TBI’s 2023 Predictions: Marina Williams, co-CEO, Asacha Media Group

Marina Williams

As the new year gets underway, TBI talks to some of the biggest names in the global TV industry to get their thoughts on the major trends and best shows coming up in the next 12 months.

Here, Marina Williams, co-CEO at Asacha Media Group, talks new SVOD models, family-focused dramas and factual diversification.

What is the biggest growth area for your company this year?

The biggest growth will come from scripted business, new British, French and Italian shows travelling internationally where we retain IP and also multi country production projects. There are some new SVOD launches in our territories apart from ongoing relations with Netflix and Amazon and we expect deals with Paramount+, ITVX and HBO France, and open relations with Viaplay and SkyShowtime.

Succession

We will also grow our factual slate due to genre and markets diversification across our factual business. This expansion will come from hiring new creatives and expanding to new genre such as crime, and potentially new acqusitions. This year we welcomed SRAB Films, Oscar nominee for Saint-Omer, and we believe that streamers will continue to invest in European films.

Last but not least, our relatively new premium drama producer Mintee in France, launched by Asacha co-founder Gaspard de Chavagnac, is landing new impressive development and commission deals in the French market – to be announced in 2023.

What is the key trend going to be this year?

We feel that demand for premium content will continue, however, SVOD will diversify into new genres and new models such as retaining rights for key territories and relinquishing certain windows for distribution outside of primary territories to de-risk their content investments. There will be more pressure on production companies to deliver on packaging strategies and deficit finance.

What is your New Year’s resolution and why?

To bring more exciting stories to viewers, aspirational and entertaining at the same time. To stay agile and opportunistic in the challenging macroeconomic environment and deliver top returns to all stakeholders.

What will be the biggest headline in 2023 and why?

Top talent to be at the core of every project. Collaboration of creatives and efficient execution of budgets as pressure on margins, due to inflation needs to be mitigated.

What show (from outside of your own company) are you most looking forward to?

More shows like Succession, with the family relations at the core of the storytelling, new shows from Israeli writers as they always surprise us and I would welcome a new territory breaking into global top charts that has not been seen before.

Read more from TBI’s 2023 Predictions

• Tom Fussell, CEO, BBC Studios
• Marco Nobili, EVP & Int’l GM, Paramount+
• Mikiko Nishiyama, EVP, Nippon TV
• Julian Bellamy, CEO, ITV Studios
• Nomsa Philiso, executive head of programming, Multichoice
• Marina Williams, co-CEO, Asacha Media Group