Programming Profile

Fox Entertainment’s sales division says its ‘skillset and mindset’ continues to distinguish it from rivals, as it bulks up its slate with new titles from MarVista, Bento Box and TMZ ahead of its second Mipcom appearance.

After officially launching around 13 months ago, sales division Fox Entertainment Global (FEG) is heading to its second Mipcom with a significantly expanded slate, featuring titles from across various parts of the Fox Entertainment ecosystem.

“Last year’s launch was really about moving quickly and getting out there in front of our customers and starting the conversation – but also listening. This year’s appearance at Mipcom is about going several levels deeper,” says Tony Vassiliadis, chief operating officer of FEG and MarVista Entertainment.

Whereas last year, FEG’s offering primarily comprised shows produced for the main Fox broadcast network in the US, this year it is also bringing titles produced for its fast-growing AVoD platform Tubi, which has grown to capture around 1% of the total streaming audience in America.

The launch of FEG marked Fox Entertainment’s return to the international TV marketplace after Fox’s entertainment assets were sold to Disney in 2019. The company has been steadily growing in the years since by launching and acquiring various studio assets, including Fox Entertainment Alternative (FAE), Fox Entertainment Studios, MarVista Entertainment, Bento Box Entertainment, TMZ and Studio Ramsay Global, in addition to its US$440m purchase of Tubi in 2020.

FEG has also this month beefed up its sales team with the appointment of industry veteran David Smyth as executive VP of content sales, based in London and reporting to Vassiliadis. Smyth will start his new position in January 2024.

“We want FEG to be a one-stop-shop for Fox content, both for linear networks and streaming platforms, across all the content verticals: series, unscripted and factual, and longform movies,” says Vassiliadis, adding that the primetime shows are “tailored for co-viewing, but as you look closer, you have the opportunities to target specific audiences with additional content in those content verticals.”

Key titles on the slate at Mipcom 2023 will include adult animation shows Krapopolis, created and executive produced by Dan Harmon (Rick & Morty, Community) and Grimsburg, starring Jon Hamm, as well as single-camera live-action comedy Animal Control, starring Joel McHale. Krapopolis recently launched as television’s most-watched animation series to debut over the past decade and Harmon’s most-watched animated series telecast ever.

Among its unscripted offerings are David Spade-hosted gameshow Snake Oil and singing competition series The Masked Singer, both produced by in-house studio FAE, and culinary competition series Next Level Chef from Studio Ramsay Global.

FEG is putting a particular push behind Snake Oil, which sees contestants pitched unique products by persuasive entrepreneurs. Some of them are pitching real business ventures while others are ‘snake oil salesmen’ peddling fake products. Contestants must identify which products are real, with the assistance of celebrity advisors, for a chance to win cash prizes. The show is produced by FAE and Electric Avenue Productions, the company led by Canadian producer, podcaster and actor Will Arnett (Lego Masters, Arrested Development).

In addition to shopping the finished tape, FEG is also introducing the Snake Oil format to international buyers at Mipcom. Vassiliadis says his team believes the format could work well in markets outside the US. “There’s a very positive aspect to this format being tailored to specific territories, because you could potentially highlight local entrepreneurs, or dial up the comedic elements. In addition to being a vehicle for entertainment, it can also be a vehicle for inspiration,” he says.

While the strikes in the US will likely mean there’s a bigger focus on unscripted fare at Mipcom, Vassiliadis says he is confident Snake Oil has the ability to “stand out and break the mould.”

FEG will also be selling more than 20 new movies from MarVista and Bento Box Entertainment, spanning holiday, animation, thriller and drama titles.

Holiday-themed movies from MarVista include Rescuing Christmas, Christmas Revisited and Christmas Serenade, while the company is also offering drama movies such as God’s Grace: The Sheila Johnson Story, Below Deck Deceit and Deadly DILF. Meanwhile, Bento Box-produced animated features being shopped by FEG include Big Bruh, Millennial Hunter and Pastacolypse.

The Tubi originals joining the FEG slate will be an important sales driver, says Vassiliadis, as the platform’s programming strategy is somewhat geared toward fast-turnaround programming that capitalises on specific stories that are in the zeitgeist or cultural conversation.

One such example is Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial, about the defamation suit brought by Johnny Depp against Amber Heard, which premiered just two months after the trial concluded, or Tubi’s documentary on the infamous Murdaugh Murders.

Vassiliadis says the strategy is to sell higher volumes of quick-turnaround programming that can meet buyers’ needs on a year-round basis.

“Because of the timeliness of the content, we want to create an ongoing dialogue between FEG and our international clients so they can be acquiring this content quickly and topically when it makes the biggest impact for their audiences as well,” he says.

Another in-house unit specialising in fast-turnaround programming is TMZ, which is becoming an increasingly prominent piece of the business. However, some don’t realise the extent of TMZ’s work, says Vassiliadis, and are only aware of the celebrity-focused stories published on its website.

“We want to continue to educate the international marketplace about what TMZ really is, and all the content that is coming from it. It’s much more than celebrities; it’s a fast-moving investigative group with the ability to tell compelling stories. It’s much more than a daily show and a website. Those things are great for brand recognition, but at its core it’s an investigative unit that knows how to work very quickly to produce topical content that’s relevant to our audience.

“TMZ is geared to do that. It’s already bringing content to the table, and there’s much more to come, particularly in true crime.”

One key differentiator for Fox, according to Vassiliadis, is that it is not attached to a global streaming entity and has the flexibility to sell its shows to any international partners. As such, Fox Entertainment has kept an “ad-supported skillset and mindset,” he argues, with a focus on four-quadrant audiences.

Hitting those broad-based audiences is large part of the strategy for Fox Entertainment, and Vassiliadis says his goal is to understand some of the challenges and pain points being experienced by its traditional international broadcast clients, as well as some of the newer international streaming services.

“For the emerging streaming platforms launching in different territories, what are their priorities? What are their audience targets? What are their content needs? Where are the intersections with what we’re doing and where can we combine efforts?” he asks. “The roadmap will be dictated by listening to clients.”

In addition to selling finished tape and formats, FEG will also be in Cannes to begin and advance conversations about potential coproduction, co-development and co-financing partnerships – a part of the business that will become increasingly important in the years to come, says Vassiliadis.

“We’re really thinking about creating sustainable business models by building those bridges internationally and getting creative with our partners. That’s where we see the future,” he says.