Video Age International May 2016

RETNI N A T OI N A L ww w.Vide gAo .e org THE BUSINESS JOURNAL OF FILM, BROADCASTING, BROADBAND, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION May 2016 - VOL. 36 NO. 4 - $9.75 O ne thing was clear from the recent Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour: the U.S. networks are constantly trying to come up with innovative strategies to capture eyeballs, and TCA has become a crystal ball for the U.S. TV networks’ new season bets. Networks’ pilot orders start in December, and the TCA Press Tours are in January. By this time, top network executives have a good idea of the direction they’d like to go in and are ready to share their views with TV critics (who organize through their ad-hoc association the twice-yearly TCA tours, the second of which takes place in July), as well as TV trade journalists. Pitches for the new shows are heard in late July through October. If moved into scripts, first drafts are delivered in November with final drafts going in before Christmas. Networks pick up pilots in January Anticipating The U.S. Nets’ NewTV Programming Bets (Continued on Page 22) My 2¢: Wondering what’s so special about the old days Sección en Español: 4K, deportes en la TV, ventanasdeprogramación L.A. Screenings: Who’s screening and where around Los Angeles L.A. Screenings: New season’s pick-ups are abundant and attractive Page 46 Page 30 Page 24 Page 8 M ichael J. Solomon has been recognized as one of two fathers of the L.A. Screenings (the other is the late Jack Singer). His career spans 60 years, and is still going strong with his Truli Media. He started with UA in Panama, then moved to MCA studios, co-founded Telepictures and, later, headed Lorimar, ending his studio career at Warner Bros. Michael JaySolomon: Int’l TVDistribution Hall of FameHonoree (Story on Page 14) (Continued on Page 42) T he recent news that foreign currencies depressed Discovery International’s fourth quarter adjusted cash flow by 16 percent has brought currency exchanges back to the forefront of the international TV business. Many international content sales executives hold the view, supported by some economists, that exchange rates among main currencies should be on par, meaning one-to-one. This is an ideal arrangement and is a win-win situation for all. Governments the world over, however, tend to think the opposite. When FXAffects BottomLines, EffectsAreVisible aaaMay_Issue1_2016_R10.indd 1 5/5/16 3:05 PM