Paris – Paul Telegdy, President of the Alternative and Reality Group at NBC and Meredith Ahr, President of Universal Television Alternative Studio, will deliver a joint keynote at MIPTV 2017. The global entertainment content market, MIPTV takes place in Cannes, France, from 3-6 April 2017.
Telegdy and Ahr will discuss the NBC network and studio’s current and upcoming slate of programming and examine the evolution of free-to-air broadcast TV in an age of fragmented audiences and on-demand viewing. They will talk about the changes brought about by social media disruption, and their desire to innovate and update all aspects of development, production and programming that will be key in reaching global viewers.
A former BBC Worldwide executive, Paul Telegdy was promoted to the newly created position of President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment in June 2016. He oversees NBC’s unscripted series and specials programming, including such major franchises as “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent,” “American Ninja Warrior,” “Little Big Shots,” the Golden Globe Awards show, and “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” Upcoming series, which are produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio, include the recently announced “World of Dance,” executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, who sits on the judges’ panel, and “Common Sense,” executive produced by Stephen Lambert.
Meredith Ahr , who reports to Telegdy, was named President in June 2016 of the newly created Universal Television Alternative Studio, an initiative that supplies shows to NBC as well as other broadcast and cable networks. The studio’s most recent hit, “The Wall” — hosted by Chris Hardwick and executive produced by SpringHill Entertainment and Glassman Media — was recently commissioned for 20 additional episodes.
The studio also successfully launched “Better Late Than Never,” starring Henry Winkler and William Shatner, which has been picked up for a second season and will soon debut the first season of the dance competition “World of Dance.” From 2012-2106, Ahr was EVP, Alternative Programming at NBC Entertainment, where she oversaw all alternative series for both NBC and Universal Television. She was also responsible for creative oversight of Universal Television’s roster of reality producers and first-look talent deals to bolster the studio’s slate of productions in the unscripted arena.Their joint Media Mastermind Keynote will take place in the Palais des Festivals’ Grand Auditorium on Monday 3 April at 5:20pm.
