Viewpoints: Acquisition strategies
Graeme Ballard
Managing Director
Devolution Media & Devolution Digital Productions
United Kingdom
What are your acquisition strategies?
2009 is Devolution's third MIPCOM. Our acquisition strategy is to be more aggressive in pursuing the deals we need on the terms we require. The rule for all but the very biggest industry players this year is simple: "Keep up (or die very soon)". The film and TV industries have been amazingly slow to move with what is essentially a worldwide "second industrial revolution" but we have all been in it for at least 15 years now. This industry inertia means people are still largely taking their products to market using horse and cart or a canal barge, when supersonic aircraft are available.
What products are you looking for?
In terms of content, we are looking for high-end, short and long-form content for all of Devolution's channels - Comedy, Lifestyle, Sports, Feature Films, Documentary, Music, Entertainment, Indie, Arts, and News. We are also looking for production and co-production possibilities for our own product slate.
Can you name the most successful titles that you acquired this year?
To date this has tended to be relatively low quality and short in length. After initial teething issues, a range of high quality content for internet broadcast is now definitely available. We seek to acquire such content on the terms we require.
What products will be in demand during MIPCOM 2009?
For MIPCOM 2009, I would hope to see much more high-end content, on good business terms, where internet broadcast is considered more than merely an adjunct to DVD and plain old television.
Our market presence was announced at MIPCOM 2007. MIPCOM 2008 and now 2009 are each developments on the last, particularly in terms of more serious industry awareness of the internet. The industry is gradually accepting the new era and opening very tightly clenched fists, which mean they are able to hold and consider something new, and do business in new ways. It's good progress to now be talking money with the industry; not just explaining the Devolution concept.
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