Turner: Beefing Up Content Collection

Complete

Coverage: Upfronts 2013

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STRATEGY: Turner Broadcasting continued to show media buyers it is pumping money into original content to offer cable networks TNT and TBS as an ever-stronger alternative to broadcast networks.

Turner Broadcastings entertainment networks

showed advertisers and media buyers a broad array of new dramas, comedies and

reality shows at last weeks upfront presentation, getting closer to its goal

of offering original fare year-round.

The presentation was headlined by Turner Entertainment Networks president Steve

Koonin, who admitted to having pulling some stunts at past upfronts, even

confessing that in a last-ditch effort to make you, our advertising partners,

pony up more money, it was me who pulled the plug on the power at Turners 2011 upfront. That year, Koonin stepped into

the breach, keeping buyers from walking out until the presentation could

continue. I thought getting you to sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat with me

would be a bonding moment, he said.

This years stunt involved Koonin going off stage and being replaced by doubles

who turned cartwheels, juggled while riding a unicycle and break danced.

But Koonin was not being overly theatrical when he claimed that these days,

basic cable has become an oxymoron. Theres nothing basic about it, adding

that cable is as good as broadcast. Turner, a leader in the push to put

original shows on cable, is looking toward the next horizon of becoming a

multiscreen video company who serves multiple audiences, Koonin added.

Part of that transformation involved the announcement that Turner this summer

will offer live streams of TBS and TNT through the networks websites and via a

pair of new apps. Turner has streaming agreements covering subscribers of

Comcast, DirecTV, Dish, Cox, Charter, Cablevision, AT&T and Verizon. Tablets

and smartphones become television sets, bringing new opportunities for us and

for advertisers, Koonin said.

Michael Wright, president and head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner

Classic Movies, introduced clips from a number of new shows, barely mentioning

the long list of high-rated series on TNT. New TNT dramas include King &

Maxwell, Cold Justice, Lost Angels and The Last Ship.

New TBS comedies include Who Gets the Last Laugh?; Deon Coles Black

Box; Deal With It; Trust Me, Im a Game Show Host; Ground

Floor and The CeeLo Life (working title). And Conan OBrien

introduced Pete Holmes, whose show is scheduled to join TBS late-night lineup

in November.

Wright also talked about projects in development with Steven Spielberg, Steve

Carell, Diablo Cody, Denis Leary, Sylvester Stallone, Dick Wolf, Nicholas

Sparks, Marcia Clark, Dee Johnson, Walt Becker, Jamie Foxx and James Duff. Great

stories are the centerpiece of our business, he said. Great stories come from

great writers.

Turner also told advertisers it has new ways to turn viewers into customers,

using technologies and big data to more precisely target audiences. And Frank

Sgrizzi, executive VP of Turner Entertainment ad sales, said Turners Fan Up

initiatives early results were pretty incredible in the [Time Warner] Media

Lab.

I stand here as part of the new Turner, added closer Donna Speciale,

president of Turner Entertainment & Animation ad sales. Were researching

the behavior of the consumer, and were always listening to you.

E-mail comments to jlafayette@nbmedia.com

and follow him on Twitter: @jlafayette

LINK:	http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/upfront-central/turner-beefing-c...
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