Ten Network is apparently keeping its buddies in the US, and their landslide of TV content, very close as it reveals several shows it intends to air on Aussie television.
Ten chief programming officer Beverley McGarvey told Fairfax Media she was impressed by the stream of programs coming out of the States, as she visited LA for the annual screenings.
“There is continued quality of content, and despite all the talk over the years, people still want to watch quality content. They may just watch it in a slightly different way,” McGarvey said.
“It’s important for us to have a mix on the schedule. Domestic content is critical but it’s good to have quality international content on the schedule.”
Australian networks previously trimmed back on deals with America, with Nine dropping out of its Warner Bros deal last year, Ten cutting costs for its CBS output deal back in 2014, and Seven choosing not to renew its output deals with Disney and NBC as well.
But US TV remains an important aspect of the networks’ content, and Ten maintains its supply deals with Fox, which it shares with Foxtel, and CBS.
McGarvey told Fairfax international content always has held a role in domestic programming, with shows like an Australian take on 24, a TV version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a Prison Break comeback and Fox-produced show This is Us said to be on the schedule.
McGarvey said This is Us, in particular, had “multifaceted story lines that come together” to complement Ten’s show Offspring, adding that “it would definitely play well on Ten’s schedule”.
A refreshed version of Macgyver was also on the cards, as well as a new Katherine Heigl drama, Doubt.
“Quality premium dramas do well, do business, do mass numbers and also do well on different screens,” McGarvey added.
