Scripps Networks' Aggressive Game Plan for Olympics Counterprogramming

This kind of counterprogramming is strategic as an audience retention strategy fulfilling Scripps39 promise to deliver specific lifestyle content 247 It is also anamp160audience acquisition strategy Scripps expectsamp160to capture new fans while other networks opt not to aggressively compete against the Games If such growth occurs itamp160will add to the company39s ongoing success in 2016 amp160Scripps Networks39 ratings have increased across the board all year with total day viewing for all six networks up in 2nd quarterHere is the backstoryMary Ellen Holdenamp160 Counterprogramming the Olympics is a bold move What is it about your audience that makes you confident it will workKathleen Finch We have diehard passionate viewer fan bases that we39re looking to build onamp160 Throughout the year we superserve our audiences and the Summer Olympics timeframe is no exception Our viewers expect that we will provide great original programming each and every day on each and every one of our networks Historically we have done well against the Olympics and this year we are allocating 100 additional premiere hours to build on that successMary Ellen You talked recently about moving audiences across the Scripps Networks ecosystemamp160 How do you crosspollinate audiences that seem on the surface to lack connective tissue home improvement cooking travelKathleen The Scripps Networks brands are all about lifestyleamp160 We are providing great information that covers almost everything people care aboutamp160 For example we grab audiences early in the evening with 8 pm coviewing programming to get them hooked Once we bring the family in with Chopped Junior they will continue to view Food Network or move among our lifestyle networks for other informational programming that feeds their appetiteamp160Mary Ellen Both the Olympics and Scripps lifestyle programming are likely to be coviewing experiences how do you winKathleen Ouramp160expert lifestyle content works well to differentiate Scripps Networks as we capture and cultivate passions led by momamp160 With a hefty supply of new premieres new episodes and upcoming previews we only expect our viewers to turn to the Olympics if there are events that they are particularly passionate about watchingamp160 We will run marathons of primetime hits during the day to build passionate audiences which will lead into new episodes in primeMary Ellen What is your communications strategy to potential viewers How will you let viewers know that you are counterprogramming the Olympic GamesKathleen We will let viewers and potential audiences know both on and offair Onair we are pooling our promotional inventory to quotturn the firehose onquotamp160 We will air crossnetwork promotions and offchannel campaigns for iconic shows like Cooks vs Cons Tiny House Hunters and Flip or Flop and stunts such as Dive into Summer on Travel Channelamp160 We will also tease new programming like Food Network Star Kids which will premiere after the OlympicsWithout giving our media strategy away we will buy cable bundles digital including Instagram Facebook and Snapchat to attract Millennials amp160and offairamp160 I can tell you that the offair promotion will not be about the Olympics amp160It will feature our talent and their showsMary Ellen How are you involving advertisers in the mixamp160 Can you give me an exampleKathleenamp160 Yesamp160 Top advertisers will be involved in the premieres as part of a complete collaboration between ad sales and programmingamp160 For example HGTV39s House Hunters Renovation and DIY Network39s Blog Cabin will feature integrated sponsors while Subaru will be integrated into the National Parks Centennial celebration special on Travel Channel and the upcoming film Kubo and the Two Stringsamp160fromamp160Focus Features will be integrated into Chopped Junior on Food Network These and other advertisers are excited to be on board with us when other networks will be in repeatsMary Ellen NBC will carry over 6000 hours of coverage which will be streamed live amp160Will Scripps be streaming its new programming liveKathleenamp160 Live feeds are available on our owned sites as well as through connected TV apps such as Roku Apple TV and Amazon Fire on an authenticated basisamp160We will also continue with our aggressive digital programming strategy with exclusive content on Facebook Live Snapchat Discover Twitter parties with talent and digital series such as Chopped After Hours a behindthescenes view of the Chopped judges in their own quotturnthetablesquot competitionMary Ellen What are your benchmarks for successKathleen Up against the Olympics we will look at how we are ranking each night based on cable rankingsamp160 Specifically we will look at adultsamp1602554 with a female skew Millennials and upscale rankersamp160 We will also look at engagement metrics from our digital programmingMary Ellen If you had a headline that summarized your brand positioning to consumers what would it beKathleenamp160 That39s a good questionamp160quotScripps Networks We39re Here for Youquot pause quotScripps Networks We39re Always Here for YouquotThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggers amp160amp160

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Scripps Networks' Aggressive Game Plan for Olympics Counterprogramming

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Mary Ellen Holden

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Scripps Networks' Aggressive Game Plan for Olympics Counterprogramming

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