Ovation Programming
“Art is a powerful three letter word,” Janneman stated, and
Ovation programming “celebrates the artist experience through premium content
and compelling storytelling.” To that end, the network announced four shows
showcasing that mission including the final season of Versailles, the recently
premiered espionage series X Company and new series, The Wine Show and crime
thriller Riveria.
X Company, airing Mondays at 10pm is a World War II based espionage
series inspired by true events at Camp X, a top secret Allied spy training camp
on Lake Ontario. It is the compelling story of five recruits who go behind
enemy lines in Europe to help the Allied forces defeat the Nazis.
Versailles, airing on Saturdays at 10p is now in its sophomore
year and will enter its third and final season in October 2018. George Blagden, who plays King Louis XIV on
the program, marveled at the series’ authenticity. The series is partially filmed
on the actual grounds at Versailles, “one of the eight wonders of the world,”
he noted, “There is no pretending – we are actually in the 350 year old space
where ballet was invented and opera
performed.”
The Wine Show, Wednesdays at 10p, takes a storytelling
approach to wine connoisseurship. With wines spanning eleven countries over
five continents, wine expert and host Joe Fattorini assured the upfront crowd
that anyone can become a wine expert in 90 seconds. “Look for BLIC,” he explained,
“that is, Balance – is it fruity or acidic, Length – how long does the taste
stay in your mouth, Intensity – of the wine flavor and Complexity –you should
note no more than three distinct tastes.” Every bottle of wine tells a great
story.
Riviera, which is “a sensation in the UK,” according to
Janneman, debuts February 2019 on Ovation. The program is a crime mystery
thriller set in France that follows an art curator who is trying to solve the
mystery of her husband’s murder. Her quest devolves into the lurid aspects of
art theft and how art can be used for money laundering.
Multiplatform Targeting to A25-54
Ovation
recently launched a new OTT service called Journy that is streamed on Roku and
Xumo smart TVs, featuring art, culture and travel programming. While the
network continues to target Adults 25-54 with discretionary income and high
education, Janneman, also explained that, “With Journy and the platforms that
it is displayed on, we are targeting a younger subset of that demographic but
still in the same theme of art, culture and travel,” offering the younger
cohort an truly immersive experience.
Journy
initiatives for 2018 include, according to Elba Flamenco, Ovation’s Senior
Director of Content Partnerships, “adding even more programming content and
expanding our app to several TV connected devices to increase distribution, ”
such as Apple, Amazon and Chrome.
Advocating for the Arts
Ovation is also a strong advocate for the arts with outreach
programs. Janneman noted that “We have formed a Stand for the Arts Coalition
with more than 30 organizations joining the cause such as Alvin Ailey, American
Ballet Theater, National Humanities Center and the American Film Institute. All
of these organizations are working together to promote art and art access.”
This advocacy is moving into the political realm in regards
to government funding of the arts. “We have come out against the de-funding of
the NEA. We are not a recipient of any NEA funding but we have stated that for
every dollar that the NEA spends, $5 comes back to the economy, “she noted, “We
believe that when the NEA provides a grant, it is a Good Housekeeping Seal of
Approval which then enables that organization to secure more private funding.”
If the NEA is abolished, Janneman believes that the Stand for the Arts
Coalition will get larger and offer organizations an even stronger voice to
promote the arts. “Someone has to step up power of art and carry the mantle of
arts,” she concluded.
This article first appeared in www.Mediapost.com
This article first appeared in www.Mediapost.com
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