Showtime Chairman Matt Blank takes shot at media
WASHINGTON -- Showtime Chairman Matt Blank is tired of the entertainment and technology media fawning over new companies and platforms and saying traditional media are on life support.
“Your favorite companies are companies with no revenue and no earnings,” Blank cracked during a panel at the opening session of the National Cable and Telecommunications Convention in Washington, D.C. “Your second favorite companies are companies with revenue and no earnings.”
Blank was responding to a question from Variety editor Cynthia Littleton about how the pay-television industry was reacting to all the new disruptors to their business such as Netflix and Aereo.
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“We’re still the disruptors,” Blank said.
Blank did say it was crucial for the industry -- particularly programmers -- to continue to take risks with shows or they will be left behind.
“The day we become the least objectionable alternative is the day I retire,” he said.
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