DirecTV Announces That They Will No Longer Save TV Shows

[JamesG]

Sorry Fans, Don't Look to DirecTV to Save Your Shows Anymore
by Chris Harnick
posted Nov 22nd 2010


Two critical darlings may be enough for DirecTV.

After saving "Damages" and "Friday Night Lights", the satellite broadcaster will no longer be answering desperate "save our show!" pleas.





According to Variety, DirecTV's 101 Network -- which can be seen by 19 million subscribers -- will refocus on original programming after "Damages" launches in 2011.

"In the future, I think we're going to move away from that model," Chris Long, senior vice president of entertainment and production, said.

"There's probably 75-80 pilots out there a year that get squashed or shelved or never make it to network television or HBO, AMC or anyone else," Long told Variety.

"What I like to do is go look for a diamond in the rough, maybe content that wasn't applicable for network television, maybe the financing couldn't work."







In 2008, DirecTV and NBC struck up a deal to keep "Friday Night Lights" on the air by having both companies finance the show.

In 2009, after FX announced the end of "Damages", DirecTV swooped in to save the Glenn Close drama. Season 4 will now air on DirecTV's 101 Network next year.







Long's plans for DirecTV see the satellite service changing the business model commonly used for producing an original series.

Instead of the broadcaster paying 70 percent and the studio taking 30 percent, Long said DirecTV would come in for a percentage, but bring in outside distribution for overseas and also cover costs via product integration.

Long said DirecTV won't abandon acquiring programs from other countries or bringing in episodes from networks such as HBO and Showtime to promote subscription.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/11/22/so...shows-anymore/