TORONTO – As it faces a shrinking cable TV landscape and still needing buzzy shows to entice advertisers and compete with Netflix, the biggest headline from Corus Entertainment's upfront presentation Monday was that rookie and returning American content will remain front and center, especially on Global TV, as the media company remakes itself for the streaming era.
"We're transforming too," Corus CEO and president Doug Murphy said against the backdrop of the Evergreen Brick Works, an abandoned brick factory along Toronto’s Don Valley turned into an urban innovation hub for sustainable city-building.
Given the focus on originals at Netflix and Amazon, Corus by contrast gave its pride of place during its presentation to licensed U.S. series in what it sees as an increasingly premium programming environment.
As well, as Corus rolled out a myriad of brands like Adult Swim for millenials and Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas and Slice for women, it was keen to illustrate how much of a multiplatform player it has become with broadcast, cable channels, streaming, social media content and much else in between.
Canadian advertisers heard, amid glitzy graphics, fire machines and a "Corus Chorus" choir on stage, they can buy everything they want, and need, from Corus, including stability. "Only one media company can give you everything you need," Murphy boasted after a video skit in which he and chief revenue officer Greg McLelland lip synced The Pointer Sisters' 'I'm So Excited.'
"TV is an essential part of brand building," McLelland added to remind advertisers and agency execs who in recent years have embraced rising digital video platforms, steadily upending the economics of Canadian TV.
Bringing on stage Tom Payne to tout the rookie series Prodigal Son, and Patricia Heaton to promote her comedy Carol's Second Act, Troy Reeb, executive vice president of broadcast networks for Corus Entertainment, pointed to "premium brands” like the returning Global series Survivor, 9-1-1, NCIS and New Amsterdam to underline the power and possibility of licensed American content and local format adaptations for his 2019-2020 TV schedule.
"Get your integrations ready.” – Troy Reeb, Corus
"Get your integrations ready,” said Reeb as he did his best to tout marketing opportunities as plans for an eighth season of Big Brother Canada were unveiled.
Despite Hollywood studios and streamers investing billions of dollars in original content, acquired shows on traditional TV platforms continue to drive ratings for Corus, but how Canadians watch TV is changing, and how they subscribe to and consume their favourite shows and channels via streaming services is also evolving.
Fighting back as its portfolio of mainstream and niche channels no longer hold as much sway with TV viewers as Apple, AT&T and Disney get set to join Netflix and Amazon in the direct-to-consumer streaming space, Corus unveiled new bets on digital during its upfront presentation, too.
There's new branded content opportunities for advertisers with the launch of so.da originals, partnering with Twitter on digital branded content, launching Complex Networks in Canada and introducing StackTV, featuring a dozen Corus linear networks live and on demand, to tap Amazon’s powerhouse retail reach via its Prime Video Channels launch, which was announced Monday and made available to Prime subscribers Tuesday.
StackTV, which combines content from Adult Swim and National Geographic with Teletoon and YTV, is launching into a crowded Canadian streaming space. Amazon Prime Video as a streaming subscription offering will also have big U.S. services like Starz (through a deal via Bell Media), MGM, Sundance Now and Nickelodeon on offer.
And advertisers also have more options these days, though Corus execs warned brand and agency clients that emerging digital video platforms are not as tried and tested as Global TV and its niche channels like Food Network Canada and HGTV Canada. "Google, Amazon, they have sophisticated models and they are seeing in real time that TV works," McLelland told them as he nodded back to traditional TV for its mass audience reach.
Corus execs also addressed the possibility they may have to give up their popular premium American shows should the Hollywood studios eventually decide to retain the rights to shows they own and license to stream them on upcoming direct-to-consumer services reaching into Canada.
Daniel Eves, senior vice president of TV Networks at Corus Entertainment, told Cartt.ca there was more U.S. content available to his networks at the recent Los Angeles Screenings, not less, as Netflix and Amazon didn't figure in the bidding for studio fare. "This year, as each of those American companies consolidate and create in their own U.S. OTT products, there's less interest in supporting a Netflix or Amazon worldwide, from a selling content perspective," Eves said.
“They're looking for the win to be across the board, to have a great conventional network, to reach people on other platforms and have an OTT service to complement that.” – Daniel Eves, Corus
Still, that leaves Corus (and Bell and Rogers) dependent on American series to drive its TV schedules as it plots a new course when it comes to IP ownership (including having to aggressively bargain for digital rights) to bring Canadians popular shows that Global TV and its niche channels have become known.
Eves does see the Hollywood studios becoming increasingly preoccupied with their own upcoming streaming services, but not moving away from TV advertising to support their business models, at least anytime soon. "I don't believe they see themselves moving away from advertising, that they will move away from the systems with the providers they have today. The complete reversal of everything – if it were to happen and I don't believe it would – would be in way more years," Eves insisted.
He concedes the major studios could go OTT in Canada, "but they're looking for the win to be across the board, to have a great conventional network, to reach people on other platforms and have an OTT service to complement that.”
Down the road Eves sees Hollywood studios mindful of the value in continuing to partner with Corus and other Canadian broadcasters, rather than shoulder them aside.
"It will be about continuing our relationships, growing them on multiple platforms by seeing what we can do to launch together," he argued.
