovels by Jack London. Its partners are try's location thousands of miles from thespawned by the commercially -activeFrance'sGaurriont Television and major tv industry centers of Europe andpubcaster Television New Zealand Luxembourg's CLT. North America, combined with its 3.5(TVNZ) to make them. The Natural Another CLT-backed series, The Enid million population, made New Zealand aHistory Unit, South Pacific Pictures, Blyton Adventure Package, co -produced remote, insignificant player in the inter-Kotuku Productions and Avalon Studioswith British company Cloud 9 and national production industry. were all involved in new productions inKotuku Productions, is part -way through Not any more. A combination of theNovember. filming 24 half-hour episodes. The series pioneering value of resourcefulness, In that month alone, four Japaneseis the biggest -ever production to go deregulation of the tv industry, and thebroadcasters visited the South Island citythrough Avalon studios. Earlier, Avalon wide range of locations offered by theof Dunedin to meet with the Naturalalso made demos of a new game show, country, have combined to raise the pro-History Unit, which is currently working Poker Palace, for King World. file of Kiwi production companies, par-on co -pros worth around NZ$20 million Part of the explanation for the current ticularly as partners in international co - ($13.3 million). health of Kiwi production has to go to productions. South Pacific Pictures (SPP) is abouttwo Labour governments. In 1975,

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Labour introduced tional standards. Peter Corris, and the Claudia Valentine the first television Tom Parkinson - the founder of pri-novels by Marele Day. competition vate network TV3 and the man who TVNZ's Natural History unit, described between sister state directed Hunter's Gold - agreed. "Weby former CEO Julian Mounter as the broadcasters TV1 have to do co -pros because quite simplyweb's "jewel in the crown" this year and TV2, which we don't have budgets big enough. If webroke the 100 -country sales mark with its were then indepen- want to make drama or sitcoms we haverange of documentaries. Itis currently dent. The to have overseas co -pros." making 50 productions worth NZ$20 mil- Auckland -based New Zealand does, however, offerlion for a range of international compa- TV2 had as its head more than mere cost -efficiency. nies. of drama the Emmy Barnett: creativity Said Finlayson: "We have a range of "It's been another year of quite signifi- award -winning locations - from snow in some parts, tocant growth for us," said Michael Kiwi John McRae (Anne of Green Gables,golden beaches and primeval forests."Stedman, managing director of the Unit, Ballet Shoes) who had been lured backApart from the locations, it's also anadding that itis now the single largest from the UK. interesting place, he added, pointing tointernational supplier into Japan through Backed by director-general Allanthe dynamics of New Zealand's partly NHK. Martin, McRae began work on Hunter's Polynesian culture. The Japanese have virtually bought Gold, one of the first co -productions, Parkinson said producers "can do anythe entire Natural History catalog and the with Thames Television. It led to otherslocation of any country within 20 min-Unit is co -producing programs on pen- with Australia and with the U.S.'s Theutes of Auckland." It's a slight exaggera-guins and sun bears with NHK. In addi- Nashville Network on a music series,tion - it doesn't snow in Auckland, but it tion itis producing six to 10 one -hour That's Country. does only two and a half hours away.series on natural history topics with the In 1989, and with Labour again in"The thing is that we have a very goodJapanese broadcaster. The Unit has also power, broadcasting was deregulated.road and motorway system and you canestablished strong links with several State broadcasting had to survive ondo three or four locations within oneAmerican broadcasters. advertising revenue - and its wits. McRae shooting day," he said. Currently it is finishing off three one - went off to head South Pacific Pictures. The New Zealand climate is temper-hour specials for the Discovery Channel TVNZ's director of production, Tomate, and one of its key virtues for pro-on subjects ranging from crocodiles to Finlayson, explained: "We are a very,ducers, according to Finlayson, is the oceans and is co - very small country and we have to lever- quality of its daylight and the length of producing a four- age on what our real strengths are fordaylight hours. parter called Chile, co -pro partners. There is very good cost- For SPP's managing director John the Land of effectiveness here - typically less thanBarnett, all the factors his colleagues list Extremes with the half of European costs." Crews are de -are important. But for him, there is one network. Other unionized and technically up to interna-more critical than all the others - creativ- one -hour specials ity. "The reason we have been include programs successful in the past and in future on rats and the plans is that we have generated Australian dingo. ideas which have international The Unit is also co - cachet," he said. Stedman: growing producing a series "It's been our active philosophy to on penguins for be more than just a location. ItWNET for the PBS Nature series and is means we come up with an ideadiscussing three more films. and then go out and find a co -pro- Other American customers include the duction partner." LearningChannelandNational SPP's soap Shortland Street, one ofGeographic TV. Stedman said he was the top -rated domestic programs,having discussions with The Learning was sold to the UK's Carlton TVChannel for a four-parter on riches of the this year. SPP is now planning aEarth. The Unit is working on a crocodile series aimed at the twenty -some-film with National Geographic and is dis- thing viewership called Orientalcussing other projects with the company. Parade which like Melrose Place In Europe, the Unit and German film deals with relationships of youngcompany Videal, which has invested in apartment -dwellers. eight of its films, are now working on a SPP is now working on a seriesjoint project. about the life of the painter Paul "It further strengthens our position in Gaugin with France's Ellipse. ItsGermany, where we signed a major co- other major projects include a 65production with NDR for 16 films two by 30 -minute children's series,years ago. That's now been extended RidingHigh, for Wendyinto 24 films, so we continue to build Productions of Germany. Southour relationships in Germany." Stedman Pacific recently bought the rightssaid there are now 65 staff in the Natural to two popular Australian detectiveHistory Unit - more than double the fig- series: the Cliff Hardy books byure two years ago. all Family friendly: The Enid Blyton Adventures

Television Business International December 1995 30 CULTURE EDUCATION INFORMATION The Third International Competition for Film, TV, Video and Interactive Programmes

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TBI's Survey Of Imported Programs

Thirty broadcasters replied to TBI'stion. As a result of the first survey on imported programs inAustralian Broadcasting Asia and Australasia. Information onAuthority's new regula- a further nine broadcasters was taken tions (see footnotes), pub- from the TBI Yearbook '96, which was licly -run ABC and the published in October. commercial networks Ten Perhaps the most interesting thing toand Nine, all reported that note from the survey (aside from the factthey would be decreasing that Benny Hill is proving very popularthe level of foreign out- in Thailand), is that those countries with put. no local programming quotas are not Throughout the region, necessarily the ones which acquire theU.S. programming is by most foreign product. far the most popular Japan, for instance, remains a notori- import, with The X -Files, ously difficult market to sell to, despite Melrose Place and Beverly its lack of quotas for domestic program-Hills 90210 all cropping ming. Of all the Japanese broadcastersup in several top fives.Thai Life: Benny Hill surveyed, TBS reported the highest levelHowever, UK productions of imported programming at just 7%,are more popular with theABC andbecome more established. As Terence whileFuji TV claimed that it wasn't cur-TVNZ, and several Asian programs trans-Wat, senior publicity director at Star Plus, rently airing any imported programs on a plant to other territories. explained: "the way forward is to start regular basis. Imported programming levels arelocal programming." Wat does admit, Australia, on the other hand, has high- highest on the newer channels such asthough, that this won't be for some time er import levels than in many otherthe pan -Asian satellite channel Star still launching in countries but is introducing a complex and Thailand's IBC. However, these lev-the region demand will remain high for quota system to foster domestic produc- els are likely to fall as the channelsforeign programs.

Country Channel Hrs/Week Imported Local Quotas Increase/ Top Five Imported Programs (%) Decrease Programs

Australia ABC 168 50% See below -5% The Bill Absolutely Fabulous Mr Bean Keeping Up Appearances Fawlty Towers

Network Ten 168 50% -5% The X Files Seinfeld The Nanny Mad About You

Seven 168 48% No change Home Improvement Theatrical films British series American sit -corns

Nine Network 168 40% -5% The Nanny Cybill The Simpsons Home Improvement Lois And Clark

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UNITED KINGDOM Country Channel Hrs/Week Imported Local Quotas Increase/ Top Five Imported Programs (%) Decrease Programs

China CCTV* 600 15% n/a n/a n/a

Hong Kong AN Home 163.2 29.3% None n/a Judge Pao Romance Of Three Kingdoms AN World 143.25 40.3% None n/a Shinchan

NB Jade 167 11.1% See below Increase Show By Shobai (Game Show) Gourmet Special - Shrimp (Documentary) The Ultimate Service In Cantonese Cuisine (Documentary) Japanese Inns (Documentary) Under One Roof (Drama Series) NB Pearl 120 70% No Change Theatrical films Documentaries Drama Series

Star Plus 168 98% None Decrease Baywatch The X -Files Beverly Hills 90210 NYPD Blue Star Trek: The Next Generation

CEN 168 67% None Decrease Happy Times (Variety/Talk Show)

India Doordarshan *1,300 Ch1: 3% n/a n/a n/a Ch2: 15%

Zee N 168 4% None Increase n/a

Indonesia RCTI 130 35% 65% No change U.S. action movies Chinese Kung Fu series and movies Indian movies America's Funniest Home Videos Renegade

SCN 147 60% 80% +59 hrs/wk Indian movies Telenovelas American Series

TPI 132 39.2% Plays, -20% Indian movies education, Kungfu Master comedy, The Young Chan Sang Fong music Drunken Fist Casper And Friends

Japan N Asahi 158 2% None Increase The X -Files Movies

Fuji TV 160 n/a None n/a No imported programs currently broadcast regularly

NHK GN:139 4.4% None No change Little House On The Prairie ETV:128 (Terrestrial) Full House Dr Quinn Medicine Woman Blossom Beverly Hills 90210

Television Business International December 1995 33 ASIA PACIFIC

Country Channel Nrs/Week Imported Local Quotas Increase/ Top Five Imported Programs (X) Decrease Programs

NN 154 n/a None +1 hr/week U.S. movies

TBS 150 7% None No change U.S. movies

Malaysia N3 135 30% 80% -10% Hindi movies (by Year 2000) Chinese movies English movies English children's programs Chinese drama

New Zealand TVNZ * 336 70% n/a n/a Mr Bean ** Last Of The Summer wine Barrymore Great Railway Journeys The Nanny

TV3 168 65% None No change Melrose Place Home Improvement 20/20 Ellen Extreme

Pakistan PTV 92 15% 85% No change Time Trax Star Trek Deep Space Nine Full House Dr Quinn Small Wonder

STN * 168 55% n/a n/a n/a

Philippines ABS-CBN 125.5 15% None +25% Mighty Morphin Power Rangers X -Men Baywatch Melrose Place Ninja Turtles

RPN 168 80% None +4 hours X -Files Rescue 911 McGyver Dragon Ball Picket Fences

Singapore Channel 5 168 74% 13 hrs/week Decrease Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Navy Seals Deadman Don't Die Nightmare On Elm Street

Channel 8 168 52% 13 hrs/week No change Taichi Master Holy Weapon Master Wong v Master Wong Rosa Till Death We Start

Prime 12 * 61 78% n/a n/a n/a

Premiere 12 *71 98.5% n/a n/a n/a

Television Business International December 1995 34 IF YOU ARE A MULTIMEDIA PUBLISHER, PRODUCER OR DEVELOPER, MILIA IS THE INTERNATIONAL RENDEZVOUS FOR YOU

ocusing on content develop- ment, online opportunities and marketing, provides a unique platform to explore new horizons by buying and selling rights, forming joint ventures and initiating multiple media co - "113DEAlli.a productions on a global scale. And featuring an in-depth Conference Programme, groundbreaking New Talent Pavilion, the prestigious Awards, and many other special events, aft' hit will be an action packed, five-day celebration of creativity and innovation.

Join over 8000 key profes- sionals and decision -makers returnto from around the world at '96 and be part of the dynamic future of international multimedia publishing.

Advertise in the Guide and Daily News and "'DATE promote your presence.

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Remember, Milia '96 is online: http:// www.reedmidem.milia.com ASIA PACIFIC

Country Channel Hrs/Week Imported Local Quotas Increase/ Top Five Imported Programs (%) Decrease Programs

South Korea KBS TV1/TV298 Each TV1: 3.2%, 90% No change Pao Ching Tien TV2: 14.5% 85% The X -Files Disney Cartoon Series Movies

MBC 98 9% 85% Increase n/a

SBS * 91.5 16% n/a n/a n/a

Taiwan CTS * 184 15% n/a n/a n/a

Taiwan TV Ent160 17-18% 80% local No change McGyver Mission Impossible LA Law Murphy Brown NYPD Blue

CTV 140 30% 70% local n/a Hong Kong movies ER Friends

Thailand Channel 3 * 126 18.1% n/a n/a n/a

Channel 7 100 20% None No change Animation Movies Sports Natural history News

IBC 168 92% None Increase Benny Hill Lung Ting Tsang PA (Hong Kong) Full House Year VIII When Things Get Tough (Hong Kong) Models Inc

Vietnam VTV 110 50% Children's, n/a Cartoons educational Sports and special News programming Movies Variety

* TBI Yearbook 96 figures ** Top 5 Imported Programs from July 1995 (Source: TVNZ Update August 1995)

Quotas

Australia From 1996 the quota for domestically produced programming on the three commercial networks will rise to 50% (between 6am and mid- night), and from January 1988 this will increase to 55%. The networks will also have to show 170 hours of first -run Australian drama inprime - time, at least 130 hours of first -run local children's programming, 32 hours of local children's drama (including up to eight hours of repeats), 10 hours of first -run documentaries and 130 hours of pre-school programming. The ABC operates a self-imposed quota of 50% locally -produced programming.

Hong Kong While ATV claims that it does not have to comply with any quotas, rival commercial network TVB reports that it must adhere to the following guidelines: 2 comprehensive news bulletins/day (at least 30 mins) 1 documentary/week (at least 30 mins) At least 30 mins current affairs/week (2 programs) At least 30 mins children's programs/day (1 program) At least 15 mins art & culture/week (1 program)

Television Business International December 1995 36 THE 36TH MONTF RL TELEVISION FESTIVAL President: H.S.H. Prince Albert de Monaco

Monte FEBRUARY 8-151996, Carlo The 36th Monte Carlo Television Festival Means will award the coveted Golden Nymph Prestige for the best in Television

Monte FEBRUARY12-15, 1996, (Arlo The 18th Monte Carlo Television Market Means is a unique meeting place for international Business Television executives Monte Carlo Means Television !

For more information call MONTE CARLO PARIS U.S.A. 3 TEL.(33) 93 10 40 60 TEL.(33) 1 42 96 11 26 TEL.(201) 869 4022 FAX(33) 93 50 70 14 FAX(33) 1 42 96 15 78 FAX(201) 869 4335 MIP ASIA

MARKET NEWS Market News page 38, Contact Directory page 48, Listings page 50

Space Monkeys (13 half-hours) ANIMATION/CHILDREN'Sfollows the adventures of a space -travelling chimp. New product from Turner Animation from Nicke- Allegra's Window and Gullah International includes 65 olodeon, on theMTVNet- Gullah Island and the live half-hour episodes of Jonny works stand, includes new action Pete & Pete, featuring Quest , the first major new episodes of Rocko's Modern two brothers' offbeat view on production by Hanna Barbera Life, starring a wallaby who being a kid. since its takeover by Turner is also hoping Broadcasting. Also on offer to sign up an Asian partner are 13 new half-hour for its second series of kid's episodes of Captain Planet, gameshow Global Guts. Kath- the eco-friendly super hero, leen Hricik, senior vice presi- and two series based on the dent, program enterprises, recent hit movies, Dumb And said: "We do have serious Dumber and The Mask. interest from quite a few Ninja Robots is a futuristic countries." action/adventure series from Home To Rent. Gaumont is Hallmark Entertainment Westinghouse Broadcasting also working on the second has two new animated offer- International, following the series of Highlander, The Ani- relocates to the U.S., The Ren ings at Mip Asia. Monster adventures of Joe Maya and mated Series. and Stimpy Show and Mania, a series of 26 half- his Robot Warriors. Another computer generat- Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. Also hours, reveals the secret Gaumont Multimedia has ed series at Mip Asia is on offer from the basic cable inhabitants that lie hidden three new animated series. ReBoot from Alliance Com- network :ire pre-school series in bedroom closets. while Dancers, Dragonflyz and munications Corp. The series is already a strong rat- ings performer on ABC in the U.S., and Alliance has 10 new CTW Prepares Mandarin Sesame Street half-hour episodes available. Nine new episodes of The Childrens' Television Workshop (CTW) will have three Phantom 2040, based on areas of activity at Mip Asia, according to David Jacobs, the comic book character, are regional vice president. on offer from Hearst Enter- The kid's tv specialist will be continuing with straight pro- tainment. The series is into gram sales throughout the region, trying to conclude format its second season in U.S. syn- sales for shows such as Risky Numbers and, in addition, dication, and Paramount Pic- looking for more opportunities to develop local adaptations of tures has begun production its flagship series Sesame Street. on a feature film version. CTW is currently working on a Mandarin -language adapta- Comic book superheros tion of the show with Chinese broadcaster Shanghai TV. also feature heavily in New The agreement, which took two years of discussions to come about, will see the two partners produc- World Entertainment's ing 130 30 -minute episodes at a cost of between $4 and $5 million. line up, which includes The production will begin early 1996 and will air mid -1997. It will be distributed throughout China and 65 new half-hour episodes will most likely airdailyin a late afternoon slot, with an as -yet unnamed sponsor. of Spider -Man, and 26 As with all local adaptations ofSesameStreet, the series will be based around a local curriculum one -hour episodes of which in this instance has been developed and designed by Chinese educational experts. There will also Marvel Action Hour, featuring be a local street and puppets developed by CTW in conjunction with Shanghai Television. Iron Man and the Fantastic Four.

Television Business International December 1995 38 MARKET NEWS

Monthy Python star Terry The Savage Dragon, a 13 -part From France Television series based on WarnerVi- Jones is the creator of Blaz- series starring a green - Distribution comes Nighty sion's best-selling children's ing Dragons, an epic story set skinned cop. Night, Sleep Tight, a series of U.S. home video series will in the time of King Arthur and Desclez Productions has 124 three -minute bedtime sto- be distributed by Brian Lacey the Knights of the Round two new animated series ries for the little ones. at the 4Kids Production Table. Commissioned by the aimed at pre-schoolers: Wimzie's House is Cinar's stand. UK's ITV network, the series Mirob, which introduces unique new puppet sitcom Leading Asian distributor is a co -production between viewers to everyday experi- for pre-schoolers. The series Juita Viden will be represent- Carlton TV and Nelvana. ences through the eyes of a has already attracted much ing France's Revcom Inter- Australia's unique land- curious young robot, and Lit- attention in Asia as has The national whose line up of scapes and wildlife are the tle Star, which made its debut Busy World Of Richard Scarry programs includes the 52 -part focus of two new series from on the Learning Channel in which Cinar recently sold to series Deify And His Friends. Beyond Distribution. Blinky the U.S. this fall. Japan's Fuji TV. France's Lumiere is offer- Bill is the tale of a cheeky DIC Entertainment's The adventures of Hobart ing two series: Daisy and koala and his animal friends, slate of popular children's And Cosmo, the wackiest pals Dandelion, in 26 seven - while Lizzie's Library is set in in the whole universe, are on minute eps, and The Babaloos the riverside community of offer from MTM Internation- (65x5 minutes or 13x30 min- Long Flat, Australia. al. Other children's programs utes). New from Republic from MTM include two new Pre-school series Mr Men Entertainment Internation- game shows: Masters of the and Little Miss are available al is Betty Boop Confidential, Maze, and Wild Animal from French distributor a compilation of 11 nostalgic Games. Marathon International. Its cartoon shorts. Globe-trotting adventure animated slate also features From the archives of Rus- series Mission Top Secret will Kasaii and Leuk, The Amazi- sia's premier production stu- be available from Grundy mals and Ernest the Vampire. dio, Soyuzmultfilm, comes International Distribution. Toys come to life Mikhail Baryshnikov's Stories The fantasy series features the overnight in The Story Store, a From My Childhood. The adventures of the kids of the new model animation series series of 26 fairy tales by Alpha Centurai Network. for kids from UK distributor some of the world's most Mirror Mirror, is a new CTE. Live action children's famous writers is available Australian/New Zealand co- series The Queen's Nose from Solomon Internation- production available from (below) is also on offer. al Enterprises. Alliance Communications The Australian Chil- The action -packed adven- programs includes Tex Avery Corp. The series tells the dren's Television Founda- tures of Earthworm Jim, a Theatre, Action Man, What -A -story of two 14 -year -old girls tion has new series The worm endowed with extraor- Mess, and Gadget Boy, which who discover that they can Genie From Down Under, a dinary phsyical strength, are has already been picked up travel through time. co -production with the BBC, on offer from MCA TV Inter- in New Zealand, Singapore, The Kidsongs, from West- and returning series Lift Off national. Also from MCA is Malaysia and Brunei. inghouse Broadcasting on offer. International, follows the TMS has a number of new adventures of 11 kids who animated offerings available, Licensing Is Sweet For Saban produce their own music tele- including Little Nemo, The Red vision programs. The overall Baron, Sweet Tails Of St. Tail U.S. producer/distributor Saban International is building on sales of message of the series is that and Mundial Soccer Fever. its programs to Asian broadcasters with lucrative merchandising kids become competent and deals. confident young peo- According to Michel Welter, Saban's executive vice president of ple as they solve international operations, there are ten licences now in operation in problems at work and the tying in with its teen live action series, Sweet Valley at play. High. The show is airing to large audiences on dominant terrestrial Two space -travel- broadcaster ABS-CBN. ling teenagers team "The Philippines was the first country to broadcast the show so it up with International was the first for merchandising, but we also have negotiations in Rescue in Turbo Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore," said Welter. "We have set up Charged Thunder- meetings with potential licensees who are interested in representing birds on offer from us in Asia. Asia likes U.S.-designed toys, so we are looking for as PolyGram Televi- many licensees as possible." sion International. "Two years ago we had one person in charge of merchandising at The series of 13 half- Saban, now we have 50. We started in the domestic market and in hours features all the Europe creating a network of contacts and agents, then we pro- old members of the gressed to Latin America, and now we are investing in Asia." Tracy family, and of Welter said the designs and colours will be a little bit differentin course Lady Pene- the Asian region. "The products cannot be as expensive in Asia and lope. we have to be careful of piracy," he said. Dream Big, a live - action television

Television Business International December 1995 39 MARKET NEWS

COMEDY DOCUMENTARIES

One of the top sellers in from CBS Broadcast Inter- Discovery Enterprises Thames International's cat- national, follows the disas- Worldwide has a variety of alog is Mr. Bean, the world's trous love life of a busy, sin- new and existing programs no. 1 nerd. Two new gle woman who lives and on offer at Mip Asia. Forbid- episodes starring Rowan works out of an artist's loft in den City: The Great Within Atkinson are on offer at Mip Manhattan. In addition CBS is (right), unveils the secret his- Asia. offering The Bonnie Hunt tory of imperial China, while Atkinson crops up again as Show , a new series from the Girlz W The Hood takes a dry -witted policeman Inspec- creators of The Late Show look at the female street tor Fowley in the The Thin With , and gangs of LA. Two projects are Blue Line. Seven half-hour Can't Hurry Love, a half-hour available for pre -sale: Immor- comedy from the producers tality On Ice, examining the of Dave's World. controversial world of cryon- MCA TV International is ics, and Last Of The Czars. taking sitcom Partners to Mip The battle between the Asia. The series, airing on the U.S. and Russia to put the first Fox network, offers a look at man on the moon is the sub- themselves with HIV -infected what happens to a friendship ject of Race To The Moon, a blood as a protest against the and business partnership one -hour documentary avail- oppression of Communist when one guy gets engaged. able from International rule. Super Dave features the Broadcast Network. Fox Lorber Associates' exploits of the world's most Continuing with the travel new 13 -hour series, The famous - and indestructible - theme is the Lonely Planet Directors, profiles the men stuntman -entertainer. The 52 - series, available from Aus- and women behind some of episodes of the new comedy episode series, which aired tralia's Beyond Distribution. Hollywood's biggest block- are available from Polygram on Showtime in the U.S., is Based on the acclaimed series busters. Television International. available from Unapix Inter- of books, each episode fol- Two of France's most well Caroline In The City , new national. lows the journey of an known magazine programs intrepid traveller. are on offer from France The 24 -part series, Battle- Television Distribution. field I and II, available from Broadcast since 1975, Thalas- Articulate Has Interactive Aim PolyGram Television Inter- sa is about the sea, while national, provides a defini- Faut Pas Rever (Don't Dream) Malaysian -based Articulate Television, a subsidiary of Articulate tive account of the second features people, culture and Entertainment Sdn Bhd, will be at Mip Asia distributing its world war. Using original places from around the gameshow productions and formats to the Asian countries, in addi- footage and innovative graph- world. tion to trying to develop the concept of interactive tv around the ic techniques, each program Unexplained phenomena region and searching for co -production partners. focuses on one key battle. and tales of the supernatural Group chief executive officer Wytze Kuijper claims Articulate, Conflict is also the subject are featured in The Extraordi- formed in January 1995, is already the second largest production of Rivals, a series which nary, a 70 -part series avail- house in Malaysia. It already has a number of productions running explores infamous show- able from New World Enter- on national television. downs between the likes of tainment. Customs Classified, For new commercial station Metrovision, Articulate has devel- JFK and Khrushchev, Hitler also from New World, is a 26 - opedGoldQuest,an English -language gameshow with an interactive and Churchill and Mansfield part reality series detailing the element that is stripped six days a week across the schedule. It's and Monroe. It's available never ending war against also developed a weekly music show calledMetro Chart Showand from Hearst Entertainment. drug smugglers, terrorists and a twice -weekly consumer information show calledTop Of The Canada's Sullivan Enter- other criminals. Shops.For national broadcaster RTM, Articulate has developed a tainment International Inc. Final Warning: The Lesson format of Dutch company IDTV's gameshow Lingo. In the pipeline has a number of newly Of Chernobyl takes a look for 1996 is an interschool Bahasa -language gameshow for Metrovi- acquired documentaries on back at the world's worst sion and a family -type 90 -minute entertainment show for RTM which offer including the travel nuclear accident and asks will also have interactive elements. anthology Discover Your what lessons have been learnt In addition to producing local -language formats, developing inter- World, thirty half-hours about the dangers of nuclear active television concepts around Asia is a main priority for Articu- devoted to vacation destina- proliferation. The thirty - late. The company is already developing an interactive series called tions all over the world. minute special is available Space Wars,versions of which have been sold in Indonesia, Thai- From Sweden's SVT Inter- from Teleproductions Inter- land and Malaysia. national comes Socialism Or national, Ltd (TPI). Executive Chairman Peter Schouten was the former head of Death, the poignant story of a All American Fremantle Teleworld BV, a Dutch interactive tv company. group of young people in International (AAFI) will be Castro's Cuba who injected offering a new 13 -hour docu-

Television Business International December 1995 40 In August of 1995, Nickelodeon changed the face of international sports forever. We brought together 96 kids from 9 countries for an Olympic -style world championship of their own. Introducing Global GUTS, the sports action show that slams, jams, swims, jumps, runs-and even flies. If you're a grown-up, you can't play. But you can do the next -best thing: bring Global GUTS to a kid audience near you. What are kids in your country playing.

At MIP Asia, contact 2582 8183. Or visit Booth No. M19/120. IhbMrArir

01995 Nickelodeon. a Viacom company. All rights reserved. MARKET NEWS

mentary series, Endangered season of the travel series Civilizations, looking at the Getaway. French Exhibitors Stand Together fight for survival by vanishing Radiotelevision Espano- cultures. la, flying the flag as Spain's TV France International, the umbrella group representing French pro- The New York Times: Sci- only exhibitor at Mip Asia, is ducers, distributors and broadcasters on the international market, is ence Times, is the first major bringing a slate of documen- exhibiting for the first time with 22 companies taking space on its television series to he adaptedtary series available for tv and stand. Formed by producers' association USPA, TV France International offers exhibitors cheaper stand space and the benefits of being in a shared venue where buyers can circulate from one exhbitor to anoth- er, Each company will have its own area with a common reception and bar space. Companies new to Mip Asia under its banner include animation producer Procidis, education channel la Cinquieme and drama pro- ducers Telfrance and Technisonor. According to USPA's Serge Ewenczyk, it costs exhibitors half as much as buying space in their own right. A number of French companies are nevertheless going it alone this year, including TF1 Enterprises, France TV Distribution and M6, international broadcast channels CFI and TV5, and producer/distrib- utors Lumiere, Marathon and PMMP.

Mega Channel is bringing the revived Movie Magic documentaries about the series about film stunts and from the archives and editori- video, including the 75 - Greek islands this time. special effects. al resources of The New York episode Al Filo de lo Impossi- Unapix International has New episodes of ITV's Times. The weekly magazine bile, an adventure series fea- a sizeable catalog of docu- long -running arts series, The series is available from Video turing "expeditions, descents, mentary series and specials South Bank Show, are among News International. flights, crossings, cruises and on offer at this year's Mip RM Associates slate of pro- Armchair travellers will get explorations." Asia. Ushuaia: Adventures of gramming. Also on offer are a chance to experience the Expedition, from Coral Nicolas Hulot is its reversion- Accidental Empires, Piet Mon- world's most extraordinary Pictures Corporation, leads ing into the English language drian, and Opening Shots wildlife in WildGuide, a new viewers on a 39 -part explo- of the long -running French Series III. 13 -part series from Westing- ration of the most exotic parts series, featuring the heartstop- Worldwide Television house Broadcasting Inter- of South America, from the ping adventures of M. Hulot. News has three new docu- national. river to the fauna Two new documentary mentaries on offer: the hour- MTM's representation of and flora of the subcontinent. series from Channel 4 Inter- long The Changing World, Nine Network Australia pro- In response to inquiries at national will be launched at and two 13 -part series Agen- gramming includes a new last year's market, Greece's the market: investigative biog- da 21 and Earth Works III. raphy is the theme of Secret The six -part documentary Lives, while 21st Century Jet Hitler is among the programs Chun Shih Seeks Funding For Epic Doc looks at the development of on offer from Germany's ZDF aerial passenger transport. Enterprises. Other new At Mip Asia, Taiwanese independent production company Chun Hollywood Men is a third series include Terra X, Sphinx Shih will be looking for additional funding in the form of pre -buys for series lifting the lid on and Visions Of Life. its mammoth production Legend, a 108x60 minute documentary lifestyles of the famous and Australia's MC Stuart And chronicling Chinese culture, history and lifestyles. Produced in con- not -so -famous in Tinseltown Associates has two new junction with the Chinese Academy of Arts, who have done much of made for UK broadcaster wildlife programs on offer at the research, Chun Shih has fully -funded the production of five Carlton and available from Mip Asia: Australia's Endan- episodes itself at a cost of $100,000 an episode but is hoping to CTE. gered Species and Angels Of interest international distributors and broadcasters for help with the U.S. distributor Devillier The Sea. remainder. Donegan Enterprises is In Care Of Nature and Chun Shih, which specializes in the production of educational showcasing new documentary Unearthing Ancient Civiliza- and cultural programs, has a programming library spanning some series with subjects ranging tions are the two new docu- 1000 Mandarin -language titles which have been distributed from a natural history theme mentary series being throughout Asia and also in the West through agents. However only - Tales Of The Serengeti - to launched at Mip Asia by 300 of the titles are owned by the distributor, rights to the remain- Hollywood - The Moviemak- French distributor Marathon der are held by Taiwanese broadcasters. ers. International. Formed 13 years ago Chun Shih produces extensively for Tai- GRB Entertainment has a wanese terrestrial stations and cable operators. It is currently in new series of World Of Won- production on an additional two series, a 13x60 minute children's der (above left), exploring gameshow at a cost of $22,000 an episode and a 30 minute "natural wonders, man-made drama series at a cost of $33,000 an episode. Chun Shih is keep- marvels and incredible per- ing international rights for both. sonal achivements," on show at Mip Asia. It's also showing

Television Business International December 1995 42 MARKET NEWS

DRAMA Adventures In Revolution Thai independent production and distribution company JSL will be promoting its major new drama, The Dragon'sPearl,at Mip Asia. American Gothic, the para- only to find he has lost his A Thai/Sino co -production between JSL and Chinese production normal drama currently airing memory. stars in companyBeijingTian Qin, the 20 x 45 minute, $400,000 drama is on CBS in the U.S., headlines the two-hour pilot and series based on the true story of a Thai girl and her brother who, in 1956, MCA TV International's of 20 one -hour episodes, were sent to live with the then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai. line-up at Mip Asia. In addi- available from Turner Inter- The story follows their struggle for survival during the Cultural tion MCA has two new series national. Revolution. According to Apiwat Watanangura, deputy managing produced by Sam Raimi and On offer from CBS is Cen- director, it is the first drama co -production between the Chinese gov- Robert Tapert - Hercules: The tral Park West , which follows ernment and a foreign company where the lead character is not Chi- Legendry Journeys and Xena: the lives of an elite clique of nese. Warrior Princess - as well as wealthy New Yorkers. With the script already approved by the Chinese Communist New York Undercover, a cop The first series of Due Party, the drama began shooting in China in October and will move series produced for the Fox South sold to over 60 coun- to Thailand in February. Post -production will also be done in Thai- Broadcasting Network. tries worldwide; now land. Fully financed by JSL and Bejing Tian Qin,The Dragon's Pearl Robbie Coltrane stars as Alliance Communications will be available from June 1996 and at that time will begin broad- Fitz, the criminal psycholo- Corp. is working on 13 new casting on Thai broadcaster Channel 7 in a primetime drama slot. gist, in a third series of the one -hour episodes of the In China, deals have already been concluded with some 60 award -winning detective quirky action/adventure provincial stations. Apiwat said he is also hoping to sell the show to drama Cracker. The Granada series, in collaboration with NHK in Japan and also to ethnic nets in North America. TV Production is available the BBC and RTL2. from Brite, along with Strike Nelvana will showcase Force, a 90 -minute pilot fol- thirteen new episodes of the CETVand Cristal to Guang- regional channels, dubbed lowing the lives of an elite action series Nancy Drew and dong cable in China. This into Mandarin. Detective group of F3 Tornado flyers. The Hardy Boys. Both made time round, the Miami -based Zarras and Thirst are due to Thames International their syndication debut in the distributor has four series cur- follow. has two popular cop shows U.S. this fall. Also on offer rently in production including Brazil's Globo TV has on offer at Mip Asia: NBC's from Nelvana is the family La Inviolable, an epic 130 -part Tropicaliente, in Homicide - Life On The drama, fake And The Kid. romance set in the twenties which a love affair from the Streets, voted by American Fire Series II, features three and Pura Sangre (Untamed past is rekindled, three other critics as the best police new stories revolving around Hearts), the story of a rebel- novelas, Golden Dream, Story drama on American tv, and the fire crew at South -East lious young woman at the Of Love and Shadow And The Bill, the UK's top -rating Station, available from Aus- center of a . Light, on offer at Mip Asia. police series. tralia's Beyond Distribution. Radiotelevision Espano- Argentina's Artear will be River of Hope is a grand Wind At My Back., a new la will have two novelas first airing two new telenovelas: saga of passion and romance series from Canada's Sullivan launched on the international the 120 -episode Sheik and on offer from France Televi- Entertainment Internation- market at Mip TV. Guadelupe 195 -episode Nano. sion Distribution. It was co - al, chronicles the struggles of is a cocktail of "violence, Action hours are at the produced by France 2 and a recently widowed mother retaliation, struggle for suc- forefront of U.S. distributor Gaumont. and her children during the cess... and above all love," Rigel Independent Distri- The survivor of a plane Depression. while Marielena tells the bution's offering this time crash finds he has the power Baywatch star David Has- story of a woman from a round. Two movie spin-offs, to avert disaster in the 22 -part selhoff continues his role as humble family who falls in Universal Soldier and series Strange Luck, one of Lt Mich Buchannon in Bay - love with a married man. Robocop, have a sci-fi theme the titles on offer from New watch Nights, available from Greek tv network Mega and setting, while Land's End World All American Freemantle Channel brings two new and Pacific Blue both feature Enter- International. series currently in production: law makers going about their tain- The Cape follows a group Absence and Temptation, business in exotic Pacific sur- ment. of young astronauts from the both in 20 45 -minute roundings. The beaches of South Florida to episodes. Lazarus the depths of outer space, as Mega has Man is they strive to prove they have already sold its the tale "the right stuff." The two-hour action series of a man pilot and 10 -part series are Detective who is available from MTM Interna- Zarras and the freed tional. long -running from the Telenovelas are the high- Thirst to grave in light of Coral Pictures Cor- Indonesia's which he poration's offering at Mip SCTV, while was Asia. It has already sold two Velvet Moon is buried novelas into Chinese -speak- set to launch alive, ing territories - Kassandra to on Chinese

Television Business International December 1995 43 MARKET NEWS

Bizzare tabloid stories are brought to the small screen in ENTERTAINMENT/GAMESHOWS Weekly World News from New World Entertainment. Action -packed sports and All American Fremantle late in China, Champtaloup in the pipeline. dazzling magic acts are fea- International (AAFI) is now said it is not inconceivable Kathleen Turner, LL Cool J tured in Fox Lorber's pro- expanding into other markets. that the outfit could end up and Anna Nicole Smith are gramming line up. High At Mip Asia it will be offering creating original formats, "a among the guests for a series Adventure, produced for the a number of its proven game whole new strand of Chinese of one-on-one conversations in the U.S., show formats, including The entertainment." with actress and model Lau- highlights some of today's Pyramid Game, Let's Make A King World Internation- ren Hutten. On offer from most dangerous sports, while Deal, and Supermarket Sweep. al is launching its new poker - Turner International, Lau- The Great Magic of Las Vegas In China, AAFI is looking based gameshow format, ren Hutten and... will also features top international to set up a joint venture pro- Poker Palace, at Mip Asia. feature guests from such magicians in a series of six duction company with Ende- The format will be available diverse fields as politics, one -hour shows. mol, which David Champ- in English and also as a Chi- sports, fashion and publish- More magical feats are on taloup, head of international nese version, based on Pai ing. offer in three specials avail- television, said would center Gow Poker, a Chinese ver- Top Models delves into the able from Hearst Entertain- around a key local individual. sion of the card game. King lives of five of the world's ment: Lance Burton Master "Putting together the business World hasn't yet done any most famous supermodels: plan was not difficult," he format adaptations in China. Claudia Schiffer, Naomi said, "the single hardest thing "We are waiting for the right Campbell, Carla Bruni, Karen is finding that key person." offer," said Fred Cohen, presi- Mulder and Elle McPherson. The company will be see- dent, King World Internation- The 5x52 minutes series is ing people during Mip Asia al. "China is not an easy mar- available from France Televi- and hopes to have the joint ket and we will be proceed- sion Distribution. venture up and running by ing carefully." Elsewhere in Fashion and beauty are mid 1996. While confident Asia, King World also has a also the focus of Looking - that most of AAFI's gameshow for Indian network Good, on offer from MTM gameshow formats will trans- Sony Entertainment TelevisionInternational. The series of 22 one -hour shows offers practical advice on how to HK Distrib Looks For More Bonds look your best and includes internationally known models Hong Kong -based United Distribution, a subsidiary of the diversified as well as makeovers of ordi- media and entertainment company United Media And Entertainment nary people. Corporation (UMEC) will be distributing several new shows at this El Entertainment Televi- year's Mip Asia. sion has a number of pack- Magician: The Legend Begins, In 1994, United Film & Video Ltd., the group's Hong Kong -based ages available focusing on The Second Annual World's production arm formed a joint venture with Chinese city station today's top celebrities from Greatest Magic, and Houdini's Guangzhou TV called GZTV United Productions Ltd, to produce and the world of movies, televi- Greatest Tricks: The Death distribute shows throughout China. A trailer for one of the first fruits sion and music. Regular series Defying Spectacle. of this collaboration -a 30x60 minute historical drama called Bonds such as E7 News Week In A selection of the world's of Blood - will be available for viewing. According to distribution man Review, In Focus and Behind fittest and most beautiful ager Roberta Wong, the production will be shot in China and Cana- The Scenes are all on offer, women athletes are featured da. "We have some scripts approved and will start shooting next providing the latest celebrity in two offerings from year," she said. interviews, on set footage and Solomon International United, said Wong, has just started getting into the production of Hollywood gossip. A Man- Enterprises: Ms. Fitness dramas, "Because in China that is the only genre for which you can darin -language version of World 1995 and Ms. Fitness get primetime slots." Behind The Scenes is currently USA 1995. Two other dramas the company is currently working on are an in production in China; 50% Balls On The Run is a new action police story called Police Headquarters budgeted at $65,000 of E!'s international sales at interactive gameshow from (U.S.), and a romantic drama budgeted at $39,000 to $52,000, present stem from the Asian SPI International. Viewers called Passage To America. region. phone in to predict the out- In 1995, United syndicated 100 hours of variety and music and Day and Date, available come of six live races has been distributing the Family Channel's programming in China on from Westinghouse Broad- between balls moving around a barter basis. Wong said she is looking for more western catalogs casting International, is a a track. at Mip Asia. "We would also like to diversify into distributing other daily one -hour series featur- The musical hits Les Miser- genres such as sports and science programs," she said. ing topical stories from ables 10th Anniversary Gala, "American companies are holding back because they always around the world. The series and Five Guys Named Moe are think the prices being paid are too low. So we are trying to set up a made its debut in the U.S. this both on offer from VCI Pro- deal to work as an agent where we look at the library, say which September and is a co -ven- gram Sales. Also from VCI shows would most likely sell, and then split the revenues." ture between CBS and Group are 30 episodes of the come- W Productions. dy series Saturday Night Live.

Television Business International December 1995 44 SPECIALIST OF QUALITY FICTION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET, PRESENTS ITS TELFANCE NEW "PRIME - TIME" RELEASES.. .

"ESTHER AND SARAH" 2 X 110' or 4 X 50' (1994), shot on outside location in Turkey With Ludmila MIKAEL, Sam KARMANN... In the 50ties, the moving story of a young girl and her mother, torn between their native Turkey and France, their country of adoption...

`LES GENS DE MOGADOR" (THE PEOPLE OF MOGADOR) 6X 100' or 12 x 50' With Marie -Jose NAT, Brigitte FOSSEY, Marie -France PISIER, Jean-Claude DROUOT After 20 years of silence, one of the French drama masterpieces is back again in a new "Prime Time" format : this glamorous fresco tells a family saga around 3 women's generations (1852-1925)...

"'LE PARFUM DE JEANNETTE" (FRAGANCE OF THE PAST) TV - movie of 90' (1995) With Pierre ARDITI, Francoise DORNER, Laure DUTHILLEUL, Yann TREGOUET Coming to buy the precious fiddle which he sold long ago, Charles is abruptly confronted with his past, as the sellers are his former girlfriend and his unknown 18 year -old son...

"LA MUSIQUE DE L'AMOUR" (1994) (THE MUSIC OF LOVE), 3 X 90', 35 mm film CLAUDE DEBUSSY'S PASSIONS, ROBERT AND CLARA SCHUMANN, LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN. With Thomas LANGMANN, Pascale ROCARD, Bulle OGIER, Francois MARTHOURET... Shot on outside location in Russia. The relations of musicians of genious with the women they passionately loved...

"LES CORDIER, JUGE ET FLIC" (CORDIERS, JUDGE AND COP) Crime -Collection of 17 x 90' (1994/1995) With Pierre MONDY, Antonella LUALDI, Bruno MADINIER, Charlotte VALANDREY... A 50 year -old cop has sometimes to cooperate with his son, a newly appointed judge, and also his daughter, a brilliant reporter, in thrilling criminal cases...

SEE US AT MIP ASIA on Booth TVF1 (French Companies) B6-05 TEL FRANCE, Commercial Department Head of Sales Dominique FOUCAULT 79 ay. Raymond-Poincare, F-75116 PARIS Rep for Japan and Korea: Renaud LOMBART Tel: 33 1 47 27 47 70 - Fax: 33 1 47 55 65 21 Rep for China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore: YAO Guo Qiang MARKET NEWS

MINISERIES MUSIC

Ted () Danson stars in The four-hour mini-series, At Mip Asia, Country Music and Meatloaf, and Bon Jovi Gulliver's Travels, a four-hour based on a Sydney Sheldon Television (CMT) will be Live, which features the group novel, stars Brooke concentrating on building its in concert at Wembley Stadi- Shields, Vanessa channel distribution through- um in June 1995. The music Williams (Melrose out the region, as opposed to of the middle ages is captured Place) and Gail program syndication, accord- in Plainsong, a concert series O'Grady (NYPD ing to Tom Hawley, vice of four half-hours available Blue). president of international dis- from Solomon Internation- Shannon Doherty, tribution and special markets. al Enterprises. of Beverly Hills Recent deals have been On offer from SVT Inter- 90210 fame, stars in signed by the Group W/Gay- national is the 52 -minute Gone In The Night, a lord-backed channel in New documentary Really Roxette, a four-hour mini-series Zealand, Thailand and celebration of the Swedish from AO. The story Malaysia. group's 10th birthday. miniseries based on Jonathan focuses on a young couple CMT also has distribution Country and western star Swift's tale and available from wrongly accused of murder- in Taiwan but, said Hawley, Willie Nelson is the host of Hallmark Entertainment. ing their seven -year -old is taking that market slowly. Tootsies Orchid Lounge - Catherine The Great is a daughter. The music network is also Where The Music Began. The four-hour miniseries starring On offer from PolyGram anxous to get carriage in Sin- one -hour show made for U.S. Catherine Zeta Jones availableTelevision International is gapore and especially the network television is available from Solomon Internation- the six hour mini-series A Philippines. from Grundy International. al Enterprises. Directed by Woman Of Independent The Brit Awards 1996, a Guangzhou TV United four -time Emmy-award win- Means. Sally Field stars in the 90 -minute British music Productions Ltd will be ner Marvin J. Chomsky the role of the well-heeled Bess industry concert special, is showing Pop Hits, a music series also stars Jeanne More- Steed Garner. available from PolyGram show featuring Chinese and au and Omar Sharif. The Invaders, a two-part Television International. international hits which is air- The lives of three young mini-series from Republic Last year's event featured live ing on Guangzhou TV and women doctors in a big city Entertainment Internation- performances by Madonna, Shanghai TV's cable music hospital are featured in Noth- al, continues the story of the Elton John, Take That and channel. ing Lasts Forever, from CBS cult tv series that first aired in Sting. Wexler Enterprises Inc. Broadcast International. the U.S. in 1967. Other offerings from Poly - has a number of musical Gram include the 90 -minute offerings at Mip Asia, includ- special Pavarotti And Friends ing 100 half-hours of Rock Together For The Children Of Around The Clock, and three Bosnia (below) which sees new Power Play series: Cool SPORT the great tenor joined by the Vibes, The Acid House Mix likes of Bono, Duran Duran and Top 100. ISL Television, which repre- Turner International. Also sents 22 of the 33 largest tele- from Turner comes coverage vised sports events in the of 1994's Goodwill Games, world, is selling tv rights for held in St. Petersburg, Russia. upcoming events including Torvill And Dean - Their the 1998 Asian Games from Farewell Tour features the Bangkok, the 1997 and 1999 duo in a final exhibition of IAAF world athletics champi- ice dancing. The 58 -minute onships, and its own -pro- special is on offer from Poly - duced series including maga- Gram Television Interna- zine Asian Sports Extra. tional. Munich -based ISPR has Some of the world's top rights for three major events: athletes compete Compaq Grand Slam Tennis, against eachother in two new European Cup soccer and the series at Mip Asia. From German Soccer League. Solomon International Hulk Hogan, Ravishing Enterprises comes Ultimate Rick Rude and Big Van Vader Fighting Championships, a are among the top names series of eight programs, in World Championsip while 4 Kids Productions is , on offer from offering WMAC Masters.

Television Business International December 1995 46 MARKET NEWS

Cheryl Ladd, in which TV MOVIES a young girl's visions hold the key to a mur- der mystery. Turner International's tv Roseanne Arnold is revealed The magnificent jun- movie line-up boasts a num- in the tv movie Roseanne, on gles of India are the ber of big Hollywood names. offer from Polygram Televi- setting for Jungle Boy, In Avenging Angel, Tom sion International. Poly - a new movie from Berenger plays an infamous Gram's slate of movies also Moonstone Enter- gunfighter, while Tom Selleck includes Roswell, based on tainment. Production is a morally upright judge in the true story of a mysterious is due to start in Ban- Broken Trust, and Jamie Lee object found in the New galore in January 1996. Curtis stars as a fiesty feminist Mexico desert, believed by Other action -packed in The Heidi Chronicles. John some to be a UFO. titles on offer from Goodman portrays the con- Dead Man's Island stars Moonstone include, troversial Governor of William Shatner, Barbara Farrah Fawcett stars as a Night Hunter, Midnight Heat, Louisiana in Kingfish: A Story Eden and Morgan Fairchild in strong willed woman of part - Mask Of Death, and Bounty Of Huey P. Long (below). a two-hour mystery drama setSioux heritage in the sweep- Hunters. on a Pacific ing love story Dalva. Pro- The Anette Funicello Story Island, available duced for ABC, the two hour from Rigel Independent from CBS Broad- MOW is available from Hall- Distribution recounts the cast Internation- mark Entertainment. life of the actress from child- al. A controversial talk show hood stardom to the teenage Canada's host becomes involved in the movie Beach Party on the Alliance Com- murder of a beautiful women Mickey Mouse Club to a pre- munications in Power 98, available from sent-day battle with multiple Corp. has two Curb Entertainment Inter- sclerosis. action adventure national. Also on offer is Atlantis Releasing Pty, features on offer Under The Domim Tree, a the Australian office of the at Mip Asia. In film from Israel about the Canadian distrib, will have Gridlock, David Nazi concentration camps. three new made-for-tv Hasselhoff takes Hearst Entertainment's movies on offer: Nothing but to the air as a line-up of tv movies is head- The Truth, Paris or Some- Also boasting an all-star police helicopter patrolman, ed by The Lady, starring where and Heck's Way Home. cast is ACI's The West Side battling to prevent a daring Waltz, which brings together bank robbery in New York. three of Hollywood's leading Charles Bronson stars in The Southern Star Pre -Sells Raft Of Co -Pros ladies, Shirley MacLaine, Liza Brewery as a police inspec- Minneli and Kathy Bates, in a tor whose daughter is One show that will be available for pre -sales from Australian produc- moving story of how life accused of murdering a noto- er -distributor Southern Star at Mip Asia isMagicMountain,aco -pro- turns around for an ailing rious crime figure. duction between production arm Southern Star Pacific, and China widow when she meets a Men And Women is a Central Television (CCTV)'s children's department. spirited young woman. new comedy on offer from The production, a 26x10 minute pre-school puppet series, will From Brite comes The France Television Distribu- start shooting in June 1996, for completion in December 1996. One That Got Away , the true tion. The 90 -minute tv movie According to Ron Saunders, head of Southern Star Pacific, the story of a British special focuses on a young couple series will be shot in China, using a Chinese crew, while the script forces patrol dropped behind who are too happy together, and post production will be done in Australia. enemy lines in Iraq at the that is until the day the wife Investment -wise, the cost is being split 50-50 between the two height of the Gulf War. decides to trap her husband. parties, with CCTV taking theChinese -languagerights and the rest In New World Entertain- Butterbox Babies (above still up for discussion. The production budget is $50,000 per ment's A Child Is Missing, right), the most successful episode. the disappearance of an eight MOW in Canadian history, is Aside from the financing, Saunders said CCTV is very much year old boy leaves his moth- now available from Sullivan involved in the creative process as well. "The show is designed for er at the mercy of a devious Entertainment Internation- the international pre-school market, there is never enough top end kidnapper. Other features on al, whose slate of features material for that age group," he said. offer from New World also includes Under The Also available for pre -sales is The Land of The Dragon, a chil- include Hawkeye, the tale of Piano, a tv movie made for dren's fantasy series. The series goes into production in 1996, in a legendary woodsman and a CBS. association with Shanghai Film Studios. Virginia gentlewoman facing Cagney and Lacey team Southern Star has done a number of other co -productions with the hardships of frontier life up once more for two new South East Asian partners, including a drama series with NHK called and Deceived By Trust, a con- television movies, The View Escape From Jupiter, the second series of which starts shooting in troversial story of adult/teen Through The Looking Glass January. Saunders said another project is currently being written with sex. and True Convictions, from PPFN, an Indonesian production company. The private life of MTM International.

Television Business International December 1995 47 TBI's 1995 MIP ASIA Program Guide and Contact Directory

BEYOND DISTRIBUTION 53-55 Brisbane Street Surrey Hills HALLMARK ENTERTAINMENT 2010 NSW Australia A Tel: (02) 281 1266 Fax: (02) 281 1153 111 A C ENTERTAINMENT CONTACTS: TELEVISION Marena Manzoufas Torquil Macneal Munia Kanna

CHANNELillPINTERNATIONAL Elm Gulliver's Travels

HALLMARK ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL 4 INTERNATIONAL 1325 Avenue of the Americas 124 Horseferry Road 21st Floor London SW1P 2TX UK New York NY 10019 USA Tel: 0171 396 4444 Tel: 212 977 9001 Fax: 0171 306 8363 Fax: 212 977 7407 CONTACTS: CONTACTS: Jane Sounes K.C.Schulberg, VP Marketing MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: MIPASIA HOTEL HOTLINE: Stand No: H.29 Bonnie Low - Grand Hyatt CONTACTS: Tel: 852 2 588 1234 Gone in the Night Frances Berwick Stephen Mowbray The Gossip Show ISL TELEVISION ACI MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: 6100 Wilshire Boulevard COLUMBIA TRISTAR E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION Stand No:F.42 Los Angeles INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION 5670 Wilshire Boulevard Tel: 852 2 582 8290 CA 90048 USA 35/F Central Plaza Los Angeles CONTACTS: Tel: 213 932 6100 18 Harbour Road CA 90036 USA Kate Keville Fax: 213 932 6960 Hong Kong Tel: 213 954 2727 Andy Thornley Tel: 852 2 593 1118 Fax: 213 954 2657 ACI INTERNATIONAL Fax: 852 2 593 1222 CONTACTS: Lee House CONTACTS: Dorothy Crompton 109 Hammersmith Road William Pfeiffer MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: ispr London Stand No: J.14/K.13 W14 0QH UK Tel: 852 2 582 8138 Tel: 44 171 602 3070 CONTACTS: Fax: 44 171 371 3671 Jon Helmrich COMPAQ CONTACTS: Cathie Trotta GRAND SLAM CUP Brian Harris Karen Kaufman Adrian Howells Maria Scarvaci Compaq Grand Slam Cup MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: Stand No: K.34 ISPR Tel: 852 2 582 8258 Lachnerstr. 33A CONTACTS: D-80639 Munchen Brian Harris Tel: 4989130741 0 Adrian Howells Fax: 4989130741 11 Maria Scarvaci Contacts: David Schiller MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: Stand No: G.2/H.1 Tel: 852 2 582 8057

Television Business International December 1995 48 MARKET INTELLIGENCE

CONTACTS: POLYGRAM TV INTERNATIONAL David Schiller 10 Livonia Street TPI MIPASIA HOTEL HOTLINE: London LEPRODLICTIONS INTERNATIONAL LTD. David Schiller - Grand Hyatt W1V 3PH Tel: 852 588 1234 Tel: 0171 800 1339 Fax: 0171 800 1337 LUMIERE Contacts: 1, rue Danton David Ellender 75006 Paris France Tel: 33 1 44 41 98 00 Fax: 33 1 44 41 98 61 CONTACTS: Ms. Christine Ghazarian Chernobyl Ms. Martine Desroches MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: TELEPRODUCTIONS Stand No: B.19 INTERNATIONAL LTD. (TPI) Tel: 852 2 582 8156 4520 Daly Drive CONTACTS: Chantilly Christine Ghazarian Global Guts VA 22021 Martine Desroches USA NICKELODEON Tel: (1) 703 222 2408 MARATHON INTERNATIONAL 1515 Broadway Fax: (1) 703 222 3964 27, rue de la Faisanderie New York NY 10036 CONTACTS: 75116 Paris USA Larry Higgs France Tel: 212 258 7500 Ron Alexander Tel: 33 1 44 34 66 00 Fax: 212 258 7938 MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: Fax: 33 1 44 34 66 05 Contacts: Stand No: N.3 CONTACTS: Kathleen Hricik Tel: 852 2 582 8032 0. Bremond MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: CONTACTS: T. Anspach Stand No: M.19 Larry Higgs M. Levy CONTACTS: Ron Alexander Kathleen Hricik Debbie Back B comme Bolo WEXLER ENTERPRISES INC. 122 South Michigan Avenue SFP PRODUCTIONS Suite 1210 44-50 avenue du Capitaine Chicago Glarner Illinois 60603 MCATV 93585 Saint-Ouen Cedex USA INTERNATIONAL Tel: 33 1 4 948 6701 Tel: 312 408 0870 Fax: 33 1 4 948 6706 Fax: 312 408 0872 MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: CONTACTS: Stand No: B.8 Robert Wexler CONTACTS: MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: NBC Annabel Bighetti Stand No: N.11 Tel: 852 2 582 8110 NBC INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS: 30 Rockefeller Plaza Robert Wexler New York NY 10112 Peter Wilson USA Tel: 212 664 3546 WORLDWIDE TELEVISION NEWS Fax: 212 333 7546 (WIN) Partners PLAYBOY ENTERTAINMENT The Interchange GROUP Oval Road MCA TV INTERNATIONAL 9242 Beverly Blvd. Camden Lock 100 Universal City Plaza Beverly Hills London Universal City CA 90210 NW1 7EP CA 91608 USA Tel: (44) 171 410 5200 USA Tel: 310 246 4000 Fax: (44) 171 413 8302 Tel: 818 777 4275 Fax: 310 246 4050 CONTACTS: Fax: 818 733 1554 CONTACTS: Tim Sparke MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: Mary Herne Melanie NG Stand No: G.9/H.10 Scott Gregg Tel: 852 2 582 8135 MIPASIA CONTACT DETAILS: CONTACTS: Stand No:J.10 Colin P Davis Tel: 852 2 582 8100 Peter G Hughes CONTACTS: Pal Cleary Mary Herne Janne _Schwertz Scott Gregg Allyson Hall

Television Business International December 1995 49 MARKET INTELLIGENCE

THE BUYERS' GUIDE TO PROGRAMS AT MIP ASIA

PRODUCT TITLE EPISODES RIGHTS DISTRIBUTOR NEW OR STAND NO. TV Theatrical Video RETURNING

ACTION/ADVENTURE

American Gothic 22 x 60 mins MCA N International New G9/H10

Baskins Run 95 mins Arrow Films International New H4.20

Bounty Hunters 1x90 mins Moonstone Entertainment Return N4

Gridlock 2 x60 mins Alliance Communications Corp.New

Hollywood's Greatest Stunts 3x1 hour GRB Entertainment New

Mask of Death 1x90 mins . Moonstone Entertainment Return N4

. Midnight Heat (A.K.A) 1x90 mins Moonstone Entertainment Return N4

Night Hunter 1x90 mins Moonstone Entertainment Return N4

The Lazarus Man 1x2 hrs/20x1 hr Turner International New

Xena: Warrior Princess 22x60 mins MCA N International New G9/H10 ANIMATION

Aaahh! Real Monsters 39x24 mins Nickelodeon Return M19

Action Man 26x30 mins DIC ENT. L.P New L10/M9

Aeon Flux 10x30 mins MN Return L20,M19,L22,M21

Alfie Atkins 16x10 mins SVT New A17

Betty Boop Confidential 90 mins Republic Entertainment New

BlinkyBill Series I & II 52x30 mins Beyond Distribution New D2

Classic Cartoons 30 hrs SPI International Return

CRO 21x30 mins CTW International N Group New K26/L25

Daisy and Dandelion 26x7 mins Lumiere New B19

Deify and his Friends 52x26 mins Revcom International New

Dragonflyz 26x26 mins Gaumont New TVF1

Earthworm Jim 13x30 mins MCA N International New G9/H10

Ernest the Vampire 117x30 mins Marathon International New L2

Flash Gordon 26x30 mins Hearst Entertainment New L.29

Highlander 40x26 mins Gaumont/Rysher Return TVF1

Home to Rent 52x13 mins Gaumont New TVF1

Jonny Quest 65x30 mins Turner International New

Kasii and Leuk 26x26 mins Marathon International New L2

Little Nemo 85 mins TMS New M37

Little Rascals - Colorized 71 episodes KW International New B20/C19

Little Rascals Christmas Special 30 mins KW International New B20/C19

Lizzie's Library 26x5 mins Beyond Distribution New D2

Madeline 33x30 mins DIC ENT. L.P New L10/M9

Magic Knight Rayearth 49x30 mins TMS New M37

Max the Cat 26x5 mins Mediamax International New B34

Mole and his Friends 6x28 mins TransTel GmbH New K41

Monster Mania 26x30 mins Hallmark Entertainment New

Mr Men and Little Miss 104x5 mins Marathon International New L2

MTV Oddities "The Head" 13x30 mins MN Return L20,M19,L22,M21

MN Oddities "The Maxx" 7x30 mins MN Return L20,M19,L22,M21

Mundial-Soccer Fever 52x30 mins TMS New M37

Ninja Robots 43x30 mins WBI New C20 -D19

Oliver Twist 26x30 mins Saban International New H10/J9

Phantom 2040 33x30 mins Hearst Entertainment New L.29

Prince of Atlantis 26x30 mins WBI New C20 -D19

Rocko's Modern Life 52x24 mins Nickelodeon Return M19

Savage Dragon 13x30 mins MCA N International

Sky Dangers 26x26 mins Gaumont New TVF1

Space Monkeys 13x30 mins Hallmark Entertainment New Street Sharks 13x30 mins DIC ENT. L.P New L10/M9

Sweet Tales of St. Tail 48x30 mins TMS New M37

Sylvan 65x26 mins INI Return Tex Avery Theater 195x7 mins DIC ENT. L.P New L10/M9 The Adventures of Dodo 65x5 mins WTN New H31

The Amazimals 26x5 mins/ Marathon International New L2 52x30 mins

The Babaloos 65x5 mins/ Lumiere New B19 13x30 mins

Television Business International December 1995 50 MARKET INTELLIGENCE

PRODUCT TITLE EPISODES RIGHTS DISTRIBUTOR NEW OR STAND NO. TV Theatrical Video RETURNING

The Fruitties 52x26 mins D'Ocon Films Return

The Little Witches 26x26 mins TFI Enterprises New

The Red Baron 49x30 mins TMS New M37

The Ren and Stimpy Show 52x24 mins Nickelodeon Return M19

The Story Store 13x10 mins CTE New H31/G34

The Street Cleaners 26x26 mins D'Ocon Films Return

The Wood Keeper 26x26 mins D'Ocon Films New

Turtle Island 26x22 mins HD-Desclez Productions Inc. New 11.28

What -a -Mess 26x30 mins DIC ENT. L.P New L10/M9

CHILDREN'S/YOUTH/FAMILY

Are You Afraid of the Dark? 65x30 mins CINAR Return C23

Arthur 30x30 mins CINAR New C23

Born Winners 26x13 mins Marathon International New L2

Earth Works III 13x30 mins WTN New H31

EC Plays Lift Off 13x24 mins ACTF Return H32

Gladiators 2000 39x30 mins Samuel Goldwyn Return L33

Gumby the Movie 88 mins Arrow Films International New H4.20

Hot Dog Channel 60x30 mins Globo TV Network Brazil Return F20,F22 & G19

Jake and the Kid 13x45 mins Nelvana Entertainment New H24

Jungle Boy 1x90 mins Moonstone Entertainment Return N4

Lassie 13x30 mins SIE New

Lift Off 78x24 mins ACTF Return H32

Lili From Begonia 6x26 mins Mediamax International New B34

Little Bear 13x23 mins Nelvana Entertainment New H24

Little Star 156x15 mins HD-Desclez Productions Inc. New 11.28

Mirob 156x5 mins HD-Desclez Productions Inc. New 11.28

Molly 13x25 mins Marathon International New L2

Nancy Drew 26x24 mins Nelvana Entertainment New H24

Noah's Kids 73x7 mins Marathon International New L2

Open Sesame H 52x30 mins CTW International TV Group New K26/L25

Pals 10x25 mins M.C.Stuart New K29

Salty 26x30 mins SIE New

Sesame Street 130x60 mins CTW International TV Group New K26/L25

Shelley T. Turtle Show 26x30 mins 4Kids Productions New 05.40

The Busy World of Richard Scarry 52x30 mins CINAR Return C23

The Happy Professor 156x15 mins HD-Desclez Productions Inc New 11.28

The Hardy Boys 13x23 mins Nelvana Entertainment New H24

The Intrepids 52x26 mins Marathon International New L2

The Little Lulu Show 26x30 mins CINAR New C23

The Queen's Nose 6x30 mins CTE New H31/G34

Wanted: Grandfather 1x55 mins SVT New A17

Wimzie's House 56x30 mins CINAR New C23

WMAC Masters 26x30 mins 4Kids Productions New 05.40 COMEDY

Dreamers 90 mins International Creative Exchange New 14.15

Happy Ever After.. Once Apart 104 mins/ France Television Distribution New H2 -J3 2x52 mins

Live Nude Girls 94 mins Republic Entertainment New

Partners 13x30 mins MCA TV International New G9/H10

Round the Twist 26x24 mins ACTF Return H32

Saturday Night Live 30x90 mins VCI Programme Sales New M14

The Genie from Down Under 13 x24 mins BBC UK New H32

The Thin Blue Line 7x30 mins PolyGram TV New E14/F11 CURRENT AFFAIRS El News Week in Review 52x60 mins/30 mins E! Entertainment Television Return J14/K13 DOCUMENTARIES

21st Century Jet 5x52 mins Channel 4 International New H29 100 Years of the Olympics 1x2 hrs Turner International New

1995/6 South Bank Show Season 18x52 mins RM Associates New N15

Accidental Empires 3x50 mins RM Associates New N15 Adventures of the Old West 6 hrs IBN Return

Agenda 21 13x30 mins WTN New H31

Television Business International December 1995

51 PRODUCT TITLE EPISODES RIGHTS DISTRIBUTOR NEW OR STAND NO. TV Theatrical Video RETURNING

Alaska: Kenai Fjords 1x30 mins Teleproductions International New N3 El Filo de Lo lmposibile 75x60 mins RTVE Return K2 BattlefieldI & II 24x60 mins PolyGram TV Return E14/F11 Charles Schulz Biography 1x60 mins All American Fremantle Intl New M38, N37

De Polo a Polo 14x30 mins RTVE Return K2

Discovering/Great Minds of Science 6x30 mins IBN New

Divine Magic 10x60 mins Devillier Donegan New A1/134

Elizabeth Taylor 1x60 mins Devillier Donegan New A1/134

Faut pas Rever 52x13 mins France Television Distribution New H2 -J3

Final Warning: Lesson of Chernobyl 1x30 mins Teleproductions International New N3

Flightline 13x30 mins WTN New H31

First Day 55 mins ACTF New H32

Great Cities of the Orient 2 x 58 mins Discovery International New 434

Great Splendors of the World 3 hrs IBN New

Hidden Worlds 10x30 mins Devillier Donegan New A1/134

Hitler 6x52 mins ZDF Enterprises New E5, level 5

In Care of Nature 26x26 mins Marathon International New L2

In My Craft Room 26 x 26 mins Discovery International New 434

Islands 14x30 mins IBN New

Leaving Home: 20th Century Music 7x60 mins RM Associates New N15

Liberation 1945 90 mins Samuel Goldwyn Return L33

Life on the Digital Edge 26 x 30 mins Fox Lorber Associates New 17.29/19.17

Medical Report 7 x 28 mins TransTel GmbH New K41

Movie Magic 43x30 mins GBR Entertainment New

Network First: Eilish, Life Without Katie52 mins Brite New F14 -G13

Opening Shot Series III 12x26 mins RM Associates New N15

Other People 46x60 mins RTVE Return K2

Piet Mondrian 50 mins RM Associates New N15

Race to the Moon 1x1 hr IBN New

Ramses II: Glorious Pharoah 1x30 mins Teleproductions International New N3

Relaxacise with Barbara Martin 26 x 26 mins Discovery International New 434

Rivals 18x1 hr Hearst Entertainment New L.29

Route of the Explorers 13x30 mins Chrysalis Distribution New

Secret Lives 6x52 mins Channel 4 International New H29

Serie Galant 24 x 8 mins Discovery International New 434

Sentiments/Feelings 25 x 90 mins Revcom International Return

Socialism or Death 1x78 mins SVT New A17

Solid Chocolate 1 x 90 mins Discovery International New 434

Space Tech 13x30 mins Fox Lorber Associates New 17.29/19.17

Sphinx 11x45 or 52 mins ZDF Enterprises New E5, level 5

Tales of the Serengeti 4x60 mins Devillier Donegan New A1/134

Terra X 40x43 mins ZDF Enterprises New E5, level 5

Thalassa 26x26 mins France Television Distribution New H2 -J3

The Changing World 1x60 mins WTN New H31

The Directors 13x60 mins Fox Lorber Associates New 17.29/19.17

The Moviemakers 5x60 mins Devillier Donegan New A1/134

The Saga of Life 3x60 mins SVT New A17

The 7th Sense 26 x 3 mins TransTel GmbH New K41

Unearthing Ancient Civilizations 4x52 mins Marathon International New L2

Wild Guide 13 x 30 mins WBI New C20 -D19 DOCU-DRAMA Road Rules 13x30 mins MTV Return L20,M19,L22,M21 DRAMA An Element of Truth Feature Saban International New H10/J9 Arther Rimbaud 22x90 mins SFP Productions B8 Avenging Angel 2 hrs Turner International New B Comme Bolo 1x90 mins SFP Productions B8 Baywatch Nights 22x60 mins All American Fremantle Intl New M38, N37 Charlotte Dite Charlie 1x90 mins SFP Productions B8 City Hall 2 hrs Turner International New Courthouse 13x1 hr Columbia Pictures TV New Crocodile Shows 7x1 hour Chrysalis Distribution Return Dalva 2 hrs movie Hallmark Entertainment New Dark Secrets Feature Saban International New H10/J9

Dream Big 26 x 30 mins 4Kids Productions New

Television Business International December 1995 52 IINKI=ENEEBROMID1111

PRODUCT TIRE EPISODES RIGHTS DISTRIBUTOR NEW OR STAND NO. TV Theatrical Video RETURNING

Fire Series I & II 26x1 hr Beyond Distribution New D2

Flipper 22x1 hr Samuel Goldwyn Return L33

Forbidden Memories 1x2 hrs MTM International New N31, level 5

Ghostwriter 74x30 mins CTW International TV Group New K26/L25

Gulliver's Travels 4x1 hr miniseries Hallmark Entertainment New

Harlequin Alliance Romance Collection2 x 60 mins Alliance Communications Corp.New

Heavy Weather 1x90 mins Chrysalis Distribution New

Hollyoaks 26x25 mins Channel 4 International New H29

Invisible Man 26x30 mins International Creative ExchangeNew 14.15

L'Affa Bulatrice 1x90 mins SFP Productions 68

L'Amour Tague 1x90 mins SFP Productions B8

Liberty Street 26x30 mins Atlantis Releasing Pty Ltd New B2

Masked Rider 26 x 30 mins Saban International New H10/J9

Omerta, The Code of Silence 11x52 mins Mediamax International New 1334

Place of the Dead 102 mins Brite New F14 -G13 Raising Caines 6x30 mins TriStar TV New

River of Hope 9x90 mins/ France Television Distribution New H2 -J3 18x95 mins

Road to Avonlea - The Final Season 13x1 hr Sullivan Entertainment Intl New E28

Scoop 52x52 mins Mediamax International Return B34

Sheltering Desert 2 hrs SIE New

Simisola 3x1 hr CTE New H31/G34

Some Kind of Life 102 mins Brite New F14 -G13

Strike Force 90 mins Brite New F14 -G13

The Adventures of Pete and Pete 39 x 26 mins Nickelodeon Return M19

The Cape 20x1 hr + 1x2 hr MTM International New N31, level 5

The Colony 1x90 mins All American Fremantle Intl New M38, N37

The One That Got Away 102 mins Brite New F14 -G13

Traders 13x60 mins Atlantis Releasing Pty Ltd New B2

Wind at My Back 13x1 hr Sullivan Entertainment Intl New E28 EROTIC Playboy's Really Naked Truth 4x1 hr Playboy Entertainment New J-10, level 5 Women 13x30 mins Playboy Entertainment New J-10, level 5

Women of Color 4x1 hr Playboy Entertainment New J-10, level 5 FEATURE FILMS

Coldblooded TV Movie PolyGram TV Return E14/F11

Dead Man's Walk 6x1 hr miniseries Hallmark Entertainment New

Dis Moi Oui 1x105 mins Lumiere New B19

Fight for Justice 1x120 mins NBC International New F2/G1

Her Hidden Truth 1x120 mins NBC International New F2/G1

Les Marmottes 1x105 mins Lumiere Return B19

Paroles et Musique 1x107 mins Lumiere

She Fought Alone 1x120 mins NBC International New F2/G1

The Lady 120 mins Hearst Entertainment New L.29

The Price of Love TV Movie PolyGram TV New E14/F11

Trail of Tears 120 mins Hearst Entertainment New L.29 GAMESHOWS Balls on the Run 6x3 mins SPI International New Dingbats 30 mins KW International New B20/C19 65x1 hr MTM International New N31, level 5 Goal Show 30 mins SPI International Return Hollywood Squares 30 mins KW International New B20/C19 Masters of the Maze 40x30 mins MTM International New N31, level 5

Pick Your Brain 26x30 mins 4Kids Productions New 05.40 Poker Palace 30 mins KW International New B20/C19 Risky Number 65x30 mins CTW International TV Group New K26/L25 Singled Out 65x30 mins MTV Return L20,M19,L22,M21

Wild Animal Games 40x30 mins MTM International New N31, level 5 LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT Beyond 2000 - 11th series 30 mins Beyond Distribution New D2 Blue Water Dreaming 30 mins Beyond Distribution New D2

Bloopers Collection Assorted lengths SPI International Return

Circus Lights 13x56 mins TransTel GmbH New K41 Clive James in... 6x52 mins Chrysalis Distribution New Clive James Grand Prix Show 1x52 mins Chrysalis Distribution New

Television Business International December 1995 53 MARKET INTELLIGENCE

PRODUCT TITLE EPISODES RIGHTS DISTRIBUTOR NEW OR STAND NO. TV Theatrical Video RETURNING

Day & Date Daily 1 hr WBI New C20 -D19

E! Features 200x30 mins E! Entertainment Television Return J14/K13 Extreme Close -Up 356x30 mins E! Entertainment Television Return J14/K13 Film World 24 x 30 mins Wexler Enterprises Inc New N11 Five Guys Named Moe 1x110 mins VCI Programme Sales New M14 Front Runners 78x30 mins Teleproductions International New N3 FYE!: For Your Entertainment 52x30 mins El Entertainment Television Return J14/K13 Hollywood Men 4 x 1 hr CTE New H31/G34 Bodies, Hot Locations 13x25 mins M.C.Stuart New K29 In Focus 66x60 mins E! Entertainment Television Return J14/K13 Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Gala 1x130 mins VCI Programme Sales New M14 Man & Animal 1 x 1 hr CTE New H31/G34 The Great Magic of Las Vegas 6 x 60 mins Fox Lorber Associates New 17.29/19.17 MINISERIES

Airport 13x55 mins TransTel GmbH New K41

Bye Bye Birdie 3 x 1 hr miniseries Hallmark Entertainment New

Cancoon 4x90 mins SFP Productions B8

Danielle Steel's Zoya 2x120 mins NBC International New F2/G1 Gone in the Night 2x2 hrs ACI New K34

Kidnapped 4 x 1 hr Hallmark Entertainment New

Les Filles du Lido 3x100 mins SFP Productions B8

The Blood of Others 6 hr miniseries SPI International Return MUSIC Bruce Springsteen 1x90 mins/ NBD Television Ltd New n/a 1x30 mins - Glass Spider Tour 1x132 mins NBD Television Ltd New n/a Helter Skelter 25x40 mins NBD Television Ltd New n/a

Music and the Mind 3x52 mins Channel 4 International New H29 Power Play Cool Vibes 52x1 hr Wexler Enterprises Inc New N11 Power Play The Acid House Mix 52x1 hr Wexler Enterprises Inc New N11 Power Play Top 100 100x1 hr Wexler Enterprises Inc New N11 Really Roxette 1x52 mins SVT A17 Rock Around the World 100x30 mins Wexler Enterprises Inc New N11 Smash Hits Party 1995 1x60 mins NBD Television Ltd New n/a The Brit Awards 96 1x90 mins PolyGram TV New E14/F11 The White Room 7x45 mins NBD Television Ltd New n/a REALITY Dinomania 4x1 hr GRB Entertainment New

Scandals 13x30 mins Teleproductions Intl Ltd New N3 Seatek 18x30 mins GRB Entertainment New World of Wonder 26x30 mins GRB Entertainment New SCI FI/ACTION

Robo Warriors Republic Entertainment New

The Invaders 3 + hrs Republic Entertainment New SERIES/TELENOVELAS Days of Our Lives 7300+ x 1 hr Columbia Pictures TV Return

5 Dernieres Minutes 29x90 mins SFP Productions B8

Friends Forever 140x60 mins All American Fremantle Intl New M38, N37

Golden Dream 90x1 hrs Globo TV Network Brazil Return F20, F22 & G19

Guadalupe 269x45 mins RTVE Return K2

Hang Time 13x30 mins NBC International New F2/G1

Marielena 229x45 mins RTVE Return K2

Nano 195x1 hr Artear Argentina New M-1

Nestor Burma 21x90 mins SFP Productions B8

Sheik 120x1 hr Artear Argentina New M-1 Shadow and Light 130x1 hr Globo TV Network Brazil New F20, F22 & G19 Story of Love 180x30 mins/ Globo TV Network Brazil New F20, F22 & G19 or 130x1 hr Tropicaliente 130x1 hrs Globo TV Network Brazil Return F20, F22 & G19 Young and the Restless 5300+ x 1 hr Columbia Pictures TV Return

Television Business International December 1995 54 MARKET INTELLIGENCE

PRODUCT TITLE EPISODES RIGHTS DISTRIBUTOR NEW OR STAND NO. IVTheatrical Video RETURNING

II SPORTS 1996 UEFA European Championships 31 matches ISL Television New F42

1997/1999 IMF World Indoor Ch'ships3 days (each) ISL Television New F42

1997/1999 IAAF World Ch'ships 9 days (each) ISL Television New F42

1998 Asian Games 12 days ISL Television New F42

1998 FIBA World Championships 12 days (each) ISL Television New F42

American Gladiators 31x30 mins Samuel Goldwyn Return L33

Asian Sports Extra 30x30 mins (4 years) ISL Television New F42

Clear Water Big Fish 5x50 mins M.C.Stuart New K29

Global Guts 26x30 mins Nickelodeon New M19 High Adventure 26x30 mins . Fox Lorber Associates New 17.29/19.17

Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo 3x90 mins SIE New

ISL World Sports Extra bi-monthlyx52 mins ISL Television New F42

Media Archive Library Various footage . ISL Television New F42

Monster Wars 22x1 hr 4Kids Productions New 05.40

Olympia 26x30 mins SIE New

Real Results 1x75 mins VCI Programme Sales New M14

Slam (Basket Ball) 30x26 mins ISL Television New F42

Track Record '95 1x52 mins ISL Television New F42

Wild West Showdown 13x30 mins Samuel Goldwyn Return L33 TALK SHOWS Tempest 195x1 hr Columbia TriStar TV Distribution New THRILLER Cover Me 1x94 mins Playboy Entertainment New J-10, level 5

Criminal Passion Feature Saban International New H10/J9

Playback 1x92 mins . . Playboy Entertainment New J-10, level 5 Temptation 92 mins Republic Entertainment New TV MOVIES

14 Million Reasons 2 x 60 mins Alliance Communications Corp. New

A Family of Cops 2 hours Alliance New

A Woman in my Heart 90 mins Gaumont New TVF1

Change of Heart 96 mins . Sullivan Entertainment International New E28 Deadly Pursuits 1x2 hrs ACI New K34

Farmer & Chase 97 mins . Arrow Films International New H4.20

Fearless Frieda 1 x 90 mins . WBI New C20 -D19 Forbidden Seduction 1x2 hrs ACI New K34

Giant of Thunder Mountain 100 mins . International Creative Exchange New 14.15

Heck's Way Home 1x95 mins Atlantis Releasing Pty Ltd New B2

Nothing But the Truth 1x95 mins . Atlantis Releasing Pty Ltd New B2

PAC Movie Library 10xyarious All American Fremantle Intl New M38, N37

Paradise Run 95 mins Arrow Films International New H4.20

Paris or Somewhere 1x95 mins Atlantis Releasing Pty Ltd New B2

River Rats 2 hrs Sullivan Entertainment International New E28

Second Chance approx 90 mins . International Creative Exchange New 14.15

Secret Weapon 94 mins Revcom International New The West Side Waltz 1x2 hrs ACI New K34 Trial by Fire 1x2 hrs ACI New K34

The Rosamunde Pitcher Collection 10x90 mins ZDF Enterprises New E5, level 5

Under the Piano 2 hrs Sullivan Entertainment International New E28 VARIETY/SPECIALS

Penn & Teller's Phobophilia 1x52 mins Channel 4 International New H29

Top Models 5x52 mins France Television Distribution New H2 -J3

WILDLIFE/NATURAL HISTORY/ENVIRONMENTAL

Angels of the Sea 2x45 mins M.C.Stuart New K29

Australia's Endangered Species 2x45 mins . M.C.Stuart New K29

A Cry from the Wild 12x26 mins Mediamax International Return B34

From Monkeys to Apes 12x25 mins Revcom International Return

Visions of Nature 6x45 mins ZDF Enterprises New E5, level 5

Zoolife with Jack Hanna 52 x 30 mins International Creative Exchange New 14.15

Television Business International December 1995 55 DISTRIBUTION

The elimination of the rules barring U.S. networks from investing in the programming they air has the Big Three scurrying to sign up production partners. The networks want hits, and they want the big score in domestic syndication. Rich Zahradnik asks where that leaves their international distribution companies

Caroline in the City is hot. The NBC sitcom is the highest -rated new show this season, sitting in fourth place overall when the season -to -date ratings were totted up at the end of October. Everyone expected Caroline to do well; it had, after all, been given the best starting slot of any new show this sea- son, sitting between hits Seinfeld (cur- rently number two on the ratings chart) and ER (number one). NBC executives are now rubbing their hands together at the thought their Thursday night fortress remains secure, if not impregnable. So are NBC distribution executives, since they own a small stake intheshow. And soareCBS Entertainment Productions executives, since they're the producers of Caroline. This strange -but -true tale of network cross-pollination began with CBS Productions developing Caroline as an in-house production for the CBS net- work. When CBS network executives passed on the series, NBC picked it up, Strange but true: NBC execs are toasting the success of Caroline. As are their network rivals in the process gaining a small financial participation when it cast movie star Lea Thompson, under contract to NBC, in the lead. NBC and CBS executives can now, together, hope and pray Caroline becomes the kind of hit that lasts a mini- mum of four seasons so it can go out into domestic syndication and reap a $300 million or $400 million payday. Partners Rainer Siek, president of CBS Enterprises, which is distributing the sitcom overseas, claimed it's already selling on the inter- national market for "the highest prices... somehow it is pretty culturally neutral." And does he find it weird to be cheer- ing on an NBC show? Like most execu- A -Plenty tives at beleaguered CBS, he's got bigger worries. "I'm sitting on Thursday still crossing myfingersfor(CBS's)

Television Business International December 1995 56 DISTRIBUTION

Wednesday night," he joked. That eliminated the impediment to athat can mean. The ABC -owned series A staggering amount of partnering hasstudio and a network getting together. InMy So Called Life was a strong seller gone on since it became clear the rulesinternational distribution, everyone in thearound the world, with every major terri- barring American networks from invest-industry expected to see the networks'tory picking up the hour drama. Still,it ing in and syndicating entertainment pro-catalogs continue to expand beyond didn't win the audience for ABC and was gramming were news programming and tv movies to canceled. regulatory his- include a greater proportion of series. "The network business is just too god- tory. Networks Opponents of the change - indepen-damned competitive in the U.S. for you are in bed with dents and studios alike - remained con-to keep shows on the air," agreed Marion studios;net- vinced the networks would coerce pro-Edwards, executive vice president of works arein ducers to give up stakes in the shows the20th CenturyFox International bed with net- networks aired. Television. "You buy from the people works; studios That the latter hasn't happened yet,who you believe can provide the strong are buying net- and that the changes have been a littleprogramming for your schedule." works, and the on the weird side - one network airing Early experience has bred caution. hottestinde- shows from the two others is, after all,None of the Big Three has produced a pretty weird - is testament to the facthit since they won the battle over fin-syn producers areSiek: fingers crossed that one thing hasn't changed intwo years ago. Caroline in the City may being chased American broadcasting: the business iswell turn out to be the first - ironic, in across Hollywood by network executives still about winning the ratings race. that the three networks hold ownership waving joint venture contracts. The positions in fewer shows this season demise of the financial interest and syn- than last. dication (fin-syn) rules has ushered in a Networks may want to None of this, of course, means the strange age of convoluted partnerships, networks, in the drive to win the ratings mass talent raids and the occasional hold a ticket for the great battle, are oblivious to the financial mega -merger. domestic syndication lottery, attractions of the domestic syndication Caroline isn't the only cross -network and they may want more of a market. If they keep throwing up shows oddity. NewsRadio, another NBC sitcom, that they either produce or own a piece is part -owned by ABC through Brillstein- share of the revenues from of, one of them is bound to become that Grey Communications, the tv production long -running hit that then moves into the company Capital Cities/ABC formed in international distribution, secondary market. 1994 with Brillstein-Grey Entertainment but never at the expense of In a recent report, NatWest Securities in anticipation of the coming regulatory their position in the ratings noted, "The ability of the networks to change. participate in this revenue stream in the Since the two newest networks, the future could do two things; significantly United Paramount Network and the Networks may want to hold a ticketreduce the historically large cyclicality of Warner Bros. Network, along with thefor the great domestic syndication lottery,a network's earnings; and second, sub- establishedfourthnetwork,Foxand they may want more of a share ofstantially increase (potentially dwarf) the Broadcasting Corp., are all owned by stu-the revenues from international distribu- underlying average historical profitability dios, crisscrossing deals among networks tion, but never at the expense of theirof a network over time." and studios, all airing each other's prod-position in the ratings. Why? The network's uct, are bound to become commonplace. Well, just suppose a network execu- international And, of course, the biggest partnershiptive were cajoled by his production col- distribution of themall,thelink -up of Capleagues to schedule a show because the outfits are ben- Cities/ABC and The Walt Disney Co.,network owned it. Imagine the show efiting.They could only have happened with the elim-turns out to be weak, underdelivering for get more prod- ination of fin-syn. Despite Disney's statedits time period, undermining the ratings uct as in-house desire to use ABC airtime for its shows,for the entire night within weeks of its production like any other studio, it presumably willpremiere. A couple little mistakes like arms make sell shows to the other networks. that and a network begins the slide from moreshows The growing Gordian knot of partner-first to third, or even fourth. and, some- ships is the result of what was a simple The number one U.S. network can times, they get regulatorychange.TheFederalexpect gross annual earnings of $250 Komodikis: ABC priority the internation- Communications Commission had barredmillion to $300 million, while the net- al rights out of the networks from producing program-work in third will break even, or if lucky,the partnerships. Each networkis ming or taking financial interests in theshow modest profits. That's a lot ofapproaching the marketplace in a differ- shows they aired because that wouldmoney to bet in the hopes one show youent way; their strategies differ radically give the networks inordinate power overown will be successful long enough toso it makes sense to look at each one their suppliers. First, the FCC droppedmake it into syndication. individually. the rules against networks producing for "What is important to people at the John Agoglia, president of NBC themselves. Then, with broadcasting anetwork is what (shows are) going toEnterprises, is pitching NBC to writers much more diverse business than when perform on the ABC television network,"and producers as the smart place for fin-syn was imposed in 1970, the FCCsaid Maria Komodikis, president of theindependents to do a deal in light of the lifted the fin-syn rules as of thisABC Distribution Co. since September.jumbo -sized acquisitions that have September. Komodikis knows from first hand whatoccurred this year. "From NBC the

Television Business International December 1995 57 DISTRIBUTION

goliath," he said, "with all the otherto peddle. Very likely, ABC Distributionhas been allowed to do the kinds of merger activity out there, we've turnedwill find itself in some way merged intothings you see the networks trying to into NBC the boutique." Walt Disney Television International, thedo." NBC puts the emphasis on creatinginternational distribution, production and The X -Files, a Fox -produced show that partnerships that are right for both sides.broadcasting unit headed by Etienne deairs on the Fox network, illustrates how "The fact is anything is possible within a Villiers. good things can be when the whole sys- business arrangement," Agoglia For her part, Komodikis at ABCtem works. The sci-fi series is performing explained. "Once you enter into a part-Distribution is doing her job sellingwell for the network, selling strongly nership, then it's not fighting about whoABC's shows and waiting to hear whatoverseas and is on its way to lasting long gets what; then it's about evaluating howwill happen. "How the distribution isenough to go into domestic syndication. the partners can maximize the value ofactually done in the future, I think reallyAnd, because of the international rev- their assets." So far, most of the dealsis up to the people who are going toenues, production executives at Fox have seen NBC Productions "in associa-look at everybody and see how we areknow they can afford to invest that extra tion with" other companies, with NBCgoing to use our resources... Everyone isbit in the show, producing it with a qual- taking a piece of individual shows inwaiting to see what will happen." ity critics and viewers have noticed. joint venture with companies ranging CBS executives are waiting and Of course, this would be true even if fromBelisariusProductionsandwatching too, but, at least in the interna-X -Files were a studio show that aired on Paramount (J.A.G.) to Castle Rock (Thetional area, with perhaps less concern.another network, but it surely must Single Guy) and Baltimore PicturesWestinghouse's purchase of the networkwarm Rupert Murdoch's heart to know (Homicide). In each deal, the distributionwill bring changes, but CBS's internation- all the revenues stay home at Fox. Yet, rights NBC receives vary. al arm seems safe. Edwards cautioned, not even X -Files Disney's Overall, CBS has been less oriented towould be immune to ratings -driven acquisition of setting up the new kinds of high -profile imperatives. "If it fell off the network, Cap Cities/ABC partnerships the end of fin-syn allowed,we'd all start lobbying for two-hour willcreatea yet at that same time has been the mostmovies" that could be sold around the combination aggressive producing in-house on itsworld. that has ana- own or in partnership with a writer -pro- The clear advantage Fox International lysts and com- ducer. TV has over its network distribution mentators "We have quite a number of programsrivals is feature films. "It's going to be drooling. They on the air," said CBS Enterprises's Siek. terribly tough for any distributor to break all expect "As a matter of fact, we're selling rightthrough to the big leagues without fea- Disney to get now one-third of the CBS primetimeture films," Edwards said. "They're what firstcallon schedule. So the amount of programmingplay on every network in the world." ABC airtime; it'sEdwards: movie magic we're selling has increased greatly." CBS Fox really has the best of both worlds: alreadyclear is producing or co -producing sevennetwork ownership and feature films that will happen with Saturday morninghours of programming - including itsfeeding the tv distribution arm. But that children's programs. But will ABC andentire Saturday night. Shows range fromwill change when Disney links with ABC. Disney forget the lesson the networksdrama CPW to sitcoms Dave's World andAnd it will change further if either UPN have already learned, the lesson that itCan't Hurry Love to news shows 60or WB survive to become real networks. takes a host of suppliers to build a suc-Minutes and 48 Hours. In the next two years, change will be a cessful schedule? Siek expects Westinghouse to have aconstant at all the companies that distrib- "It's too early to really figure outpositive effect on CBS's internationalute programming for U.S. broadcast net- whether ABC will only be buying fromthinking, since the conglomerate alreadyworks. 111:11 Disney," noted Agoglia. does a great deal of Interestingly, ABC already has somebusiness overseas. high -profile production partnerships inSiek is also responsi- place. In fact, the company seems toble for domestic syn- have consciously moved away from in-dication, and that is house production to co -ownership ofwhere the merger shows made by these top -line entities.could bring changes; The partnerships include the joint ven-Westinghouse's ture tv studio Brillstein-GreyGroup Communications and a new five-yearBroadcasting arm production partnership with Jim Hensonalready has a big syn- Productions (Henson is keeping foreigndication operation. rights under the deal). The highest pro- Fox Broadcasting file of ABC's deals - a tv studio it's sup-Corp.wasnever posed to be setting up with DreamWorksaffected by the fin- SKG - likely won't happen, given thesyn rules sinceit personal animosity betweennever became a net- DreamWorks partner Jeffrey Katzenbergwork under the FCC's and Disney chairman -CEO Michaeldefinition while the Eisner. rules were in place. Even without DreamWorks, Disney In fact, Marion and ABC will have a tremendous catalogEdwards noted, "FoxNBC is benefiting by association on series like Homicide

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JANUARY 2 2-2 5 SANDS EXPO CENTER LAS VEGAS MARKETING,

New face: Redesigns like PSF's work for Pro 7 aren't just about eyecatching logos Image Conscious

Design consultancies specializing in tv aren't telling broadcasters how to make better programs. But they can make an impact on their ratings. Using the bits between the shows to create or enhance channel branding and create a competitive advantage too. Tim Westcott reports

Whit makes a channel successful?improvement in market share after its only five that were in existence when the strong programming, good man-rebranding without any change in its company was set up in 1976. agement, or well -designed T-shirts? schedule. Ratings for RTL's news pro- The exploding logo for Channel 4 was Most broadcasters would agree withgrams have gone up since Novocom's a pivotal piece of work for Lambie-Nairn, the first two propositions, but might haveredesign, claimed Martin Poole, manag- propelling it to the forefront of tv design trouble with the third. But they would being director of Novocom's London office when the network launched in the early wrong, according to design consultants,- again with everthing else untouched.1980s. The multicolored 4 logo, repre- to underestimate the importance of theirWhile Pittard Sullivan Fitzgerald (PSF)'s senting the channel's objective of serving image with viewers, to pay the sort ofsuccess story is Pro 7, which enhanced minority audiences, is still in use. attention to detail which ensures thatviewing figures and its profile with Remembered Martin Lambie-Nairn: "It those promotional T-shirts don't fall apart media buyers after its makeover last year. was in the days when there was no such after one wash. In the highly competitive Design practices like the UK's Lambie-thing as brand identity in television." The tv market, image counts for more andNairn & Company have capitalized onlogo was "a simple graphic design solu- more. broadcasters' increased awareness of thetion to a problem," using computer ani- The point designers make is that theneed for branding, as well as themation people hadn't seen before as well investment in design, however high,increased numbers of broadcasters. It'sas design techniques already familar in pays off. According to Gilles Galud, pres-notable that Lambie-Nairn's current clientother industries. ident of Gedeon, France 2 saw a 5%list of 25 broadcaster clients includes "In nuts and bolts factories they had

Television Business International December 1995 60 MARKETING

been doing that sort of thing for a longbefore the new identities went on screen.going to animate," said Novocom's time. It's just that it was new to televi-PSF spent four months analyzing Pro 7Martin Poole. "You try to storyboard as sion." before it drew a picture, said Grossman.closely as you can so you're not wasting Although the Channel 4 work openedOther assignments - such as a simplepost -production time, which is the most doors for Lambie-Nairn in the years thatpackage of designs, or the annualexpensive part of the job, later on." followed, his gospel of design sometimes revamps favored by U.S. channels - can fell on deaf ears. The problem withtake less time. "we'll use an old stick design is that it's a matter of taste, and Although design has become very dipped in a pot of paint if it's often the people making the decisioncompetitive, companies dislike having to were inflexible. "Our world is the worldpitch for business in the way advertising the right answer" of the subjective. That's the world weagencies do. Credentials pitches - where were wandering about in after Channel 4agencies present their past work and The function of a good identity - from for a while. You could do a ton of workexplain their methods of working - are on -screen logo to T-shirt - is to embody but somebody would say 'yes, but mypreferred. "We don't take part in beautythe goals and directions of the channel. favorite color's pink'..." contests," said Grossman, although 80%In theory, the type of medium used for This sort of experience has altered theof broadcasters in Europe, he reckons,the design - live action, 3D or computer way design specialists approach theirapproach the task in this way. "Theygraphics, or even "an old stick dipped in task. As with most advertising creatives, want you to draw the pictures first anda pot of paint if it's the right answer," research has become a valuable weaponthen come up with a design package and joked Lambie-Nairn. in making the process a little more scien-then come in and sell your package. Some designers draw a distinction tific. That's an impossible task." between the style of the LA -based groups An extensive period of research is Darrell Pockett, creative director ofPSF and Novocom and the Europeans now a prerequisite of any major channelUK company English and Pockett, whichlike Lambie-Nairn and France's Gedeon. redesign. PSF's approach is fairly typical.handled A,! E's rebrancl ing exercise lastGilles Galud commented Novocom's The preferredfirst logosare"verydistinctive,very point of contact is at American. They often use the same tech- board level. "We deal niques, the same shapes, the same primarily with chair- effects." men and presidents, to For some clients in Europe, the find out what their American look can be the attraction. strategic goals are: BSkyB's chief executive Sam Chisholm Where they want to approached Novocom because he liked go, how realistic are their work for CBS Evening News. theirexpectations Poole called the Novocom look "very (about) a design pack- commercial. It's meant to deliver viewers. age," said Rick We wouldn't do a Pro 7 or a Channel 4 Grossman, PSF's inter- because most of our work is directed national vice presi- towards a mass audience rather than a dent. The research niche audience." The work Novocom phase "is really an does in the U.S. for clients like CBS internal look at how News and Paramount shows the network or chan- Entertainment Tonight and nel is operating." Hard and soft: Novocom vs Gedeon Hard Copy is designed for a In this phase, market where every show designers draw on the internal resourcesyear, added: starts at the top of the hour of the company such as research depart-"Normally a and the important thing is ments, designers and programmers. If thebroadcaster to grab viewer's attention budgets are available, they will also carryputs everything down quickly. The teasing style out research among consumers into the(in the brief) they can think of. of some European idents channel's existing profile and onscreenThey don't focus on what simply wouldn't work on identity. their aspira- U.S. tv, believed Poole. "We All of this gives the agencies ammuni-tions really tend to use computers because tion to present proposals which mayare." it's more controllable. And we sometimes not quite agree with the Once believe that a purely graphic broadcaster's own ideas. those aspi- look... won't date as quickly as "A lot of people have logos thatrations live action." they've had for 20 years that werehave been "I'm not sure viewers need to be designed for print, and whether theyteased out, designers attracted by big effects," said work on television or not is anotherget to work on paper or a Galud. "They are more and more story. What we try to do is to bring asMacintosh, attempting to come up with smart, more and more informed objective a view to the process as weidents that put the findings of theabout design." Gedeon has worked for can," said Grossman. research into visible form. Design is a the youth -slanted channel M6 since 1989, This stage can take time. Lambie-matter of "creation or evolution of a logoand created an aggressive, graphics - Nairn's redesign job on the BBC's twoin pure print form then working out howbased design. Whenitrebranded channels started in 1988, three yearsthat's going to work on air, how it'sAntenne 2 and FR3 as France 2 and 3 in

Television Business International December 1995 61 MARKETING

Flame graphics computers. of a level between the stations, then it PSF'sfacilityincludes 16 can give you an edge." Quantel Paintboxes and 94 The Dow Jones/Flextech-backed satel- Macintosh PCs. Both companies lite channel European Business News link up their overseas offices (EBN) used Lambie-Nairn to help create and clients via modem lines so branding for a channel which was aimed that they can send examples ofat people interested in or working in work in progress online. "The finance, but not one attracted to a sober - first thing we do when we signsuited style. According to Frances on a client is take our softwareWhitehead, EBN's marketing director, its and install it on their Macs,"research shows that although its viewers said Grossman. were news junkies who tended to take Where in-house design depart-all of the international news channels, ments have their own hard- EBN came out top for style. "Our audi- A&E: A rare job stateside for a Brit agency ware on site, companies will ence is mainly male, youngish high -earn- often send in their own design- ers, aspirational. That's what we were 1992,it decided "to do somethingers to work on a brief. CBS has eventargeting and that's what we're getting. smoother, more gentle, more realistic."subcontracted most of its work to PSF, So the look and feel that we have is defi- The commercial break openswhich has eight of its own staff workingnitely appealing to those people." use the soft graphic logos of both chan-full-time in a suite installed by the broad- As more channels launch, design nels combined with live action films -caster. But it's rare for companies to han- companies are evolving to cope with people on France 2, landscapes on thedle day-to-day assignments, which areorganizations which are more aware of regional France 3. normally done in-house. PSF's work for Pro 7 - a package ofCompanies can also advise on 90 minutes of material - included a new how those departments should be logo, promos and program opens lead-structured: Lambie-Nairn helped ing through the day's schedule. Thethe BBC reorganize its department channel's head of on -air promotion and and the company is still retained graphics, Marcel Mohaupt, said thereas a consultant. Novocom helped were some initial cultural differences.BSkyB set up a large in-house "The color palette in America is not thedesign unit for its growing stable same as in Germany... We don't use pur- of satellite channels. plethat much in Germany. The The first question many broad- Americans love this color. It's an oldercasters askis how much a people's color, and Pro 7 is a very youth - redesign costs. Most companies oriented channel." Another proposal inte- quote prices starting at $100,000, grated the German flag. "We said this is ranging up to as much as $6 mil- impossible, we don't use our flag in lion. The choice of graphics canEBN's styling helps it stand out from a crowd design. We have a history. We are not as be a major factor, and many proud of our flag as the Americans are." designs call for the use of 35mm film.the importance of design and promotion Mohaupt added there would probably But there seemingly isn't a way of cutting to send a clearer message to their audi- have been the same cultural differences the cost of post -production by usingence, their advertisers, ad agencies, and with a French or English design compa-facilities houses in parts of the world even suppliers and regulators. The mes- ny. Once PSF had got closer to Pro 7's where rental and staff costs are lower. sage - the brand - is also one which way of thinking, "we had a very good According to Poole, a typical bill for aneeds to travel beyond the screen into relationship." station in France or Germany would be print form, even into buildings and vehi- Novocom and PSF both have theiraround a quarter of a million dollars forcles. And even T-shirts. They are also own production offices in Hollywood, a main identity and a package of promosevolving into interactive media. equipped with an array of technologyand break -bumper formats. But opens Gedeon has branched out into design- such as Henry, Harry, Paintbox andfor specific programs or segments would ing a CD -Rom for France Television be extra. Novocom is creatingInternational which will be launched at idents for the two CME-backed sta- next year's Natpe. English and Pockett tions launching this month in and PSF are working on designing inter- Slovenia and Romania, and is look- active channels for the telco-backed pro- ing into ways of making the pack- gramming venture Tele TV. ages cheaper by leasing its designs, Investment in branding pays off. One according to Poole. of Lambie-Nairn's cheaper jobs of recent Whatever the cost, itis true thatyears was an ident for a British cable designers are content to be gauged channel. The cost came in, under bud- by their impact on the ratings. "Iget, at £35,000 ($55,000). The channel don't think design alone is going to doesn't exist any more but the logo was give people good ratings," said recently sold to a production company. Poole. A channel with bad pro-The price? A cool £1 million. grams won't do well just because of That's a value any broadcaster would Lambie-Nairn's overhaul of the BBC took three years its ident. "But when there is more understand. [lull

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BEST OUTDOOR ADVERTISEMENT BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC BEST CORPORATE PROMOTION OBEST DRAMA PROMOTION (sponsored by MILIN ALLEN, r, Words granted hold: 4 1410N: Brookside - Patio Silver LWT: Band of Gold Gold. 4 isionThe World of Lee Evans. No ...... Silver 4 'SIONBrookside The Trial Silver: loCe KU ROPE: 'Prejudice Campaign. BEST USE OF SCRIPT Silver: NO AWRO. Bronze: *HT SION: ..npsons. Power Rangers. Droner: Ammo LIT.: Closer To The Action I Bnince EEC ..... 'SION: Gloats Goalkeeper LWT: liak & Pace rAut. WALT WORLDWIDE: Robert (Buda BEST CORPORATE PROMOTION BEST GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT PAULA WALT WORLOWIDO: DOelgie 1900gle B EST PRINT ADVERTISEMENT CAPITAL Re10: Factory. Exam. Commuter. 4 MOH. Clive Anderson Woogie Silver THE DI Generic TV Ad 11111) Gold Talks Back Gold. RADIOS LIVE: Ritgbx World Cup. Bronze' THE FMILY LLLLLLL STUDIEN: rm. SiBnlv CARTOON aNETWORK.:.:...blnie:e.,71;:s..per; Silver: mon Look Who's Talking B EST USE OF GRAPHICS Commerciallune /995 c. I Your Brows.11C RADIO I: As It Is. Toothbrush (Cleaner,. 41) Gold cm, An Attack THE INNOVATION AWARD BEST PRESS PR CAMPAIGN Silver two« Don't Forget Tour BEST ON -AIR PROGRAMME CAMPAIGN Toothbrush (Gimmick) Gold mon: CITY Interactive. Gold: ss The Ashes. Bninze esc Row SCOTLAND: Nae HOB. Silver. Nee wm.cs: BBC Wales CD -Rom. IF Gold: Twin Peaks Silver - The New Avengers. Brutus ISIOH. The Politician's WO Silver mow. Bomkside - The Trial. mon Direct Mail Sales Bronze: 1.14-I: Night Fly. Bronze 4 B EST ON -AIR IDENT (IN-HOUSE) Promotions B EST THEMED OR SEASONAL Gold. won. Chillers, PROMOTION JUDGES' SPECIAL AWARD: BEST PROMOTION ON RADIO Silver:moN: Science 4. emus*: This special Ainanl has been presented Bronze rno slaemc Farblernseben. Gold. LWT: Winter '95 Brawrfirr a consistentlx high standard of EEC on: Knowing Me. Knoulng Vol. 17 -Gold Silver: EEC mon: Hollywood Vietnam. wale over the past year Saver: EEC lAsolo 41Bomber1. Bronze CEO mom: African Srannser. Bronze sec ewe., se Radio Scollaral aiBEST ON -AIR (DENT Nuclear Day W Gold LANSIE.NAIRN: Ka2. B EST CHI PROMOTION Silver [mous.. POCRSTT: VII.1 Rock & Soul Gold NICHELENCEoN: Me And Pete 131.01.C. TNT CLASSIC NOV I./: BOK Weird B EST RADIO PROMOTION ON SCREEN Silver CITY: An Attack 410-i0Ilt CAPITAL RAoio: ROrAtT. Apacebolmer. Airplane. Bronze ...... sluncsEn: Pink Panther Silver: VIRGIN RADIO: hat Man' 71,Cinerna Ads B EST GRAPHIC STING (IN-HOUSE) Museum Piece PROM A X UK Bronze CAPITAL II010: Fat -1o,, Exam, Commuter Gold von Spring Grabbers. B EST SPORTS PROMOTION Silver sec ..... more BBC 2 AllifflatiOnl- Pounce B EST MIXED MEDIA CAMPAIGN 7I:old. Env mon: Sky's Summer CIL Sport: Rfn,, Ss ToLoviSION A"*I. &l Silver- mon Eubank Panther Gold. Toe;ew Avengers. 54. Bronx e: MSC LLLLL mon: Cricket One Day Silver: SC R. As It Is. International Bronze. a glom Brookside. B EST GRAPHIC STING ff) Gold: TOO: Xmas TCC: Lti, BEST FACTUAL PROMOTION NF OSOMETHING FOR NOTHING Silver TCC: TCC Stings. BBC Wotland &ems ND' hold 4 IMO, Secret tines (.01,1 UK soup: Sweeney 'Da Do Da'. Bronze ec se...... : Walt Disney SOT TOLOVI/1044: jaws Double Bill Silver: EEC two, Battle of Wills. Brans , Ice Cold In Mee ak BEST SALES/MARKETING TAPE Bron(C D

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Adiverse group of mediaable to buy the appropriateand distributors looking touse the system as a "kind of and technology compa-pre -configured PC, stick theirmove programming arounda broadband Internet," he niesplanstobringcable or antenna connectionthe U.S. and the world. said, "delivering training together broadcast program-into the back of the PC and First, Vyvx took advantagematerials to the medical and ming and Internet content toaway they'd go. Upgrade kitsof fiber across the Atlantic business markets." allow users simultaneously tomay be sold as well. Ocean to offer transmission channel surf and Web surf. Chip manufacturer Intel iscapacity to anyone already The technology to do it isdeveloping a series of proto-served by British Telecom inTCI's @Home Goes Home called Intercast, and the com-cols and data formats thatthe UK.Then, Vyvx addedCable niant Isle panies promoting it includewill allow the transmission ofcomponent video capabilityCommunications Inc. has Intel,America Online,data along with a televisionto its network for higher pic-announced that it will begin Asymetrix,,En broadcast, and reception ofture quality and picked uptrials of its get -the -Internet - Technology, Gateway 2000,that data by PCs equipped tofour teleports, allowing thevia -cable service, @Home, in NBC, Netscape Communi-do so. Working prototypecompany to handle forwardSunnyvale, California, some- cations, Packard Bell, CNNsystems are currently beingdistribution as well. It alsotime in April 1996. Interactive, QVC, Viacom andtested in Portland, Oregon,linked up with Teleglobe in One of the unique aspects WGBH Educational. Themetro area households. Canada. of @Home's design is that group plans to develop the OnOct. 10, KGW, All these enhancementsTCI will place PCs with mas- technology, PC platforms,Portland's NBC affiliate, suc-will contribute to the keysive hard drive storage capa- software applications andcessfully completed the firstcomponent in the company'sbility at cable systems' head- content for distribution bylive transmission of broadcastexpansion program. Vyvx isends. These on -site PCs will the middle of next year. video and Web pages to anworking with IBM, Sunsupplementtheactual Intercast will work byIntercast-enabled PC. Microsystems and Sybase toInternet link with an archive sending Web -like pages inNationwide testing will begindevelop video archive data-of a large percentage of the vertical blanking intervalin February. Initially, Intercastbase systems. Simply put,World Wide Web content. (VBI) of the tv signal. Userstechnology will be developedvideo serverslinkedtoSmall computer programs who feed a tv signal - over -and deployed in the UnitedVyvx's fiber and teleportwill constantly move data the -air or cable - into theirStates; international broadcasttransmission systems will from the "live Internet" to the PC will see a broadcast win-standards will require differ-allow for content to be storedarchived one. This design dow in the upper left handent hardware and softwarelocally on servers and distrib-would, in theory, reduce corner of their Web browserand will come later. uted internationally. each cable system's demand (a Web browser is a program Del Bothof, president ofon the Internet, reducing used to navigate the World Vyvx, said his company'sdelays in delivery of content Wide Web on the Internet), Linking Servers Archiver network will serveto the individual consumer. while the Web pages will I he marriage of fiber, tele-three distinct markets. First,This enhancement will come provide data displays, likeports and a developing videopost -production houses inon top of speed improve- sports stats and tour sched-server program is helpingdifferent cities working onments offered by delivery of ules. With the browser soft-Vyvx Inc. blaze a trail acrossthe same project will takedata via cable, which can ware and a separate connec-borders and oceans. For fiveadvantage of the ATM inter-carry Internet material at tion to the Internet, users willyears, Vyvx had offeredconnection provided by theblazing speeds compared be able to roam to other point-to-point video backhaulnetwork. Second, the pro-with telephone lines and pages with similar informa-capacity across a network ofgramming distribution busi-even the fastest of modems. tion on them. Presumably, fiber -based switching centers,ness will use the system to The @Home service will they'll also be able to sendproviding services to localupload and download pro-require the individual con- mail and participate in chatand national sports, newsgramming, infomercials andsumer to have an ethernet groups. and live event producers. Incommercials to any marketcard (an inexpensive net- The Intercast group isrecent months, Vyvx has radi-served by Vyvx, BT orworking card not normally shooting forastandardcally expanded the types ofTeleglobe. And third, the cor-found in home PCs) and a whereby consumers will beservices it offers to producersporate training market will cable modem. 011

Television Business International December 1995 64 Normal replay

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Pay Dream Believers? A new report on the future of pay-tv in Europe predicts the market could be worth $14 billion by the year 2000. However, such predictions are highly optimistic, argues Jean -Luc Renaud

In 1994, Western European pay-tv sub- ity, two-way communication networks, pay-tv broadcasters to break new scription revenues amounted toare rapidly accelerating the integration ofgrounds in the multimedia interactive approximately $3.5 billion, according to text, vision and sound. The multimediasphere. And their attempts at locking investment house Lehman Brothers'age is dawning and corporate position-individual country markets through con- recent report, European Pay -TV: Digitaling and investor interest is gathering trol of multiple proprietary conditional Evolution. By the year 2000 this figure momentum. access systems does not translate into a could be anywhere between $9.1 billion If it is a general description of thingsglobal vision. and $14 billion, depending on which ofto come in the long term, we have little "Successful pay-tv operators essential- Lehman Brothers predictions is to bedisagreement with Lehman Brothers'ly require four key ingredients," say believed. vision. But why this evolution shouldLehman Brothers - a secure supply of In the report's most optimistic sce-have such a positive impact on the attractive, preferably exclusive, program- nario, pay-tv penetration would increase growth of pay-tv, and in such a shortming; a means of distributing that pro- from the 1994 level of 9% (12 million term (the next five years), escapes us. gramming to as wide an audience as subscribers) to 25% (35.7 million sub- When it comes to pay-tv, where is possible; a conditional access technology scribers), while revenue per subscriber,convergence, multimedia, or the globalto prevent unauthorized access to it; and which in 1994 averaged $27 a month,vision? If anything, the pay-tv broadcast- a subscriber management system to max- would increase by 5% per annum. Ifers behind the various forthcoming satel- imize access to it, collect subscriptions however, penetration was to increase to lite digital bouquets are, with someand minimize churn. just 16.4% by the year 2000 (23.4 million subscribers), total revenues would still grow by more than 125% over the next Pay -TV Penetration (%) five years to $9.1 billion, even if revenue per subscriber grew by just 2.5% per December Growth 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 annum. The attraction of producing several GERMANY 12.2 2.8 6.9 9.3 12.0 13.8 15.0 scenarios is that the analysts can never UNITED KINGDOM 22.2 17.8 22.3 28.5 34.6 38.6 40.0 be wrong. However, it is less than help- FRANCE 5.4 19.6 21.1 22.6 23.7 24.5 25.0 ful for the end -users, especially if no rig- ITALY 11.8 3.2 4.2 6.3 9.8 13.1 15.0 orous reasoning is provided to substanti- SPAIN 16.7 8.3 10.8 15.5 19.9 22.9 25.0 ate each of the scenarios. It is also dan- NETHERLANDS 16.8 3.2 7.0 10.7 14.1 17.2 20.0 gerous to be right for the wrong reasons. BELGIUM 11.4 8.6 11.2 13.7 16.0 18.1 20.0 But, with figures so remarkably high, we SWEDEN 6.2 11.3 12.7 14.1 15.3 16.5 17.5 suspect that Lehman Brothers are just PORTUGAL 11.7 0.8 2.1 4.4 7.9 11.1 12.5 AUSTRIA plain wrong. 11.3 1.2 3.8 6.2 8.5 10.6 12.5 SWITZERLAND 9.1 3.4 5.5 For the body of its report, the analysis 7.4 9.3 11.0 12.5 DENMARK 13.2 4.3 7.3 10.2 12.9 15.3 17.5 settles on a medium -range scenario, FINLAND 15.1 2.4 5.8 9.1 12.2 15.0 17.5 namely, a pay-tv penetration that "could 1118 5.7 8.4 11.0 13.4 15.6 17.5 reasonably approach 20% (28.5 million IRELAND 7.3 5.2 6.8 8.4 9.9 11.3 12.5 subscribers) by the year 2000, producing revenue in excess of $10 billion..." TOTAL 13.0 8.8 11.6 14.7 17.9 20.3 21.7 What informs this outrageous opti- mism is the "information superhighway" Annual growth 1.5 1.6 1.5 1.1 0.6 syndrome. Given the ongoing stream of privatization and the increasing pace of Source: Lehman Brothers deregulation, coupled with the continu- ing development and application of advanced technology, the gradual con-exceptions, the least interested in con- All these have been available to the vergence of global media, telecommuni- vergence. The content of their near -existing pay-tv broadcasters for many cations and technology industries is setvideo -on -demand (NVOD) digital ser- years, and indeed, presided over their to accelerate, says Lehman Brothers in its vices barely goes beyond the tried -and - growth. But the time of substantial investment summary. Electronic and digi- tested menu of movies and sport.increase in pay-tv penetration is no tal forms of information transfer and stor- Because of satellite's limited two-way longer. In France, the terrestrial encrypt- age, enabling the creation of high capac-transmission capability, do not expected service of Canal Plus has reached sat-

Television Business International December 1995 66 DATA

uration with four million subscribers. The 260,000 subscribers to Canalsatellite have Pay -TV Subscribers (000s) been reached in over two years - not a stellar performance, especially compared December CAGR 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 with the estimated 750,000 French tv homes targeting the free -to -air Astra bou- GERMANY 19.0% 900 2,240 3,216 4,022 4,664 5,135 quet. Counting on (slow) cable growth UNITED KINGDOM 9.0% 3,960 5,033 6,474 7,949 8,961 9,376 for program delivery is not going to FRANCE 3.2% 4,100 4,481 4,849 5,157 5,404 5,602 reach the gap between Lehman Brothers' ITALY 17.7% 650 856 1,320 2,088 2,854 3,326 forecast figures and the reality. SPAIN 13.3% 970 1,302 1,925 2,541 3,016 3,389 In the UK, E.SkyB's program bouquet NETHERLANDS 20.6% 200 441 677 903 1,114 1,306 is now received by 3.4 million tv homes, BELGIUM 9.6% 350 462 573 680 780 873 of which 2.8 million subscribers take up SWEDEN 5.3% 450 514 577 639 697 752 PORTUGAL 32.0% 26 67 141 257 364 418 the premium services. But the penetra- 332 396 tion of DTH antennas, at about 3.2 mil- AUSTRIA 27.4% 35 112 189 263 SWITZERLAND 15.4% 95 157 220 282 342 399 lion, is slowly reaching its apex and the 244 314 380 442 growth of cable tv is plagued by a low DENMARK 16.0% 100 172 FINLAND 23.0% 50 123 197 267 335 397 connection rate (20%) and high churn NORWAY 12.8% 100 149 198 246 292 334 (up to 50%). IRELAND 10.3% 50 67 85 102 118 133 Germany apparently meets the condi- tions for high pay-tv penetration: 15 mil- TOTAL 10.4%12,03616,17520,88625,71029,65432,278 lion of the 24 million tv homes passed by cable are connected to the network, Annual growth 15.4% 13.0% 10.0% 6.5% 3.8% and Astra satellite DTH penetration is now at eight million and growing fast. Source: Lehman Brothers However, the only pay-tv channel, Pre- miere, is badly underachieving its publi- cized target, with a subscriber basebouquet is satellite -delivered. to a small club from which it is inappro- around 900,000. The striking feature of the Lehmanpriate to generalize. Lehman Brothers finds Premiere's very Brothers forecasts for pay-tv in Western By using the past to predict the future low penetration of the German marketEurope is not only that they are unbe-- a perilous exercise when it comes to "rather surprising." It is no surprise to lievably high, but that the growth rate toelectronic media anyway - this approach those who know this industry better. attain them, and for virtually every coun-makes no allowance for the emergence Movie -based Premiere does not maketry, is a line that seems to have beenof new actors and their overall impact. inroads because German viewers havedrawn with a ruler. We have always The reason why we are considerably already a great quantity of films availablewarned readers against straight line fore- less optimistic about pay-tv penetration to them from the large number of free - casts, especially when the line is steep! is that true content diversity, the "attrac- to -air terrestrial and satellite services. There is a rule of thumb - and tive" programming which Lehman Broth- The same is true of the Benelux coun- Lehman Brothers may have reverted toers believe will increase premium chan- tries where cable tv has already reachedthis highly sophisticated tool - that saysnel penetration, may actually not come saturation point. FilmNet's pay-tv offer-the saturation point for any pay-tv ser-from the existing broadcasters. It is com- ing is taken up by an estimated 550,000vice is about 20%. But this is based oning from the packaged multimedia (CD- tv homes to date while Canal Plus' Bel-very peculiar circumstances, surroundingROM, CD-i) industry servicing a rapidly gium service has attracted over 160,000a small number of succesful pay-tv ser- increasing PC base, from tapping into the subscribers so far. Here again, growth isvices, that may not apply to newcomers.Web, and sooner or later from the extremely slow. Canal Plus was "offered" by the Frenchswitched telecom network operators and Scandinavia is a relatively good mar-government a ready -to -use national ter-wealth of content providers using these ket for pay-tv with over 700,000 tvrestrial transmission network for its ser- networks. It may also come from future homes subscribing to premium services.vice, which developed with little compe-digital terrestrial broadcaster ready to But it is also a market difficult to assesstition. Penetration settled at about 20%.take risks in new content access and for- in term of future trends. Some ten satel-In the UK, BSkyB's premium channels mat. lites located in no less than seven differ-(who may never get close to the 20% Besides a passing reference to some ent orbital slots are used by broadcastersbar), benefited from the deep pockets of of the above, there is no serious attempt to distribute programming over Scandi- News Corp to subsidize distribution ofin Lehman Brothers' report to assess the navia. And with the arrival in 1997 of thesatellite receivers, and made judiciousimpact of these new delivery methods 32 -transponder Sirius II satellite (notuse of its national newspapers to pro- on the pay-tv business, which it takes to mentioned in Lehman Brothers report),mote the business. In the U.S., HBObe primarily a satellite and cable busi- 5° East looks set to become the hot spot. never managed to move beyond 15-17% ness. Pay-tv is developing very rapidly in market penetration, while M -Net's 30% Maybe we should take Lehman Broth- Spain where the terrestrial Canal Plus penetration of its market is a reflection ofers' figures as a reflection oftargets Espana service already counts over onethe poor quality up to now of the Southwhich the firm wants the see the market million subscribers. As for Italy, the bigAfrican broadcaster SABC. This is, natu- attain. Or, more perversely, as still anoth- question -mark is whether the 950,000rally, not to belittle the evident energy,er exercise by an investment banker to subscribers to Telepiu services will all skills and entrepreneurial drive of alldrum up business among would-be pay- buy a DTH antenna when the pay-tvthese successful operators. They belongtv operators.urn

Television Business International December 1995 67 AT LARGE NEW YORK

I've got a book I want to send to Nicholas Negroponte, Alvin Toffler, George Gilder and all the other gurus of the coming digital Eden. Hell, I might even spring for a copy for NewtForecasts From Gingrich.Thebook, When Old Technologies Were New: Thinking About Electric Communication in the Late Nineteenth Century by Carolyn Marvin, should serve as a warning to prognosti- cators everywhere, a hint of how futureThe Past generations will look upon their happy brand of futurism and laugh. For all of the digerati, When Old Technologies Were New will be a fright- ening read. Prof. Marvin went back and The press of the last century got clos- looked at what the expert press and its est to the truth, in an accidental sort of commentators had to say about electrici- way, when it criticized the promises ty, the telegraph and the telephone - being made for technology by its spon- society's first great communications inno- sors. Edward J. Hall, the new vice presi- vations - during the period all three dent of the new American Telephone & technologies were coming into common Telegraph Co., in 1890 told an audience, use. This was a time, Marvin reminds us, "More wonderful still is a scheme which when the term electrician had real we now have on foot, which looks to cachet. An electrician wasn't the guy providing music on tap at certain times who fixed your fuse box; no, he was the every day, especially at meal times. The guy who understood, worked with and scheme is to have a fine band perform profited from these incredible new tech- the choicest music, gather up the sound nologies. He was the nineteenth centu- waves, and distribute them to any num- ry's hacker. ber of subscribers. Thus a family, club or Like today's hackers, electricians built hotel may be regaled with the choicest up an incredible mystique around them- BY RICH ZAHRADNIK airs from their favorite operas while selves. The electrician lorded his exper- enjoying the evening meal.." tise, his special knowledge over others. Electrical World was horrified: "For "(M)uch of the literature of electricalsociety -a state of things in which everywith the success of the first telephone mission was occupied with sorting andindividual, however secluded, will havemusicale association, there will spring labeling insiders and outsiders in electri-at call every other individual in the com-into being rival organizations, the very cal culture," Marvin writes. "The propermunity, to the saving of no end of socialnames of which would make incipient naming of persons, gadgets, and con-and business complications, of needlessdeafness bliss. Imagine the awful devas- cepts in their electrical contexts and rela-goings to and fro, of disappointments,tation that could be wrought by `The tions was among the most important per-delays, and a countless host of thoseOrgan Grinders' Telephonic Mutual,' with formative indicators of technological lit-great and little evils and annoyancesdrop -in -a -nickel slot attachment. Fancy eracy..." which go so far... to make life laboriousthe horrors of having one's disposition This must sound pretty familiar toand unsatisfactory." wrecked by a `popular programme,' anyone who's logged onto an Internet Maybe it sounds quaint to quote suchheaded by a memorial to the late newsgroup, been hectored about e-mailpredictions when they're tied to the tele-McGinty." etiquette or read anything in Wired mag-phone, recalling as they do the late I don't know who the late McGinty azine. Victorians' abiding faith in their inventorswas, and I haven't heard much organ A culture of exclusivity isn't the onlyand their engineers. But today's gurusgrinding lately, but I get the idea. The thing the electricians and the digeratiare making the same kinds of promises,telephone, once capable of delivering have in common. Both groups forecastin fact grander ones, for digital networks.entertainment, would not be used to profound improvements in human soci-Sure, the telephone changed our lives inbring culture, but to transmit forms of ety would come from their technologies.a million ways. But it most certainly didmass entertainment the editorsat The magazine Scientific American, writ- not bring a life free of disappointments, Electrical World disdained. ing in 1880 of the telephone, predicteddelays, annoyances, even "the needless Ironically, the telephone did not turn "nothing less than a new organization ofgoings to and fro." into a delivery vehicle for entertainment (Bell Atlantic and co. may change all that). Not so ironically, every other com- Scientific American predictedmunications innovation that did - radio,

tv, cable, satellite - became a medium i. "a state of things in which every of mass, pop, low -brow, call -it -what -you - will, entertainment, not high culture. individual will have at call every other In fifty years, when we look back at the digital revolution, we will hear more individual in the community..."of McGinty than miracles. 01

Television Business International December 1995 68 1970 WAS JUST THE FIRST OF MANY VINTAGE YEARS

it takes time for a sophisticated and a host of new cable products. Later in technology to reach full maturity. First it has the decade, we established our first to develop its own special character. Then, it terrestrial and satellite platforms. must be exposed to the market - given the This year, on our 25th anniversary, we chance to breathe. introduced the first MPEG2 system to be At Irdeto, we've been around long enough fully DVB compliant. But rather than sit to appreciate the subtleties of the process. back and savor our success, we remain We first began cultivating our fundamental committed to developing the world's most -technologies back in 1970. By the early sophisticated digital technology. After all, 1980's, we were busy launching pay -per -view we have a reputation to live up to.

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