Syndicators Urged To Create More Shows

To generate more hits, the television syndication industry must step up and develop more potential shows, according to a panel of top programming executives.

“On the network, one show hits for every eight that are developed,” said Tracie Wilson, EVP of creative affairs at NBC Universal. “In syndication, we were only doing one or two. If you invest more, you’ll find more hits.”

Frank Cicha, EVP programming at Fox Television Stations, agreed. “It’s simple math, but it’s also about doing more shows with as many partners as we can have.”

Wilson and Cicha appeared Wednesday with three other programming executives on a panel, “The State of the Syndication Industry,” at the NATPE Miami Marketplace and Conference in Miami Beach.

Testing provides a cost-effective way to develop more shows, Cicha said. “There’s a lot of production budget that in a test you just do not spend. We’re not going to pay millions to pay an ad agency for a campaign to promote the show. In the end, it’s about the talent and the show, not the billboard.”

Mort Marcus, co-president of program distributor Debmar-Mercury and a long-time proponent of testing syndicated shows before deciding to launch them, agreed. “A test is like an expensive pilot. The ratings are least important. They matter, but you get to see [the show} and feel it and 10 years later we have Wendy Williams.”

Costs can also be shaved by changing the business model, Wilson added. “Ten years ago, we changed the model on the conflict shows. They share one stage, production staff, accounting team. Now we’re looking at what’s next and it’s probably partnerships.”

Adding new revenue streams, including digital, OTT and international sales, can help fund syndicated shows. “We’re so bullish on syndication because of the multiple revenue streams, especially for games,” said Dave Noll, co-founder of production company Keller/Noll.

Wilson agreed: “For the first time, we are looking at digital in a way we haven’t before.”

Marcus agreed but maintained that syndicators must share their digital revenue with their partners in broadcasting. “There’s a social and digital play to it, and we think it has to go in that direction, but we would share that revenue with the stations,” he said.

Cicha argued that both syndicator and station group have to be able to profit to keep a show on the air. “It’s about collaboration. We realize deals have to be good for both sides, and if it means more platforms, do it. The days of fighting for exclusivity are gone.”

Wilson added that she’d like to see the new Kelly Clarkson show on the streaming service that NBC has announced it will launch. “We are open to putting a show in as many places as possible.”

Industry consolidation is once again raising the stakes for program syndicators, as Nexstar Media Group prepares to merge with Tribune Media and Gray Television recently absorbed Raycom.

“There are fewer voices making decisions,” Marcus said. “It’s a little scary because one ‘yes’ or one ‘no’ is a high swing, but [syndication] is still a real marketplace and at the end of the day we are bullish on the whole thing.

“There’s far less off-network programming coming into the marketplace, like sitcoms,” Marcus said, “and there are shows that have been on the air a long time so contracts are ending and people are retiring.

In addition, Marcus said, syndication offers advertisers something they don’t get as much of on network TV: live commercial viewing. “The networks only get about 40% live viewing now,” he said. “On syndication, it’s a live ad. Syndication has surfaced as a place where advertisers can know that when their commercials air, they will be live.”

Read more NATPE 2019 coverage here.

Editor’s note: This story updated to correct Tracie Wilson’s last name.