Viewpoints: Acquisition strategies
Michaela Seemann
Family & Entertainment Dept. TV - International Relations, ORF's representative in the European Broadcasting Union's TV Assembly, Entertainment Experts Group and Formats Group, Buyer
ORF – Austrian Broadcasting Corporation
Austria
What are your acquisition strategies?
As the economic crisis undoubtedly does influence everybody's acquisition strategies, it also does not exclude us. Therefore, we - like everybody - cannot afford to take too big risks in acquiring formats for small target groups. Therefore, we are more interested in formats, which could work for a broad audience. Beside that, I am looking for fresh sketch comedies for young audience and for popular music programs accompanying events or anniversaries.
We Are Emperor (Wir Sind Kaiser)
Can you name the most successful titles that you acquired this year?
On one hand "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is still running strong in Austria, we had another series of "Strictly Come Dancing" in spring 2009 and on the other hand we rely on genuine Austrian formats which really are reaching high ratings - our comedy show "Wir Sind Kaiser" ("We Are Emperor") – a show in which we re-introduced an emperor in Austria and on three Thursdays a month claim that Austria is a monarchy once more – which means that "in order to present himself to his people in a manner befitting the modern age", His Majesty Robert Heinrich I. (played by Robert Palfrader, one of Austrian's top comedians) got his own show on ORF1 and in each of his TV audiences receives three celebrity guests from all walks of life. But, no matter how important the guest may feel himself to be, the emperor does not mince matters but says out loud what his people think and what many reporters and journalists do not have the confidence to say or ask. The show has been created by the Austrian production company Gebhardt Productions together with ORF and has an average audience share (12 – 49 yrs old) of 27 %.
And, there is our late night show "Willkommen Osterreich" ("Welcome Austria") where provocative topics and black humor miles away from political correctness are presented with the exuberant charm of worldly-wise detachment. The two presenters Christoph Grissemann and Dirk Sterman reflect on the world in a mordant, cynical fashion, well seasoned with elegant little inputs from the broad acres of the ORF archive.
And we had a new music talk show – "The Great Hadern Show" in which five funny and eloquent celebrities show music clips of their favorite "Hadern" (= Austrian term for "all time favorite" or "hit" which is known by everybody) from all different genres of music aiming to entertain all generations of viewers. Together with the presenter Klaus Eberhartinger, the celebrities talk about the songs, which in most cases lead to singing and joking. This show is big fun for everybody!
What products will be in demand during MIPCOM 2009?
I suppose that at MIPCOM 2009, people will mainly be looking for proven formats, which can be produced with a moderate budget as everybody is trying to stay on the safe side these days. So I'm quite sure the big proven formats will reach new territories.
And I suppose there will be a big demand for finished programs, e.g. factual documentaries on topics of general interest, which can work in different territories as dubbed versions.
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