Programming Everywhere: The Complete Videos

TVNewsCheck’s Programming Everywhere was the first conference event to tackle the entire content ecosystem including live linear, syndication and streaming. The April 16 event, held at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, featured executives from all corners of the industry from syndication buyers and sellers to content producers, news leaders, network chiefs and streaming heads.

FAST Channels and the Evolution of Broadcasting looked at the options FAST channels have opened up for viewers and the opportunities they give advertisers. Scott Ehrlich, chief innovation officer and head of corporate strategy, Sinclair Broadcast Group; Shawn Makhijani, SVP, business development and strategy, NBCUniversal Stations & NBC Spot On; Sarah Katt, SVP programming, The Hill; Marian Pittman, EVP content, product & innovation, Cox Media Group; Takashi Nakano, senior director of business development and content acquisitions, Samsung; and Blair Harrison, CEO, Frequency joined moderator Adam Wiener, founder, Continuous Media, for the discussion.

The Future of Sports on Broadcast TV looked at how with relentless cord-cutting undermining cable, local broadcasters hope to reclaim TV rights and once again become the homes of the home teams. Brian Lawlor, president, Scripps Sports, The E.W. Scripps Co.; Kerry Bubolz, president-CEO, Las Vegas Golden Knights; Ed Desser, founder-president, Desser Sports Media and Desser Media; Lee H. Berke, president-CEO, LHB Sports, Entertainment & Media; and Dan Marshall, EVP, global SaaS sales, Amagi, joined moderator Adam Wiener for the conversation.

Syndication’s Changing Business Model considered how exclusivity, streaming rights and the quest for profitable programming are high on the list of challenges facing the relationship between syndicated program producer/distributors and TV station groups. Frank Cicha, EVP programming, Fox Television Stations; Mort Marcus, co-president, Debmar-Mercury; Dave Howitt, SVP of programming, Sinclair Broadcast Group; Tom Zappala, SVP, content and programming, The E.W. Scripps Co.; and Zack Hernandez, SVP & general sales manager, U.S. syndication sales, Sony Pictures Television, joined Paige Albiniak, contributing editor, TVNewsCheck, for the panel.

In Conversation: Anthony Zuiker On Creating New Shows That Break The Mold, featured a one-on-one discussion with the acclaimed television writer, producer and author Anthony Zuiker on how broadcasters can address their desperate need for fresh programming. TVNewsCheck Editor Michael Depp moderated.

Fresh Approaches to the News Franchise considered how TV station groups are experimenting like never before with their most important genre: the local newscast, with each sharing examples of their work. Chad Cross, VP content development, CBS News and Stations; Kate O’Brian, president, Scripps News; Jamie Grey, managing editor of investigations, InvestigateTV, Gray Television; Ozzie Martinez, EVP of news, original programming and standards, Telemundo Station Group, NBCUniversal Local; and Rick Weiss, director, SciLine, joined moderator Michael Depp for the conversation.

Rethinking Genres: Games, Travel, Talk and More also took a show-and-tell approach to how TV station groups are developing new approaches to game shows, talk, magazines lifestyle and destination programming. Erin Johnson, executive producer, Entertainment Tonight; Andrew Fitzgerald, SVP, streaming video services, Hearst Television; Stephen Brown, EVP of programming and development, Fox First Run and Fox Television Stations; Meredith McGinn, EVP of diginets & original production, NBCUniversal Local; and Michaela Pereira, host, Michaela, joined moderator Michael Depp for the talk.

Mining the Archives for New Shows looked at how TV station groups and other program producers are mining their archives to create compelling new shows and setting up lucrative licensing businesses in the process. Nora Zimmett, president, news & original series, The Weather Channel; Ben Ramos, VP, Fox Archives, field and emerging technology, Fox News; Jon Accarrino, VP of transformation and strategic initiatives, Capitol Broadcasting Co.; and Sam Peterson, COO, Bitcentral, joined moderator Michael Depp for the discussion.

Strategies for Building A Content Everywhere Business examined how station groups can build an everywhere programming lineup, then brand it and promote it to consumers locally and around the world. Steve Pruett, executive chair, Cox Media Group; Sean Compton, president, networks, Nexstar Media; Adrianne Anderson, SVP of content development and creative services, ABC Owned Stations; Pat LaPlatney, co-CEO and president, Gray Television; and Brad Wall, CTO, LTN, joined moderator Paige Albiniak for the session.