(Continued From Cover) (Continued on Page 38) 36 countered by expanding and increasing offerings. To review these changes and to figure out a potential future for the entertainment sector, VideoAge had a lengthy video-conference interview with the American Sean Cohan, president of the Toronto, Canada-based Bell Media, which operates CTV, the English-language national TV network; Noovo, the French-language national TV network; 33 locally owned and operated TV stations; Crave, a streaming service; 24 cable TV channels, and 11 FAST channels. He’s therefore the ideal top-level TV executive to confront all the challenges that VideoAge presented to him — first in the following preamble and, later, in a set of specific questions. Historically, broadcasters have always faced many “insurmountable” challenges, starting with movie theaters, followed (in the U.S.) by domestic syndication, then home video, the cable-TV channel explosion, and now streaming platforms and social media. For these latest challenges (streaming and social media), broadcasters countered by reducing drama content, increasing live sports coverage, adding news segments, and developing more reality shows (including awards shows), as well as transporting social media’s big personalities (who carry large, built-in audiences) to television. This was all on the content side. On the technological side, which had always been broadcasters’ blessing and bane, they used digital technology to increase the number of channels, and allowed streaming to permit on-demand viewing. To their streaming features, broadcasters later added simulcast sporting events and big awards shows, followed by using the streaming window as the next day after broadcast. All this, however, always depended on the primordial airwave technology. Recently, the TF1 Group announced that, starting in 2026, all Netflix subscribers in France will be able to watch all five linear channels from the TF1 Group, both live and on demand. At last year’s MIP London, the U.K.’s Channel 4 announced that its programs will also be available on YouTube. In effect, by migrating onto a streaming platform, a broadcasting TV network effectively becomes a FAST channel. Apparently, this is an evolution for both broadcasters and streamers, where the former will have an additional platform, and the latter will enter into the realm of live television. However, transporting live broadcasting television could work for a national network such as TF1 in France, or even a cable TV network, but it would be difficult for local TV stations. And here’s where Cohan’s input becomes valuable. Cohan sees all the aforementioned challenges in terms of content. “There are challenges and opportunities facing our industry,” he said. “As a content player we’re seizing and navigating through them by focusing on delivering compelling content experiences across sports, entertainment, and news. Fundamentally, we need to deliver, leverage, and monetize content that people are passionate about in as many places as possible.” VideoAge pointed out that, basically, Cohan sees delivery as the main challenge. But now the TV sector needs to figure out how to deliver content. In VideoAge’s intro, it was mentioned that France’s TF1 is going to use Netflix to deliver its live content, which is interesting because that means that even folks without cable or an antenna can now watch a TF1 channel live on the streaming platform. This will work for a national network like TF1 but will be difficult to apply to the United States or Canada, where the broadcast system is based on local TV stations. Cohan’s take? “I agree with that,” he said, then: “Sitting here as a broadcaster and streamer, we announced several months ago our plan to bring our networks CTV and Noovo, and to viewers as a result, to [our streaming platform] Crave. Will content be delivered over the Internet in the same format as broadcast? Sure! More content, more channels will be accepted on streaming platforms. I agree with that. We all know how the movie ends, but I’m not sure how we will get there!” VideoAge reiterated that, right now, at least in the United States, broadcasting’s strength is in its local stations. The fact that local TV can deliver news, weather, and local sports makes the stations very valuable. But it’s difficult for a local station to be on a streaming platform, so VideoAge asked, how do you deal with that? Cohan answered: “If you are both a broadcaster and streamer, you can actually turn these into your advantage. Streaming and on demand generally allows you to put more assets to work. There is more opportunity when you’re thinking one to one, as opposed to one to many.” VideoAge pointed out that a national TV network like TF1 can be hosted live on a streaming platform since both parties will benefit — the network by increasing penetration and the streamer by adding subscribers. But for a platform like YouTube that depends on advertising revenue, a revenue-sharing model has to be developed. But the number of commercial spots sold by the broadcaster shouldn’t add up to those sold by the streamer. In the U.S., Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group is carrying local broadcast TV channels on a streaming service called “Local Now,” where viewers can link by zip (postal) code to any U.S. local TV market and watch some local TV stations in simulcast with their airway Sean Cohan on the FOX lot during the L.A. Screenings 2024 There is an evolution for both broadcasters and streamers, where the former will have an additional platform, and the latter will enter into the realm of live television. VIDEOAGE October 2025 Content & Tech
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