LOS ANGELES — As Hollywood continues to grapple with a rapidly evolving landscape defined by economic recalibration and the looming presence of artificial intelligence, a group of high-level industry leaders gathered Thursday at the Variety Entertainment & Technology Summit to discuss the future of the business.
The panel, moderated by Variety executive editor Michael Schneider, brought together executives from Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Television, Blumhouse, and Crunchyroll. A primary theme of the discussion was the move away from the “peak TV” era, characterized by an unsustainable volume of content, toward a more deliberate, audience-focused strategy.
“The economics were a bit unsustainable,” said Liz Jenkins, chief business officer of NBCUniversal Entertainment. “Supply, frankly, probably exceeded demand.” Jenkins noted that NBCU has shifted to a more “surgical” approach, focusing on super-serving priority audiences rather than simply chasing scale.
The discussion also highlighted a growing consensus that the industry is pivoting back toward the “collective experience” of weekly episodic releases. Simran Sethi, president of scripted programming for Hulu and ABC, argued that the binge-model, popularized by Netflix, may be losing its luster for viewers seeking connection.
“TV has always been about a collective experience,” Sethi said. “For a lot of young people, watercooler television is a new idea. But the idea that you can have this shared experience watching something weekly is an important return to what society feels like it’s gravitating towards.”
Clancy Collins White, president of creative affairs at Warner Bros. Television, pointed to the success of The Pitt—the recent Emmy-winning drama—as evidence that audiences are hungry for original storytelling that eschews constant reinvention. She emphasized that WBTV is focused on maintaining independence, selling content across a wide array of platforms to maximize reach for creators.
Regarding the existential questions surrounding AI, the panel remained measured. Abhijay Prakash, president of Blumhouse Atomic Monster, noted that while AI might disrupt low-effort, short-form digital content, it cannot replicate the craft required for compelling theatrical events. He pointed to the summer success of Blumhouse’s YouTube-originated hits Obsession and Backrooms as proof that audiences still crave authentic, human-driven storytelling that compels them to leave their homes.
Prakash urged Hollywood to look beyond traditional marketing and engage with audiences natively on platforms like YouTube, which he identified as the premier destination for modern filmed entertainment.
Meanwhile, Rahul Purini, president of Sony’s Crunchyroll, highlighted the explosive growth of anime, noting that global fans are driven by themes of grief, fame, and found family.
“At the end of the day, it starts and begins with great stories and great storytellers,” Jenkins concluded, reminding the summit that regardless of technology or distribution models, the industry’s true North Star must be creating content that makes audiences “feel something.”
Disclaimer: This content is auto-generated for informational purposes only.
Source: Read Original News
