What's the next trend in syndication?
I think the next trend could be games, because quite honestly there have not been a lot of new games that have been launched for a while.
What show from a competing syndicator would you want to distribute?
I would love to have Judge Judy
because it's a solid performer, it was the first in the marketplace and it still does a very significant rating and the cash sales on that are tremendous. She's a talent, a one of a kind.
How has consolidation affected your day-to-day operations?
Consolidation for us has made our job much more difficult. Nevertheless, there are a few things that are evident, most importantly that we have successfully been able to launch shows over the last few years and renew them because good formats and good shows with strong talent will always find time periods. Hits find homes no matter who you are.
Is there a piece of talent or show you passed on that you would want back?
We had an opportunity to do a show very similar to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
It was one of our British formats and I learned we passed on the rights for the format for domestic exploitation. I think that could have been a golden opportunity for us to do something different and unique in syndication.
Where will syndication be in 10 years?
I think there may be something called multiplatform syndication, but I think there will always be an opportunity to create a network by aligning stations or platforms so that you expand your reach and you can exploit whatever the piece of content is.
