TheGrill 2015: A+E CEO Nancy Dubuc Warns of Talent Vacuum Left by TV’s Content Bubble (Video)
”There hasn’t been a birth of a new generation of television creators at the same pace as the amount of content that’s out there,“ executive says at TheWrap’s media leadership conference
There may be too much TV, but is there enough great talent around to meet demand? A+E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc warned Monday at TheGrill that there isn’t.
“When I think about too much content out there, one of the things that comes to mind for me is just the volume of really outstanding creators there are,” Dubuc said at TheWrap‘s media leadership conference. “There hasn’t been a birth of a new generation of television creators at the same pace as the amount of content that’s out there.”
Dubuc joined TheWrap CEO and editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman onstage at the conference for a lengthy interview, during which she touched on the state of reality television, the upcoming reboot of the classic television miniseries “Roots” and her company’s revenue.
Asked about FX Networks CEO John Landgraf‘s comments this summer wherein he described the current industry landscape as “simply too much television” and predicted a content bubble that will compel some cable networks to disappear once it bursts, Dubuc mostly agreed with her competitor, noting that “a lot of us are scratching our heads” over how very small networks are able to spend what appear to be large amounts of money on original programming.
But she focused largely on the strain that the amount of content being made has placed on the industry’s creative infrastructure.
“When you look at the increase in the number of scripted series and the number of unscripted hours, the pool of producers hasn’t grown at the same rate,” Dubuc said. “So I think there’s a bit of a creative tax on the system.”
Dubuc also conceded that the reality television field is in need of revitalization — but also defended what has worked in the past.
“I would love to see more swings in areas that we haven’t explored” in unscripted, Dubuc said. “I can’t necessarily tell you what that is — I think you know it when you see it — but I think we’ve had a lot of the same-themed shows in broadcast, but those shows are still performing.”
She then pointed out that during broadcast premiere week, 12 hours were unscripted, and of those, seven won their time periods.
“A lot of people make hay about ‘American Idol’s’ ratings and ‘Empire,'” Dubuc said, noting that “American Idol” has been on the air since 2002. “That’s an enormous run. Thirteen years from now we’ll see how ‘Empire’s’ doing.”
Dubuc received applause from the audience when she screened a short teaser for the upcoming miniseries “Roots,” based, as the original 1977 ABC miniseries was, on the novel by Alex Haley. The teaser featured first looks at stars Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, Anika Noni Rose and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. When Waxman pointed out that the original series aired on broadcast television, Dubuc hinted that the new one nearly did as well.
“I think we had competition from a broadcast network” when pursuing the rights, Dubuc said. “We were really aggressive going at it.”
The executive began her session with a defense of the cable television business, declaring, “Cable is not dead.” Dubuc’s appearance followed interviews with digital executives such as YouTube chief business officer Robert Kynci, Maker Studios CEO Ynon Kreiz and AwesomenessTV CEO Brian Robbins. Those sessions highlighted the emergence of digital media as traditional-media companies work to adapt to the changing landscape.
“Some portfolio groups are doing a better job of looking to the future,” she said of the cable industry. “But what has to be acknowledged is that we have billions of dollars in revenue and billions of dollars of profit that has to be managed through this transition. So it’s not going to be instant. It’s not going to be overnight. But that’s not to say that we aren’t focused on the evolution of media.”
Asked by Waxman whether A+E’s revenue was close to the $4 billion per year that has been estimated, Dubuc wouldn’t confirm the number, but did say “It’s in the neighborhood,” though slightly lower. “It’s a good rent district, if you can get it.”
The Scene at TheGrill 2015: TheWrap's Media Leadership Conference (Photos)
TheWrap's editor in chief Sharon Waxman kicked off the sixth annual TheGrill Conference Day 1.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong (left) and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage with Sharon Waxman during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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"Empire" co-creator/writer Danny Strong and producer Brian Grazer spoke onstage with Sharon Waxman during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Maker Studios CEO Ynon Kreiz spoke onstage during Day 1 of TheGrill 2015.
Andrew Glasgow, SVP at Viacom Scratch, spoke about the declining attention span of Americans during the first day of TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill conference.
From left to right: TheWrap's executive editor Joseph Kapsch, "So You Think You Can Dance" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, Electus founder and chairman Ben Silverman, PactUS president David Lyle, and "Big Brother" executive producer Allison Grodner.
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PactUS president David Lyle discussed the state of reality TV during Day 2 of TheGrill.
"Big Brother" executive producer Allison Grodner discussed the state of reality TV during Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Nigel Lythgoe discussed the state of reality TV on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Electus founder and chairman Ben Silverman talked the state of reality TV during Day 2 of TheGrill.
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CNBC reporter Julia Boorstin attended TheWrap's sixth annual TheGrill conference at The Montage Beverly Hills.
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Conde Nast Entertainment president Dawn Ostroff discussed content creation on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Box founder and CEO Aaron Levie discussed content protection with TheWrap's editor in chief Sharon Waxman on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello discusses her life and career during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Golden Globe nominee Maria Bello discusses her life and career during Day 2 of TheGrill
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From left to right: Movio co-founder and chief executive Will Palmer, Fandango president Paul Yanover, Skydance Media CCO Dana Goldberg, IMAX's head of international marketing Roger Pollock, Universal president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine, and TheWrap's Deputy Managing Editor Thom Geier discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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IMAX's head of international marketing Roger Pollock discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Fandango president Paul Yanover discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Skydance Media CCO Dana Goldberg discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Movio co-founder and chief executive Will Palmer discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Universal president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine discussed the moviegoing experience on Day 2 of TheGrill.
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Steven Amato, CEO & chief content officer of Contend and Sharon Waxman, founder & CEO of TheWrap spoke onstage during the "Drones and Hollywood" panel at TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Co-founder and chief executive of Movio Will Palmer held a discussion regarding "What Women Want: Unlocking Box Office Revenue" at TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Joseph Atkinson, U.S. Advisory Leader for the Entertainment, Media & Communications Practice at PwC, spoke onstage at TheWrap's 6th Annual TheGrill.
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Twitter and Uber investor Chris Sacca talks investing in the tech space during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Evolution Media Group founder and co-managing partner Rick Hess talks about financing media during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Former MTV president Van Toffler talks about his new company during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Lloyd Braun, Founder & CEO of Whalerock Industries during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Mark Terbeek, Partner at Greycroft, Jesse Jacobs, President of The Chernin Group and Brian Weinstein, Head of Corporate Finance Group of CAA during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Steven Haft, SVP Innovation of Time Inc., Sanjay Sharma, President & COO of All Def Digital, Christian Meinberger, SVP Content Programming & Production at Studio 71, and Tobias Bauckhage, CEO and co-founder of Moviepilot during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Steven Haft, SVP Innovation of Time Inc. and Adam Smith, Partner at United Entertainment Group during Day 2 of TheGrill
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Entertainment, media and technology converge at TheWrap’s sixth annual Grill Conference at the Montage Beverly Hills