Here are the Top 1-35, with our Takeaways below.

• The Takeaways are updated from our August post on the top programs for 1H’11.
• Also, see our previous post for #36-70 for FY’11.

Takeaways

• The list is marvelously eclectic!
• The ratings are huge compared with the U.S. where comparable programs are long gone from the broadcast network schedules.
  • There is a thriving UK appetite for quality docs of many genres and formats: observational, hosted, classic big Blue Chip, high end Lifestyle, Travel, and so on.
  • Strangeways stands out: it’s a classic, tough observational doc about the Manchester prison.
• On the topic of Blue Chip:
  • The list includes a number big budget Science, Natural History, History and Archaeology series.
  • Many of these categories are close to extinct in the equivalent U.S. Top 50-100 lists.
  • Cable channels that once did well with them, like Discovery, History and Nat Geo have shifted away from Blue Chip films that are based on deep specialization in their subject matter, and towards character-driven Reality series
• It was a royal wedding year, so it’s not surprising to see William & Kate joined amongst the top performers by wedding-themed programs like the irresistible Gypsy Weddings.
  • Prince Philip’s big, old grumpy 90^th birthday interviews earned extra top slots for the Royal category
• The list is very British
  • Exceptions that we noticed: # 1 The Apprentice is a U.S. format; and #34 Babies Behind Bars is a U.S. acquisition.
• There is a lot of nostalgia: the royal stuff, countryside lifestyle magazines, pop culture anniversary specials (for Coronation Street) and so on
• Hosted programs are strong performers, despite their often reported burial.
• For all the chatter about them at recent doc conferences, we expected to see more top-rated ‘fixed rig’ shows inspired by Big Brother, like our favorite One Born Every Minute

Apologies to our UK readers if this is all old hat. And a bit of a repeat from August.

• It’s very challenging stuff to readers who work in the factual sector in most of the rest of the world.

 Screen Tasmania
Factual Entertainment Seminar
Hobart, 5-6 March

• Asia Side of the Doc, Tokyo, 17-21 March
• And attending: MIPDOC

The vibe was all business.

It was an honest industrial experience that had more in common with a trip to Arkansas to pitch Walmart than with the fading glamour of the international program development process at, say, MIP.

• The hotel was locked down against lobby rats, badge swappers and other kinds of gatecrashers.
• Delegates flocked between sessions and pitch meetings in search of some pick or shovel of knowledge that might uncover their “Eureka!” moment.
• Harried commissioners coped with pitch meetings that were often double-booked and timed to the minute.

——————–

UK Factual Ratings 2011

So, it’s a great pleasure to shift our focus to the #2 English-speaking market.

A friend shared a recent a top level report on the average ratings for UK Factual and Documentary programs broadcast last year.

• Our list below shows #36-70 (sometimes with abbreviated titles)
• The data demonstrate the wonderful and enduring British appetite for Unscripted programs delivered across an eclectic range of topics and formats

In our next post from ‘Marvelous Melbourne’:

• Watch out for the UK’s #1-35
• And our Takeaways

The delegation to History Makers and Realscreen is led by Singapore’s Media Development Authority.

Here we are at History Makers, where the organizers and sponsors gave us tremendous support:

The team:

Shimin Loh, MDA; Chih Chong Tan, Sitting In Pictures; William Lim, Xtreme Productions;  Claudine Liss, our senior marketing associate & Peter Hamilton; Li Ling Keh, who is leading this MDA mission; and Galen Yeo, The Moving Visuals.  Angie Swee (Very!) is joining us in Washington.

Also attending from Singapore are Jocelyn Little and Donovan Chan (Beach House), and Tim Baney and Jay Soo (Moving Bits).

Many thanks to all the commissioners, executives and industry participants who met with us or backed our effort.  The list is way too long to include here.

Watch out for our Takeaways, including our video coverage of the panel that I moderated and that featured Italy’s Rai as well as A+E Networks’ new H2 channel, now in 68 million U.S. homes.

This week: more highlights from our weekly Case Studies and commentaries to help you get in shape. And then to figure out: “Phew! What next?”

Here they are:

1. HOW DO NETWORKS EVALUATE PITCHES?

It was one of the highest-rated panels at Realscreen 2011: A+E’s Stephen Harris shares his four filters, and his one-of-a-kind coverage of the O.C. Gaffer pitch from Burnie Burns. Our 3-part demo of how networks cover pitches includes Burnie’s sizzle tape!  Watch it, and you’ll understand how much we want Burnie to be a winner!  Read more…

2. STUDY THE FINANCIAL MODELS!

Our Case Studies cover a range of deals, including Leveraging Aussie Tax Dollars, Twinning with Canada, Making a Pretty Good Living from PBS, and more…

3. MARRY ?

Johnny Gould made a strong argument at Westdoc 2010 that emerging producers are better off working with the skilled development teams at a ‘super- preferred producer’ like Pilgrim.

4. THE PRODUCER’S LIFE CYCLE: BETWEEN BASEMENT AND BUYOUT

Hoff Productions’ veteran Michael Hoff generously shared the ups, downs and ups again of a highly-regarded factual prodco. There are valuable Takeaways here for emerging and established producers, as well as for the commissioners who are on the other side of the table. Read more…

5. UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET ‘SWEET SPOT’

Each concept and pitch must be aligned with what networks pay for programs! What are the budgets for top-rated U.S. Factual programs? You can’t pitch without having a grip on the data published in our Sweet Spots Study!

And BTW, please do  say ‘Hi’ at History and Realscreen.

————-

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

History Makers International
The History Explosion: New Channels & New Audiences
Thursday, January 25

The first official session of History Makers International presents the significant new opportunities for History program makers worldwide.

Speakers
Piero A. Corsini, Series Producer, Rai Educational
Peter Gaffney, Senior Vice President, Programming Strategy, Scheduling and Acquisitions, History & H2
Dirk Hoogstra, Senior Vice President, Development and Programming, History & H2
Moderator
Peter Hamilton, DocumentaryTelevision.com

Where can independent doc creators go:

• For a shot at nearly $2.5 million in funding?
• And for a highly-promoted U.S. slot that averages 1.2 million weekly viewers?

Independent Lens is one of the first stops.

We continue our in depth coverage of Independent Lens with a look at the successful projects for 2012.

First, read:

Independent Lens (1/3: Nearly $2.5 Million for Indie Docs. How Many? How to Get It?

• The pipeline
• Spending
• Budgets
• License fees, and much more

Independent Lens (2/3): The Filters. Who Decides? Acquisition Process.

• Curatorial vision
• The critical Timeline for submissions
• The decision-making process
• Deliverables, and more
  

2012 Lineup

The 2012 lineup follows. (Check local PBS station listings.)

February 2, 2012 – “Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock”
Produced and directed by Sharon LaCruise

February 9, 2012 – “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975”
Directed by Göran Hugo Olsson

February 16, 2012 – “More Than A Month”
Produced and Directed by Shukree Hassan Tilghman

March 29, 2012 – “You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t”
Produced and directed by Scott Kirschenbaum

April 5, 2012 – “Being Elmo”
Produced and directed by Constance Marks

April 12, 2012 – “When the Drum is Beating”
Produced and directed by Whitney Dow

April 19, 2012 – “Revenge of the Electric Car”
Directed by Chris Paine

April 26, 2012 – “Facing the Storm: Story of the American Bison”
Producer and directed by Doug Hawes-Davis

May 3, 2012 – “Circo”
Produced by directed by Aaron Schock

May 10, 2012 – “Summer Pasture”
A film by Lynn True, Nelson Walker III, and Tsering Perlo

May 17, 2012 – “Precious Knowledge”
Directed by Ari Palos

May 24, 2012 – “Hell and Back Again”
Directed by Danfung Dennis

May 31, 2012 – “Left by the Ship”
Produced and Directed by Emma Rossi Landi and Alberto Vendemmiati

June 7, 2012 – “We Were Here”
Directed by David Weissman

July 2012 (date TBA) – “Strong!”
Produced and directed by Julie Wyman

For more information about “Independent Lens,” visit www.pbs.org/independentlens.

POV

We covered the other great PBS strand POV in comparable depth:

• Inside POV: The Flagship PBS Documentary Strand
• Inside PBS’s POV Strand (2/2): Filters & Selection Process
• POV: The PBS Doc Strand Announces the 2011 Schedule

The State of the Single Doc Economy

• Ann Rose’s “5 Takeaways from IFP’s Independent Film Week“
• Did I read “GLUT”?

————-

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

History Makers International
The History Explosion: New Channels & New Audiences

The first official session of History Makers International presents the significant new opportunities for History program makers worldwide.

Speakers
Piero A. Corsini, Series Producer, Rai Educational
Peter Gaffney, Senior Vice President, Programming Strategy, Scheduling and Acquisitions, History & H2
Dirk Hoogstra, Senior Vice President, Development and Programming, History & H2
Moderator
Peter Hamilton, DocumentaryTelevision.com

So how can you make the most from your investment?

Here are highlights from our pipeline of weekly Case Studies, reports and commentaries that will help you get in shape for the upcoming American pitch season.

And send us an email if you require professional assistance with your preparation.

1. UNDERSTAND THE DAILY WORKFLOW OF THE NETWORK DEVELOPER!

A&E’s Stephen Harris generously guided a Silverdocs/WIVF audience through a day in his life as a development exec.  He shares his 4 key filters. Read here..

2. WHO’S GOT THE EDGE?

We call it the ‘vendor efficiency’ principle.  It explains why a handful of producers dominate the Factual sector. Who are they? Read more here…

3. STUDY ‘8 WAYS TO CREATE AN UNSCRIPTED HIT‘

From my audience research panel at Real Screen ‘11, A+E Networks’ brilliant Don Robert shows that Unscripted is king. And he analyzes how the top shows get there! Read here…

4. KNOW WHAT THEY’RE WATCHING?

• Who’s Hot? Who’s Not!!  Our quarterly report, with thanks to Byron Media, asks: What is the relative scale of the audience for 50+/- U.S. factual channels? View the last available quarter’s data here…
• What Do Brits Watch? Our Takeaways on the thriving UK factual market. See the Top 40 here…

5. GET INSPIRED!

It can happen. New star producers do break in! We covered History’s #1 U.S. reality hit Pawn Stars from every angle. Read the story. Check out the data. Study the Pawn Stars pitch reel.  The links are here…

And BTW, congrats yet again to Leftfield!  Here’s the promo clip for their brand-new ABC Network commission…

Click here to view the embedded video.

————-

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

History Makers International
The History Explosion: New Channels & New Audiences

The first official session of History Makers International presents the significant new opportunities for History program makers worldwide.

Speakers
Piero A. Corsini, Series Producer, Rai Educational
Peter Gaffney, Senior Vice President, Programming Strategy, Scheduling and Acquisitions, History & H2
Dirk Hoogstra, Senior Vice President, Development and Programming, History & H2
Moderator
Peter Hamilton, DocumentaryTelevision.com

• Memo to Talent: Re Compensation — Build a self-branded enterprise. Don’t rely on appearance fees. Dirty Jobs‘ Mike Rowe is the model to follow!
• “Speed to Air” matters!
• Work-for-hire versus retaining Rights.
• Renewals and bumps.
• How to pitch – and how to blow a pitch – to History.

The Panelists

Late last year, the key players involved in the rise and rise of the #1 History hit Pawn Stars kindly agreed to share their experience at a panel that we co-produced with the New York State Bar Association.  The speakers were:

• Mary Donahue, Executive Producer, History Channel
• Brent Montgomery, Leftfield Pictures and creator of Pawn Stars
• Rob Miller, Peleton Entertainment, Leftfield’s agent

This week, we complete out coverage of the panel discussion:

6. Q&A. The Deal: The Work-for-Hire Model vs. Producers Retaining Rights (10:34)

• Can producers evolve beyond the work-for-hire model?
• Who retains rights?
• Rob Miller describes some of the financial challenges of the co-production model.

Click here to view the embedded video.

7. Q&A. More on The Deal: Networks and Merchandising Revenue Shares with Talent. They are Disruptive. Renewals & Bumps (10:04)

• What happens when networks want revenue shares with talent?
• Complex merchandising deals with talent complicate the development process.
  • Mary: “Speed to air is very important from a competitive standpoint.”
• Rob Miller leads a discussion of deal points that are addressed at season renewal time.
  • Brent says that talent deals get renewed more often than producer deals.
  • Brent and Mary strongly agree that talent won’t get rich out of appearance fees but from creating or expanding their own enterprises.

Click here to view the embedded video.

8. Q&A. What’s Up Next for Leftfield Pictures? How to Pitch History? And Not! (6:37)

• Mary says that History is open to pitches from all producers – IF the producers understand the brand parameters, particularly that her channel serves a 70% Male audience.
• So if you turn up to History with that pitch for your embroidery series, don’t expect another meeting!

Click here to view the embedded video.

And More

• See the Pawn Stars Panel post #1/4 for the Pawn Stars sizzle reel

Extra Reading

And read our 4-part interview with Brent Montgomery: The Rise and Rise of Pawn Stars and Leftfield Pictures

Leftfield’s hard slog to Vegas (1/4)
Concept, Talent, Sizzle, Pitch, Green Light and Hit (2/4)
After Pawn Stars: A Structure, Doors Open, Renewals, Pitches, Green Lights. What Next?
Pawn Stars: Leftfield Puts Casting Under a Microscope
And Ten Negotiation Secrets of the Pawn Stars by management consulting guru Gary Greene

—————–

GREAT ACCESS TO COMMISSIONERS!

History Makers International
A Summit for Informative Media
January 25-27, 2012
Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City

History Makers International is just around the corner!

Happening Jan. 25 -27, 2012, at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City, this year’s summit for informative media boasts to be the best yet!

History Makers International brings together the world’s best program makers to share their insights on this year’s significant events affecting programming, while also looking forward to future trends in history, archives, and investigative and social issue programming.

This summit attracts the world’s leading producers, development executives, researchers, archive houses, broadcasters, and distributors from over 20 different countries in one place each year.

History Makers International 2012 is poised to be our biggest and best event to date!

Session highlights include:

·        Covering the Arab World: A Master Class With Al Jazeera

·        History Explosion: New Services and Opportunities

·        How Do You Find the Characters in that Character Driven Hit?

And a very special appearance by the production team behind director Martin Scorsese’s documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World. Join us as they discuss how they combined incredible archive and home movies with remixes of demos and original recordings of George Harrison’s music, along with intimate and candid interviews, to make a powerful and moving account of the musical icon’s life.

Plus, use our exclusive online portal to book face-to-face with renowned development executives to pitch your ideas, and make deals.

Preferred Access

For a limited time, we are excited to extend a discounted rate to the DocumentaryTelevision.com community to register for History Makers International and save over $500 on your all-access pass. But, don’t delay – this offer expires Jan. 20, 2012.

Register by Jan. 9, 2012 and be the first in line to book your face-to-face time with internationally renowned development executives! Spaces for these exclusive meeting opportunities are first-come, first-served.

As a DocumentaryTelevision.com reader, attend History Makers International 2012 for a very special discounted price of $649 (expires January 8^th, 2012) Register NOW and save!

Discounted reg link for $649: https://registration.achillesmedia.com/delegate_registration/collect_info?product_id=2072&product_code=hNJy3vmu3Q

There’s an official culture war against subversive “vulgar tendencies” in the media.

But that looks like good news for the documentary sector!

Pendulum? Or Guillotine!

• China’s audiences for edgy Reality series were skyrocketing.
• Reality story lines and characters came to dominate the chatter amongst youthful viewers.
• China’s Communist Party (CCP) leaders were dismayed to see the popular culture gripped by values that were outside their control.
• The CCP slammed on the brakes. The party decreed a huge swing in the programming pendulum from “Entertainment-driven” and back to “Content-driven” television.
• And the media regulator Sarft (State Administration of Radio, Film & Television) issued a cascade of rules that tightened censorship and cut back on the slots for popular entertainments.

Case Study: If You Are the One

In Sunday’s New York Times, reporter Edward Wong brilliantly reveals the story behind the hot dating format that may have been the final straw for party officials.

• If You Are the One (IYATO) is a 90-minute show broadcast in prime time on Saturdays and Sundays.
• The format pits a young male, marriage hopeful against a panel of 24 (!) future Tiger Moms.
• The cast of “leftover girls” and “leftover boys” captures the popular fascination with rich, career-driven, young adults who defer establishing their own families until after they have ‘made it.’
• More than 50 million viewers tuned in to IYATO, which recently earned more than 80% of satellite broadcaster Jiangsu’s $345 million total upfront earnings.

The Crackdown

• The regulator severely limited the number and frequency of Entertainment shows for each broadcaster
• And Sarft limited the total # of formatted shows that could be slotted across all Chinese networks.
• Panels of censors now rate individual shows against benchmarks for “social morality.”
• Meanwhile, broadcasters are racing to overhaul existing and proposed shows to meet the new rules.

“Tone Down. Or Be Cancelled!”

The Times’ Wong summarizes the edicts delivered to two regional broadcasters of dating shows:

• “Do not humiliate and assault participants in the name of dating;
• “Do not discuss vulgar topics involving sex;
• “Do not hype materialism and other unhealthy, incorrect viewpoints on marriage;
• “And do not air the show without censorship and editing.”

 Some Background

• I had worked on the periphery of a CBS News/CCTV syndication deal back in the ‘Eighties.
• And I later helped a handful of U.S. clients to plan media ventures in China.
• Around that time, I ran workshops on Factual TV for Beijing TV execs and producers.
• Back then, China’s Factual production infrastructure and talent were rudimentary, though the industry was taking baby steps.

Here They Come!

• My Eureka! moment for the growing power of China’s doc sector was at last year’s excellent Sunnyside of the Doc Conference in La Rochelle.
• A group of Chinese executives entered our waterfront restaurant, and everyone in the room leapt to their feet as if Ted Turner himself had come for the soupe de poisson.
• “That’s RESPECT!” I thought. Something had changed.

What’s In It for Docs?

Six months and many conversations later, I’m beginning to understand that an array of forces is combining to transform the Chinese Factual sector in ways that will be felt worldwide.

1.Nature Abhors a Vacuum

• There’s a flip side to the banishment of “unhealthy” entertainments from China’s TV schedules.
• Docs are populating the schedules.
• They are the safe choice in the cultural climate.

2.Don’t Under-estimate the Control Economy

• The authorities are making huge investments in the production and distribution of Factual TV.
• They aim to produce programs at all Cost and Quality levels, from Blue Chip Natural History and Adventure to Lifestyle and Instructional content.
• In recent decades, CCP policymakers accomplished giant leaps forward in the movie production, animation and special effects sectors. Why not Factual?
• On the Distribution side, CCTV’s Documentary Channel is thriving. Its executives are valued participants in markets and conferences worldwide. Western partners are lining up to surf China’s doc tide.
• Regional broadcasters are also planning or have launched Factual blocks and channels dedicated to docs.

3.Think Local. Act Global

• China’s documentary mission is in export mode.
• The CCP policymakers were inspired by the success of Al Jazeera English in reframing how many Western opinion leaders look at Middle East culture and events.
• Last year, CCTV took over the old Atlantic Video post-production facility in Washington, and launched a suite of channelsthat is closely modeled on AJE.
  • AJE acquires, commissions and coproduces hundreds of Factual programs on a broad range of topics.
  • It is a valuable potential partner for doc producers. (Read more on AJE in an upcoming DocumentaryTelevision.com.)

4.Scale Really Does Matter!

• 370 +/- million TV households.
• The world’s fastest-growing major economy, year after year.
• That means upside galore for China’s own Factual producers as well as their international partners.

Postscript: What’s Left for the “Leftover” Boys & Girls

This just in from a friend who sells formats in China:

• “We don’t bother with TV right now for certain formats.
• “We go straight to Online.
• “That’s where the young viewers moved, even more after last year’s crackdown.
• “And the advertisers are following them!”

More

• Watch out for lots more coverage of China in 2012.
• Plus our profiles of the German, Canadian and other Factual markets.
• And read: Edward Wong “Culture and Control: China TV Grows Racy, and Gets a Chaperon” The New York Times, January 1, 2012

—————–

GREAT ACCESS TO COMMISSIONERS!

History Makers International
A Summit for Informative Media
January 25-27, 2012
Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City

History Makers International is just around the corner!

Happening Jan. 25 -27, 2012, at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City, this year’s summit for informative media boasts to be the best yet!

History Makers International brings together the world’s best program makers to share their insights on this year’s significant events affecting programming, while also looking forward to future trends in history, archives, and investigative and social issue programming.

This summit attracts the world’s leading producers, development executives, researchers, archive houses, broadcasters, and distributors from over 20 different countries in one place each year.

History Makers International 2012 is poised to be our biggest and best event to date!

Session highlights include:

·        Covering the Arab World: A Master Class With Al Jazeera

·        History Explosion: New Services and Opportunities

·        How Do You Find the Characters in that Character Driven Hit?

And a very special appearance by the production team behind director Martin Scorsese’s documentary George Harrison: Living in the Material World. Join us as they discuss how they combined incredible archive and home movies with remixes of demos and original recordings of George Harrison’s music, along with intimate and candid interviews, to make a powerful and moving account of the musical icon’s life.

Plus, use our exclusive online portal to book face-to-face with renowned development executives to pitch your ideas, and make deals.

Preferred Access

For a limited time, we are excited to extend a discounted rate to the DocumentaryTelevision.com community to register for History Makers International and save over $500 on your all-access pass. But, don’t delay – this offer expires Jan. 20, 2012.

Register by Jan. 9, 2012 and be the first in line to book your face-to-face time with internationally renowned development executives! Spaces for these exclusive meeting opportunities are first-come, first-served.

As a DocumentaryTelevision.com reader, attend History Makers International 2012 for a very special discounted price of $649 (expires January 8^th, 2012) Register NOW and save!

Discounted reg link for $649: https://registration.achillesmedia.com/delegate_registration/collect_info?product_id=2072&product_code=hNJy3vmu3Q

Top experts and decision-makers recently came to New York to throw light on how the commercial TV business is adapting to the disruptive force called “social television.”

I joined them at three conferences:

• The Social TV Summit focused on how the industry is responding to “out-of-the-box” changes.
• The Future of TV Forum examined the industry’s efforts to keep technological disruptions “inside-the-box.”
• And TV of Tomorrow combined these two approaches.

The vibe of all three events was caught by an industry wag who remarked that the old “www” for “World Wide Web” now means video “whatever, whenever, wherever.”

Here are my observations, plus Takeaways for the factual TV sector.

Disruption Is Accelerating

Broadband is a disruptive technology which is challenging the TV business in three critical ways.

• It represents a new way to distribute programming content through either Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) or Over-the-Top (OTT) methods.
• It combines linear programming with a new, more interactive or social media experience through services like Twitter and Facebook.
• It is spawning the addition of a second and sometimes third interactive device (e.g., computer, smartphone or tablet) as part of the viewing experience.

The Old TV Model Has Problems

The broadband disruption comes at a time when the TV business faces significant structural challenges:

• New TV sets sales have stalled, due to the ongoing recession, the failure of 3D-TV to catch on, and the changing viewing habits of the Under 30 demo.
• Cable TV subscribers, especially younger ones, are either “cord cutting” by giving up their $100 a month cable connection, or just not subscribing in the first place. Instead, many are opting for broadband-only access via an alternative set-top device. Examples include a games player, Roku box, computer or smartphone.
• New “cash registers” are dislodging the traditional roles of cable operators and TV networks for collecting subscriber’s fees and advertising revenues.
• These new “cash registers” include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and iTunes.
• This development may lead to a more a la carte programming model, which erodes the viability of traditional cable/satellite operators and TV networks.

Online Video Advertising Will Boom

Veteran media forecaster Jack Myers is bullish on how the online social experience will contribute to significant growth in overall TV advertising.

• He estimates that for 2011, social TV advertising and marketing spending were $150-$200 million.  His projection for 2020 is $8-$12 billion!
• Online video advertising revenues are projected to grow from an $3+/- billion in 2011 to $30 billion in 2020.

Myers forecasts that in 2020, existing “broadcast and cable networks will capture 70% of this spending.”

• That’s very good news for the wave of young programmers and ad sales teams who signed up to work in the ‘Integrated Content’ departments at established linear channels.

Where Are We Headed?

The industry experts who attended the three conferences shared a general outlook on how the TV industry will evolve.

My five Takeaways are intended to capture this consensus and at the same time help documentary and other media makers to map their paths forward:

1.  Social television offers four benefits, and they all need to be orchestrated by content creators and distributors:

• Socially-shared exchanges among viewers.
• Engaging games and voting schemes.
• Value-added information.
• Interactive engagements.

2. The multi-screen TV experience is growing in popularity.

• The challenge is how to effectively utilize the “other screens” to enhance the overall viewing experience.
• As one speaker cleverly put it “Your dual screens shouldn’t duel!”
• Each screen offers a different experience: the big “wall monitor” is for viewing while the smaller smartphone in your hand or tablet in your lap are for engagement.
• Content developers need to engage viewers on each screen.

3. The key to social television is “engagement.”

• “Engagement” is a buzzword that captures the effort by TV producers, programmers and sales departments to overcome the disruptive effects of Twitter, Facebook and other social networking tools, and instead to harness them to strengthen TV ad sales.
• However, “engagement” is not easy to track. Accurate audience measurement lags behind the new TV viewing practices.
• New ratings standards for social TV are an urgent industry need.
• The good news for social TV pioneers is that research shows that multi-platform viewing increases engagement.

4. A strong “call-to-action” in the storyline of feature-length and shorter-form docs is the best means of engaging viewers in the social TV experience.

• The call to action can help with the sale of the doc or other branded products and services, as well as with contributions (of money, time and talent) to the cause associated with the film.

5. If you think cable budgets are rock bottom, get ready for a new haircut by Social TV.

About the Author

David Rosen is a writer and business-development consultant.  He is the author with Peter Hamilton of the indie classic, Off-Hollywood: The Making & Marketing of Independent Films (Grove), originally commissioned by the Sundance Institute and the Independent Feature Project.  David can be emailed here.  For more about David’s writing and services click here and here.

—————–

History Makers International – A Summit for Informative Media
January 25-27, 2012
Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City

History Makers International attracts the world’s leading producers, development executives, researchers, archive houses and distributors from over 20 different countries in one place.

Newly announced sessions at this year’s summit illustrate the diverse concerns of program makers and their rapidly changing World.

The creators of George Harrison, Living in a Material World have agreed to show us how they combined their incredible archive and home movies with remixes of original recordings of Beattles’ songs and Harrison’s later pieces, and intimate and candid interviews, to make a powerful and fresh story.

Covering the Arab World: A Master Class With Al Jazeera -Al Jazeera has managed to create a unique on the ground approach, which has resulted in an amazing body of tough and authentic programs covering all the front lines that have been in the headlines.

The first recipient of our Outstanding Achievement Award for Archive Preservation and Restoration will be presented to Serge Bromberg of Lobster Films, Paris. As well as receiving the Award, Serge will present his highly entertaining Archive Cabaret, including a presentation of George Melies’ 1902 colour classic A Trip to the Moon.

In the year of the Obama election contest, we will be featuring the largest archive of African American History, Chicago based, The HistoryMakers. The founder and Executive Director Julieanna Richardson will be conducting a tour of this unique collection.

The Development Executives for Feature Documentaries for AE Network’s History, Molly Thompson and HBO’s Nancy Abraham will join Simon Chinn, producer of Man on Wire and Project Nim to discuss the art of successfully producing full length documentaries for Television and Cinema.

These join our already announced sessions on NHK and the Tsunami, the new AE Networks’ H2 Channel, finding the characters in reality series “Swamp People” and “American Restoration” and Opportunities for Games Integration and Interactive Storytelling to make this one of the richest mix of experiences ever at History Makers International…

As a DocumentaryTelevision.com reader, attend History Makers International 2012 for a very special discounted price of $649 (expires January 8^th, 2012) Register NOW and save!

Discounted reg link for $649: https://registration.achillesmedia.com/delegate_registration/collect_info?product_id=2072&product_code=hNJy3vmu3Q

We invited our valued, long-time colleague Al Cattabiani to share his year-end survey, including his three big Takeaways for the non-fiction sector.

By Al Cattabiani
Senior Biz Dev and Home Entertainment Consultant

 Topline

• The U.S. home entertainment industry grew this year for the first time since 2008.
• 3Q sales rose to $3.9 billion from about $3.7 billion a year ago.
• Discs are still viable:
• They account for most of the $19B in annual home entertainment revenues.
• Blu-ray growth more-or-less offsets a continuing decline in DVD.   Avatar helped convert consumers to the HD format.
• Studios love Blu-ray, since it is more profitable than other delivery systems. They support it with aggressive promotion and protective windows.
• Broadband delivery is experiencing frenetic activity, experimentation and success.
• “OTT” services bypass cable/satellite operators by going “over the top” of set-top boxes. They are generating meaningful revenue for program suppliers.
• Leaders like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and Yahoo are investing in new channels and original programming.
• The financial models vary:
• The disc model is driven by individual transactions (sales or rentals).
• OTT revenues come from subscriptions, like Netflix, or from advertisers, like YouTube and Yahoo.
• VOD is showing real strength, too, having recently overtaken video-store rentals in total revenue.

OTT: KEY TRENDS

Cord-cutting & Cord-shaving

The fastest changes are occurring in OTT delivery.

• “Cord cutting” i.e. cancelling cable/satellite subscriptions in favor of online delivery, is a source of industry anxiety.
• The U.S. pay TV industry lost nearly 200,000 subscribers in 2Q’11.
• The six largest U.S. cable and satellite providers lost 580,000+/- customers in 2Q’11, the biggest decline ever.
• Most cord-cutting, however, seems to be driven by a weak economy, with subscriber losses weighed heavily amongst lower income subscribers.
• “Cord shaving” i.e. eliminating premium channels through OTT, may become the more prevalent trend.
• The bottom line is that the cable/satellite industry is mature, and factual cable channels like Discovery, History and Nat Geo can no longer count on an expanding subscriber base to increase their viewing audiences.

“TV Anywhere”

• Cable/satellite providers – and premium networks – are fighting back with various “TV Anywhere” solutions that allow their paying customers to view programs on any device.
• HBO Go is a particularly well-executed service that offers HBO Documentaries.
• There’s a similar push on the disc side:  UltraViolet enables DVD/Blu-ray buyers to access their purchases via a digital “locker” in the Cloud, another example of a traditional provider adapting new technology to keep its customers.

OTT PLAYERS

YOUTUBE

• Google’s YouTube remains by far the most popular video site, with 21 billion videos shared in October 2011.
• This year, YouTube made a major commitment to professional production, which advertisers prefer to user-generated content (UGC).
• It recently allocated $100M to underwrite 100 new channels.
• Many are from mainstream providers like Lionsgate, Freemantle and The Wall Street Journal.
• Others are from online creators like Felicia Day of The Guild and Internet-friendly stars like Rainn Wilson and Ashton Kutcher.

NETFLIX

• Netflix now counts 23.8 million U.S. subscribers, more than cable operator Comcast’s 22.5 million.
• In contrast to its DVD business, with its huge pipeline of new releases and vast catalog, Netflix’s streaming business focuses on exclusive, original properties.
• For example, earlier this year Netflix committed $100+/- million for House of Cards, an original, 26 episode, drama series featuring Kevin Spacey.
• Netflix recently greenlit Lilyhammer, a Norwegian- produced 8 x 45” crime series featuring Sopranos’ Steven Van Zandt.  The budget is $6+/- million.
• These original productions are high-profile and high-cost to compete directly with commercial and pay TV.
• Interestingly, 40% of Netflix subscribers report a decline in their TV viewing.

HULU

• Its first original efforts were short-form, low-cost series like The Morning After, a daily wrap-up of TV news.
• Hulu is now underwriting full-length unscripted series like Morgan Spurlock’s, A Day in the Life.
• Because Hulu’s viewers are accustomed to TV-quality and -length programming, these upcoming originals will likely be backed by cable-scaled production budgets.

YAHOO

• Yahoo’s massive home-page traffic provides a launch pad for its video content.
• It focuses on short-form, less expensive originals.
• Yahoo Studios had all 10 of the top 10 most-watched online video series in Aug ‘11, according to comScore.
• Primetime in No Time is the all-time leader, exceeding over 500 million monthly streams.
• Seven new web series were launched in Oct ‘11, all targeting female audiences.
• Yahoo!Screen, a Hulu-style interface, will be the home for all Yahoo video content.

APPLE / MICROSOFT

• No discussion of OTT would be complete without mentioning Apple and Microsoft.
• The Apple rumor mill always operates at high speed.  Much of the recent chatter has centered on a next generation of TV hardware, possibly powered by Siri voice-activation instead of a traditional remote.
• For its part, Microsoft recently made deals with 30+ suppliers and MSOs (including HBO, Fios and Bravo) for its Xbox LIVE platform.

FACEBOOK

• Facebook is a distant 2^nd to YouTube in videos viewed
• comScore reports that 346 million videos were viewed on Facebook in October 2011.
• With more than 800 million active users, Facebook and is expected to emerge soon as a power in online video.

TAKEAWAYS FOR DOCUMENTARIANS

1. The good news is that the fluid OTT landscape is opening up new opportunities for a next generation of producers, and at a time when doc slots are shrinking on broadcast and cable channels.

• Much of the content is non-fiction.
• Most of the OTT platforms have year-round development cycles and reasonably streamlined decision-making processes.
• But there’s furious competition for finite “green lights.”
• And budgets are generally smaller than for traditional television.

2. Looking at non-fiction categories, there are a few trends worth noting:

• There is an emerging space for documentary “auteurs.”  For example, Morgan Spurlock enjoys deals with both Yahoo and Hulu.
• Lifestyle programming works well in OTT, since it fits nicely – by topic and category – into search.  5min.com (acquired last year by AOL) and Howcast have built real businesses based on this content.
• Reality programming is a different matter.  Most consumers discover these character-driven series on television, with OTT providing “catch up” viewing.

3. Search is vital, so pick a good title.

• Remember the search engines:  Consumers often discover online programming via search.  And organic search is far more powerful than paid search.
• A strong, clear title will really help your cause!

Next Week: Social TV. And ‘The New WWW’ I.e. “Whatever! Whenever! Wherever!”

Our intrepid reporter David Rosen attends three big New York conferences that address responses to the disruptive influence of ‘social television’ on the commercial TV business.

About Al Cattabiani

Al is a serial entrepreneur and advisor focused on content and distribution.  He is probably best known as co-founder and CEO of Wellspring Media, the indie-film label he sold several years ago.  Since then, he has helped launch several young companies, like Toronto-based iThentic.com, which produces and distributes original web series.  His latest startup is TheRuckus.com, a comedy venture featuring JB Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), where he is one of several partners.  Al also consults — typically on strategy and biz dev — for companies, foundations and individual artists.

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History Makers International – A Summit for Informative Media
January 25-27, 2012
Millennium Broadway Hotel, New York City

History Makers International attracts the world’s leading producers, development executives, researchers, archive houses and distributors from over 20 different countries in one place each year.

Newly announced sessions at this year’s summit illustrate the diverse concerns of program makers and their rapidly changing World.

The creators of George Harrison, Living in a Material World have agreed to show us how they combined their incredible archive and home movies with remixes of original recordings of Beattles’ songs and Harrison’s later pieces, and intimate and candid interviews, to make a powerful and fresh story.

Covering the Arab World: A Master Class With Al Jazeera -Al Jazeera has managed to create a unique on the ground approach, which has resulted in an amazing body of tough and authentic programs covering all the front lines that have been in the headlines.

The first recipient of our Outstanding Achievement Award for Archive Preservation and Restoration will be presented to Serge Bromberg of Lobster Films, Paris. As well as receiving the Award, Serge will present his highly entertaining Archive Cabaret, including a presentation of George Melies’ 1902 colour classic A Trip to the Moon.

In the year of the Obama election contest, we will be featuring the largest archive of African American History, Chicago based, The HistoryMakers. The founder and Executive Director Julieanna Richardson will be conducting a tour of this unique collection.

The Development Executives for Feature Documentaries for AE Network’s History, Molly Thompson and HBO’s Nancy Abraham will join Simon Chinn, producer of Man on Wire and Project Nim to discuss the art of successfully producing full length documentaries for Television and Cinema.

These join our already announced sessions on NHK and the Tsunami, the new AE Networks’ H2 Channel, finding the characters in reality series “Swamp People” and “American Restoration” and Opportunities for Games Integration and Interactive Storytelling to make this one of the richest mix of experiences ever at History Makers International…

As a DocumentaryTelevision.com reader, attend History Makers International 2012 for a very special discounted price of $649 (expires January 8^th, 2012) Register NOW and save!

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