A+E Networks: Evaluating co-production in LatAm keeping in mind the needs of our US channels

Among the objectives for this year for A+E Networks is the development of local productions in Latin America keeping in mind the needs of its US channels.

“One of the areas we want to expand to, which we have not yet defined, is co-production in Latin America. There’s nothing set yet, but it’s one of the areas where we want to get involved gradually since we’re seeing that US channels are trying to be more inclusive, with voices from different regions of Latin America and the world. I think there is a good opportunity to reach that goal, but also with a commercial approach,” said Helen Jurado, VP of Global Content Sales for Latin America and US Hispanic, A+E Networks.

She added that they are evaluating ‘smart’ ways to co-produce in the region. “It is not just making productions from Latin America, but rather that it agrees with what the US channels need in terms of quality, budget, cast, and stories. The goal for me would be to start with one or two co-productions in the region this year.”

Jurado said that also A+E will continue promoting its white-label status. “Since we are not tied to any digital platform, we have such a huge catalog that we have the flexibility to work with a global, local, open TV, and cable TV platform. On that side, we have a lot of benefits, which helped us a lot during the pandemic, because if there was an opportunity, we could seize it”.

Another company’s goal is to make it clear that buyers are partners, not customers. “It is changing the mentality that buyers are partners and we have to take care of each other in the process,” she concluded.