London TV Screenings Insights: Lisa Kramer, president of int’l content licensing, Paramount

Coma (Source: Paramount)

As buyers flock to the UK for London TV Screenings and BBC Studios Showcase this week, TBI talks to the bosses of more than 25 distribution companies to test the temperature of the global content industry and to find out how the next 12 months are shaping up.

Today we hear from Lisa Kramer, president of international content licensing at Paramount Global Content Distribution, who talks about the demand for ‘co-exclusivity’ and how streamers are looking for shorter periods when it comes to rights.

What three words would you use to describe the state of the TV/streaming industry as a whole right now?

Evolving, fast-paced, exciting

One great opportunity in content licensing is the chance for budgets to be helped by money generated from distribution deals to help offset production costs

What three words would you use to describe the state of the distribution sector right now?

Evolving, creative, strategic

What is the single biggest difference in the discussions you’re having with buyers today compared with 12 months ago

Exclusivity has given way to co-exclusivity and/or exclusive windows are shorter.

How do you expect global streamer demands for rights to change in 2024 compared with 2023?

They will be willing to negotiate shorter license periods and share exclusivity.

Where does opportunity lie for you in 2024?

We just introduced our new brand destination area and this provides a new licensing opportunity for our third party partners to build on the Paramount+ branding within the comfort of a bespoke licensing deal.

Lisa Kramer (Source: Paramount)

Tell us in no more than two sentences about the biggest problem facing the distribution industry and what needs to change so it can be overcome.

There are still great opportunities in content licensing, one of which is the chance for budgets to be helped by money generated from distribution deals to help offset the production costs due to the rapid rise in streaming investments of additional content.

With fewer shows being commissioned, how are you securing your pipeline?

In addition to the content from our own studio, we represent third party content creators for additional content.

Tell us about your top show at London Screenings & why we should buy it.

Coma is a provocative and propulsive thriller about a good man who makes one terrible mistake, changing his life forever. Audiences will be on the edge of their seat. The story asks the viewer to consider, ‘what would you do in this situation?’. It’s visceral watching, led by a brilliant cast including BAFTA winner Jason Watkins.