Deep in the bowels of this year’s Casbaa (Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia) convention, Peter Iacono is thinking up television shows that might appeal to Asian viewers.
“We could do a Bollywood Coronation Street,” he muses, refering to the legendary ITV soap that is set in the cobbled streets of working-class Salford, in the north of England.
It’s typical of the freewheeling, and entertainment-obsessed, style of Iacono’s conversation, which befits a man who made his name in movies. After a lengthy stint with Sony Pictures, Iacono became head of ITV Global Entertainment at the beginning of this year as part of the UK channel’s ambitious attempt to double its global revenues, currently sitting at around £150 million (US$229.8 million), by 2012.
Iacono’s trip to Hong Kong marks the latest in a series of steps to bring this strategy to fruition. He used the Casbaa event to announce the launch of Granada TV, a dedicated ITV offering for Asian audiences that has, so far, inked distribution deals on satellite and in India.
“We’re 20 per cent of the way there,” says Iacono, but the journey has been steady rather than spectacular. In 2006, ITV charged former Bloomberg executive James Ross with formulating its Asia business plan, and the new channel marks the culmination of two years of work. Together, Iacono and Ross are an engaging duo, but a certain steel is evident whenever ITV’s obvious rival - BBC Worldwide - is mentioned. “We’re completely supportive of what the BBC does, but we operate in a different space,” says Iacono. “The BBC is a public-service broadcaster so by definition we have a completely different look and feel.”
Distinguishing itself from the BBC will prove handy for Granada TV, primarily because of the former channel’s reputation for dishing out second-tier fare in Asia, rather than the top-notch content that its sister UK entity is famed for. An industry observer points out that BBC Worldwide is hamstrung by the public-service requirement that it pay BBC UK for content, an issue that should have less of an impact on ITV’s Asian operations.
“This is not a long-tail play,” asserts Iacono. “We’re wholly-owned by ITV plc and we have exclusive distribution rights.”
Accordingly, Iacono is keen to talk about the shows that are coming to Asia. The Jeremy Kyle Show, a talkshow that is often described as a more cynical version of Jerry Springer, is a particular favourite. “There are some episodes of Jeremy Kyle that travel,” says Iacono, before briefly digressing to declare his love for farming-based soap Emmerdale.
Other content highlights include the likes of detective series Prime Suspect, entertainment show The Friday Night Project, and reality programme Ballroom Bootcamp. “ITV content has a common thread throughout - great storytelling across all genres,” says Iacono. “That’s the essence of who we are and what we do.”
In particular, Iacono points out that he is aiming for the space between BBC World, which he calls “slower”, and the “fast-moving” fare available on Star World and AXN. In localisation terms, meanwhile, this means that plans for an Asian version of I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, are underway.
Amid all the frothy talk of entertainment that will appeal to Asian audiences is a more serious issue.
In the United Kingdom, ITV’s fortunes have been waning for some time, and its turnaround plan, unveiled last year, calls for content to lead the recovery.
“Things like this channel, which are ways to enhance the value of our content, are the essence of the turnaround plan,” admits Iacono.
Pressure on the international division to deliver growth, given the deteriorating advertising situation in its British home market, is rising. The company already scored one notable success when it sold the format to popular show Saturday Night Takeaway to China. And, even if its online offering pales in comparison with the BBC’s iPlayer service, it is also trialling the channel on MediaCorp’s mobile television pilot programme, as it seeks to bolster its multi-platform presence.
Other important elements will come via mobile and online, and a formats business that is already “developing well” in China. But, for now at least, Iacono is not putting too much faith in advertising revenue. “It’s not an essential part of the business plan, more a function of distribution,” he says.
Even so, Iacono is pretty welcoming of the more lax environment that exists outside the UK when it comes to pushing products. “When we say sponsorship, we really mean branded content,” he says. “Why not? Come on, it’s a wonderful medium and one of the key foundations of TV is being able to provide a vehicle for advertisers to reach consumers. We would be dishonest if we didn’t honour that.”
The key, continues Iacono, is “good taste and judgment”. Which is something the American-Italian is happy to showcase when it comes to discussing his favourite TV shows. “Sex and the City - what I loved is they’ve taken four ladies who form a composite personality of every individual.”
When it comes to movies, Iacono points to India’s Saawariya, which he worked on at Sony.
“It’s completely different and utterly amazing when you are on set and you see 300 extras doing this big song and dance number in front of you.”
Still, Iacono is clear that he does not miss the movies that much. “Movies are fun, there’s not denying they are big and glamorous. But the process is slow and painstaking,” he says. “Television is dynamic and rapidly changing - it is the pace of televison that is much more conducive to my style.”
Peter Iacono’s CV
2008 President and MD, ITV Worldwide
2006 Acting president, international feature production, Sony Pictures Television International
2000 Executive vice-president, distribution, Sony Pictures Television International
1997 Senior vice-president, sales, Sony Pictures Television International
1994 VP, pay-TV, Sony Pictures Television International
1993 Director, pay-TV, Sony Pictures Television International
1991 Manager, strategic planner, Warner Bros
1990 Senior financial analyst, Buena Vista TV, Walt Disney
“We could do a Bollywood Coronation Street,” he muses, refering to the legendary ITV soap that is set in the cobbled streets of working-class Salford, in the north of England.
It’s typical of the freewheeling, and entertainment-obsessed, style of Iacono’s conversation, which befits a man who made his name in movies. After a lengthy stint with Sony Pictures, Iacono became head of ITV Global Entertainment at the beginning of this year as part of the UK channel’s ambitious attempt to double its global revenues, currently sitting at around £150 million (US$229.8 million), by 2012.
Iacono’s trip to Hong Kong marks the latest in a series of steps to bring this strategy to fruition. He used the Casbaa event to announce the launch of Granada TV, a dedicated ITV offering for Asian audiences that has, so far, inked distribution deals on satellite and in India.
“We’re 20 per cent of the way there,” says Iacono, but the journey has been steady rather than spectacular. In 2006, ITV charged former Bloomberg executive James Ross with formulating its Asia business plan, and the new channel marks the culmination of two years of work. Together, Iacono and Ross are an engaging duo, but a certain steel is evident whenever ITV’s obvious rival - BBC Worldwide - is mentioned. “We’re completely supportive of what the BBC does, but we operate in a different space,” says Iacono. “The BBC is a public-service broadcaster so by definition we have a completely different look and feel.”
Distinguishing itself from the BBC will prove handy for Granada TV, primarily because of the former channel’s reputation for dishing out second-tier fare in Asia, rather than the top-notch content that its sister UK entity is famed for. An industry observer points out that BBC Worldwide is hamstrung by the public-service requirement that it pay BBC UK for content, an issue that should have less of an impact on ITV’s Asian operations.
“This is not a long-tail play,” asserts Iacono. “We’re wholly-owned by ITV plc and we have exclusive distribution rights.”
Accordingly, Iacono is keen to talk about the shows that are coming to Asia. The Jeremy Kyle Show, a talkshow that is often described as a more cynical version of Jerry Springer, is a particular favourite. “There are some episodes of Jeremy Kyle that travel,” says Iacono, before briefly digressing to declare his love for farming-based soap Emmerdale.
Other content highlights include the likes of detective series Prime Suspect, entertainment show The Friday Night Project, and reality programme Ballroom Bootcamp. “ITV content has a common thread throughout - great storytelling across all genres,” says Iacono. “That’s the essence of who we are and what we do.”
In particular, Iacono points out that he is aiming for the space between BBC World, which he calls “slower”, and the “fast-moving” fare available on Star World and AXN. In localisation terms, meanwhile, this means that plans for an Asian version of I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, are underway.
Amid all the frothy talk of entertainment that will appeal to Asian audiences is a more serious issue.
In the United Kingdom, ITV’s fortunes have been waning for some time, and its turnaround plan, unveiled last year, calls for content to lead the recovery.
“Things like this channel, which are ways to enhance the value of our content, are the essence of the turnaround plan,” admits Iacono.
Pressure on the international division to deliver growth, given the deteriorating advertising situation in its British home market, is rising. The company already scored one notable success when it sold the format to popular show Saturday Night Takeaway to China. And, even if its online offering pales in comparison with the BBC’s iPlayer service, it is also trialling the channel on MediaCorp’s mobile television pilot programme, as it seeks to bolster its multi-platform presence.
Other important elements will come via mobile and online, and a formats business that is already “developing well” in China. But, for now at least, Iacono is not putting too much faith in advertising revenue. “It’s not an essential part of the business plan, more a function of distribution,” he says.
Even so, Iacono is pretty welcoming of the more lax environment that exists outside the UK when it comes to pushing products. “When we say sponsorship, we really mean branded content,” he says. “Why not? Come on, it’s a wonderful medium and one of the key foundations of TV is being able to provide a vehicle for advertisers to reach consumers. We would be dishonest if we didn’t honour that.”
The key, continues Iacono, is “good taste and judgment”. Which is something the American-Italian is happy to showcase when it comes to discussing his favourite TV shows. “Sex and the City - what I loved is they’ve taken four ladies who form a composite personality of every individual.”
When it comes to movies, Iacono points to India’s Saawariya, which he worked on at Sony.
“It’s completely different and utterly amazing when you are on set and you see 300 extras doing this big song and dance number in front of you.”
Still, Iacono is clear that he does not miss the movies that much. “Movies are fun, there’s not denying they are big and glamorous. But the process is slow and painstaking,” he says. “Television is dynamic and rapidly changing - it is the pace of televison that is much more conducive to my style.”
Peter Iacono’s CV
2008 President and MD, ITV Worldwide
2006 Acting president, international feature production, Sony Pictures Television International
2000 Executive vice-president, distribution, Sony Pictures Television International
1997 Senior vice-president, sales, Sony Pictures Television International
1994 VP, pay-TV, Sony Pictures Television International
1993 Director, pay-TV, Sony Pictures Television International
1991 Manager, strategic planner, Warner Bros
1990 Senior financial analyst, Buena Vista TV, Walt Disney
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