Apple to spend $1B on original content for up to 10 new TV shows over next year
Apple is reportedly budgeting about $1 billion to secure and produce original video over the course of the next year, a figure which may soon make it a competitive force in that arena.
The company could put out as many as 10 TV shows, sources told the Wall Street Journal. The money is expected to be controlled by Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, two former Sony Pictures Television executives Apple hired in June.
Another important player is former WGN America president Matt Cherniss, who Apple just recently hired to oversee its video unit and should be operating under Erlicht and Van Amburg.
The latter two people have reportedly been meeting with Hollywood agents, and talking about shows the company could buy.
Apple's rumored budget is roughly what Amazon spent in 2013 when it launched its first original shows. It's still, however, about half what HBO spent in 2016, making it unlikely that the company will directly tackle industry stalwarts, at least at first.
The first original TV shows for Apple Music -- "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke" -- have been relatively modest efforts, in scale if not the stars attached. They've also had a lukewarm reception, which may help to explain Apple's recent recruitment and willingness to invest.
The kinds of shows Apple might be aiming for are unknown, but the company is likely to branch out of reality TV given the pull of fictional shows like "Game of Thrones," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "Stranger Things."
The company could put out as many as 10 TV shows, sources told the Wall Street Journal. The money is expected to be controlled by Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, two former Sony Pictures Television executives Apple hired in June.
Another important player is former WGN America president Matt Cherniss, who Apple just recently hired to oversee its video unit and should be operating under Erlicht and Van Amburg.
The latter two people have reportedly been meeting with Hollywood agents, and talking about shows the company could buy.
Apple's rumored budget is roughly what Amazon spent in 2013 when it launched its first original shows. It's still, however, about half what HBO spent in 2016, making it unlikely that the company will directly tackle industry stalwarts, at least at first.
The first original TV shows for Apple Music -- "Planet of the Apps" and "Carpool Karaoke" -- have been relatively modest efforts, in scale if not the stars attached. They've also had a lukewarm reception, which may help to explain Apple's recent recruitment and willingness to invest.
The kinds of shows Apple might be aiming for are unknown, but the company is likely to branch out of reality TV given the pull of fictional shows like "Game of Thrones," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "Stranger Things."
Comments
Also... One BILLION DOLLARS for 10 shows amounts to $100 million per show developed (!), which seems like some really bad math. For one thing, so-called "reality shows" are made on the cheap for a reason, and costly shows like Game of Thrones reportedly cost upward of $6 million dollars per episode... an entire season certainly doesn't cost $100 million! Someone should already be fired over that budget unless they're actually buying up movie studios.
https://m.mic.com/articles/87169/here-s-how-much-it-costs-to-make-a-game-of-thrones-episode#.oiL1RLxfl
The key will be the quality and keeping it consistent in a market that is already saturated. If they can do it and break even in the short term, then great. Anything above that would be a plus.
>:x
Doesn’t matter if it’s Netflix that can be seen on practically anything you want, Roku, AppleTV, smartTV or anything else.
although for some reason I am geeking out at the thought of moar Firefly.
There's certainly enough installed base of Apple devices to reach a vast audience...and it's not like Apple has less money to spend to lock people into their ecosystem than Amazon. Heck, I have Prime but hardly ever watch their content. I should just drop Netflix but I like it better.
If Apple spent $1B on game titles for an A11 based $250 apple TV w/a single controller...
So programming doesn't have to be "adult" and even it did you can buy Rome, Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and even Game of Thrones (all TV-MA) on iTunes and as you say, a separate brand is pretty easy to create. I think Apple can go PG-13 level pretty easily...that's Star Wars Rogue 1...