Expanding schedules

TALKING SHOP: Christian Wikander, head of drama at Swedish pubcaster SVT, tells C21 about the firm’s programming mission for the next 12 months, plus plans for a new original comedy slot in 2016.

Wikander also explains how SVT balances locally produced shows and acquired content on its schedules and why coproductions are vital for the broadcaster to survive.

“We have set out to do comedy with eight half-hours and two titles of that per year,” he says.

Talking more broadly, Wikander adds: “We are definitely in need of coproductions and I would say that need goes beyond Scandinavia because Scandinavia has been coproducing for many years. We need to have a couple of projects which are financed outside of this region.”