Upfronts are a changing landscape, with how we consume TV and film shifting rapidly throughout the industry. Now we see Sony Pictures Television team up with their sister-studio, the Game Show Network, for another industry first. Blake & Wang P.A entertainment lawyer, Brandon Blake, has the insider information.
A Shifting Landscape
We’ve already explored how live-event TV and game shows remain two of the most popular Linear TV offerings, with scripted and unscripted programming mostly retreating to the streaming space. This new announcement seems to reinforce that perspective. Both entities will be placing a renewed focus on how live viewing and ‘TV games’ allow for brand integration and buoyant viewer numbers despite the challenges offered by streaming popularity.
This means we will see long-time genre staples like Jeopardy up in lights alongside new programming like the Sony marquee property The Good Doctor, entering off-network syndication from September this year.
Active Linear TV
The entirety of the Game Show Network remains a high-penetration linear channel despite a growing digital presence, so it makes sense for Sony to leverage that for greater attention during Upfronts. It reports production growth of 32% over the 2020 benchmarks, bringing 350 hours of original programming to the table. Alongside Jeopardy; People Puzzler, a spin-off from People magazine’s notorious crossword puzzles, America Says, Master Minds and Chain Reaction all remain immensely popular properties. They also have newer trivia-based programming in the works to tease.
Sony itself is, of course, the home of Wheel of Fortune, King of Queens, S.W.A.T, and the ever-popular reruns of Seinfeld.
The stated aims of the partnership include fostering consistency and confidence in the networks for advertisers and viewers alike, and boosting their profiles as ‘reliable and trusted environments’ for advertisers to connect with consumers.
It’s the first, but no doubt not the last, time we’ve seen a major industry player leverage their popular linear content to reassure and interest advertisers, so it will be interesting to see how advertisers respond to the change.
Film and Television 