Throughout the history of television it’s possible to trace cyclical patterns in the popularity of various genres of programming. There is very clearly a heightened demand for movies and miniseries in the present television environment.

Fragmentation in the international marketplace has created an extremely competitive television environment, and in a multi-channel universe, each broadcaster is trying to lure audiences and at the same time define and identify themselves, with movies and miniseries providing the means at relatively low risk, i.e. as compared to 22 hours of a series.

The name of the game is viewers. Movies and miniseries allow international broadcasters to promote and market programming as first-class ‘event’ television – programming with high production values, all-star casts and world-class producers. The result is ‘must-see’ or ‘event’ programming that draws big ratings and ad revenues.

We are even seeing a pattern where broadcasters are now creating specific time slots for miniseries. Nuremberg, for instance, was the most-watched original miniseries of all time on basic cable when it premiered on Turner Network Television (tnt) in the summer of 2000. It went on to become the number-one primetime show when it premiered internationally on TF1 in France in January.

Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows, is poised for the same international success, as Alliance Atlantis continues to provide broadcasters with all the necessary ingredients to attract the massive audiences and bring an identity and brand to the network in the process.

Other contributing factors to this upswing are the recent demands for reality programming coupled with the increase in locally produced dramatic productions, which tend to fare well in the ratings for the international broadcasters.

Television movies and miniseries are also filling a void left by a Hollywood that seems to be producing fewer movies. The tv movies and miniseries that we are now seeing produced were at one time being released theatrically, but broadcasters are jumping at these movies as a way of defining themselves in the cluttered television landscape.

Despite increased production activity in movies and miniseries, Alliance Atlantis has certainly not moved away from drama series. csi was the highest-rated new drama on television (carried on cbs) and now consistently ranks as one of the top five shows in the u.s. every week. Drama is still very much a priority at Alliance Atlantis as it is with other television producers and distributors. We are, however, simply in a stage where concentrating our efforts on movies and miniseries makes sense, until the trend shifts again.

Marnie Sanderson is Executive Vice-President of Television Distribution at Alliance Atlantis Communications. She is based in the company’s Toronto office.