With channel numbers around the world on the rise, there is increased demand for documentaries and factual programming. Canadian arts programmer Rhombus International’s president, Sheena Macdonald, welcomes this trend: ‘More and more specialty and digital channels are popping up, which is super for companies that own their own catalogue.’

With the market ripe for documentaries, Maria Cordoni, vp of distribution at Portfolio Entertainment, believes doc is polarizing between blue-chip and much smaller independent productions. Despite the multimillion-dollar events such as Walking with Dinosaurs, Cordoni sees a real future for productions at the other end of the spectrum. ‘There is a lot of opportunity for the smaller independent productions that have good-quality, universal themes.’

Adds Andy Thomson, executive vp of tv broadcasting at AAC Fact: ‘Buyers are either looking for volume, as in the case of the cheap and cheerful 26-part series at $100,000 an episode, or the really big event that can be used as a driver for other product. People seem to be moving away from the us$300,000 mid-range documentary.’

Thomson says the shift toward factual programming is because broadcasters see they can get the same ratings or better than dramas at a fraction of the cost. ‘I think that those phenomena [Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and Survivor] have opened up opportunities for factual programming on some of the bigger broadcasters that didn’t exist two years ago. I don’t think that it is necessary to have Millionaire and Survivor clones. What it has done is make broadcasters aware that factual programming can work in primetime.’

The reality-based programming trend is one Allen Kent, vp of Octapixx Worldwide, is enjoying. ‘We’re riding the wave,’ says the distributor of adventure series Pole-to-Pole 2000.

Rhombus’ Macdonald is pleased there’s more demand for cultural programming on public broadcasters and the growth role dvd labels play in their search for good-quality cultural/music programming.