Download a PDF of our MIPTV 2007 Catalog

December 27, 2008

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How many DVD units do you expect to sell?

December 26, 2008

We hope to sell 5,000 units over the first few years of the term. Successful titles can reach 10,000 units and “breakthrough” titles, 20,000 units or more.

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What if our DVD is a PAL formatted DVD?

December 26, 2008

Then it must be re-encoded in NTSC. Most consumer DVD players in Europe and Asia can play both NTSC and PAL DVDs, however in America virtually all consumer DVD players at this time play NTSC DVDs only.

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Do you author your own DVDs or must they already be authored by the producer?

December 26, 2008

We author our own DVDs and we license finished, authored DVDs as well. If a producer already has an inventory of replicated DVDs, we might offer to buy part or all of the inventory at cost, although we would certainly create new packaging (with our own ISBNs and UPCs), often based on the original design, [...]

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Top 50 U.S. Television Markets

December 26, 2008

New York Los Angeles Chicago Philadelphia San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose Boston Dallas–Ft. Worth Washington,  DC Detroit Atlanta Houston Seattle–Tacoma Tampa–St. Petersburg Minneapolis–St. Paul Cleveland Miami–Ft. Lauderdale Phoenix Denver Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto Pittsburgh St. Louis Orlando–Daytona Beach–Melbourne Portland, Oregon Baltimore San Diego Indianopolis Hartford & New Haven Charlotte Raleigh–Durham Nashville Kansas City, Missouri Cincinnati Milwaukee Columbus, Ohio Greenville–Spartanburg–Asheville–Anderson Salt [...]

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Why won’t you offer a distribution agreement for a program if we haven’t yet cleared all of our music or footage rights?

December 26, 2008

We cannot launch a program and make the necessary marketing investment in it only to receive offers for the program from our clients which may not meet the minimums needed to clear underlying rights. We would then have no way to recoup our marketing investment, nor to earn our commission. But in such a situation [...]

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Why don’t you take on theatrical rights too?

December 26, 2008

It’s really a different business, with a different business model, different companies and different markets to attend. We have always specialized in factual or non-fiction entertainment, for which there is no theatrical market (aside from the theatrical market for feature documentaries that are major festival award winners). Companies buying theatrical rights are also buying TV [...]

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If we sign a distribution agreement, when can we expect to start receiving royalty reports and checks?

December 26, 2008

Patience is a virtue… It takes time to develop a market for a program or series. It takes time to get the attention of program buyers, it takes time for the evaluation process, and if an acquisition offer is made, it takes time for the negotiation to proceed with the business affairs department. Then once [...]

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If we sign a distribution agreement with you, will we be kept informed of your progress with our program?

December 26, 2008

We have an excellent reputation when it comes to keeping the lines of communication open with our program suppliers and production partners. We are always accessible. We can provide up-to-date promotional activity reports on request.

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Can you help us find financing for our project?

December 26, 2008

Yes. That said, keep in mind that finding financing for independent films, documentaries or factual entertainment television programs or series is an extremely difficult endeavor.  Please read more about our Executive Production agreement.

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We have a great idea for a television series. Can we tell you about it?

December 26, 2008

Yes indeed, but please do so through our consulting inquiry. Our submissions forms are for completed content.

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With all the new cable and satellite channels around the world and all the new digital television stations, you should be able to sell our program everywhere, right?

December 26, 2008

Time for a reality check… Keep in mind that all of those new networks and channels are, in most cases, full-fledged production companies too. And their entire production output is also available for sale on the international market (and by the way, already formatted for television and accompanied by transcripts, cue sheets, the properly-configured masters, [...]

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We are producing a program for [Discovery Channel/National Geographic/A&E] and they have left us with some international rights to exploit, and a budget shortfall. Are you willing to acquire just specific territories or rights?

December 26, 2008

Yes, often we can “pre-sell” rights to major market broadcasters and DVD labels when the U.S. broadcast partner is a well-known and respected network. Keep in mind that a project like this calls for a Sales Agency Agreement, not a Distribution Agreement.

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How much revenue can we expect to see for our content?

December 26, 2008

We don’t make projections anymore, unless we are paid to do so through our consultancy. The business is too subjective, and it has been a “buyer’s market” for the last decade. On top of that, over the last four years we have been riding out the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and it’s [...]

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Do we need to create foreign language versions ourselves?

December 26, 2008

No. The broadcasters will handle their own language versioning. But you must provide us with transcripts (MS Word and Adobe PDF documents) and in most cases, you must provide us with the proper audio track configurations on your masters, or it will not be possible to sell your programs into a non-English speaking market.

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Can we obtain from you a network’s press kit that will describe their demographics and reach?

December 26, 2008

The information in these press kits change often and is available from the ad sales or affiliate sales departments, and much of this information is now available online. Visit the network websites.

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What is the correct running time for a television program?

December 26, 2008

It varies from country to country, market to market. State-owned broadcasters allow less advertising time per hour than commercial channels, and thus more program content. In the U.S., a PBS hour is about 56 minutes, 40 seconds. A cable hour might be as short as 42 minutes. In the international market, the usual range is [...]

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How much do territories pay for documentaries and non-fiction programs?

December 26, 2008

It varies tremendously by market and territory, from new satellite services or small country broadcasters paying hundreds of dollars per hour to major market terrestrial networks or pan-territory satellite services paying as much as $50,000 per hour. Of course, the higher-paying markets are significantly more difficult to sell. More than that we really cannot say.

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What is a music cue sheet?

December 26, 2008

A music cue sheet is a document prepared by you the producer, that lists all of the music contained in a production including the titles of each track (or cue), composer(s), publisher(s), lyricist (if any), performing rights affiliation, and use (theme, performance, background, etc.) and timing of each music track. The cue sheet is used [...]

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Do we need E&O Insurance?

December 26, 2008

Unfortunately, we live in a world run by lawyers and insurance companies, and the American fondness for litigation has now been exported around the world. The world’s major media companies now insist that the programs they acquire and co-produce be insured by Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance policies (even though they carry their own standing [...]

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What other services do you provide?

December 26, 2008

Other services include the archiving, duplication and standards-conversion of videotape masters at state-of-the-art facilities, international shipment and customs documentation and handling, press kit preparation (including press release writing and image scanning), transcription, closed-captioning, and editorial services, graphic design and website design. In addition we now provide digital delivery of screening content via closed-circuit satellite and [...]

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How do you market and promote your Catalog?

December 26, 2008

We are exhibitors at the major annual international television program markets such as MIPTV and MIPDOC (Cannes, April) and MIPCOM (Cannes, October), NATPE (Miami, January), NATPE/DISCOP (Budapest, June), the World Content Market (Prague, January), and others.

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Can you provide us with customized projections or marketing plans for our programs?

December 26, 2008

Yes we can, but only on a fee basis through our consultancy. But we generally no longer make projections (to understand why, please read this post). Our marketing plan is essentially the same for all of the programs we release. To get an idea of where and to whom we will be marketing your program, [...]

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Our program is fully underwritten and, to satisfy our sponsors or build our name or brand recognition, we are in need of better distribution and market penetration, not revenue. Can you help us?

December 26, 2008

Yes, of course. For the right fully-underwritten program or series, we can manage a national PBS Syndication campaign in the United States. We can customize a campaign plan based on your budget. Please tell us about your program or series, and read about our PBS Distribution model.

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We’ve seen commissions in the 15-20% range in Hollywood. Why is your commission so high?

December 26, 2008

Because we are a full-service distribution company, not a producer’s rep or sales agent. As distributors we invest in the promotion and marketing of your program or series. As distributors we have our own network of sales agencies or bureaus working with us around the world in all the major territories. As distributors we handle [...]

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Do you also license stock footage rights?

December 26, 2008

Yes.

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Why must the rights be exclusive?

December 26, 2008

It is simply the nature of the distribution business. As the distributor, we control the rights. Usually our broadcast clients must license exclusive rights in their territories or for their satellite footprints, and they will only do business with program suppliers who control exclusive rights. The DVD labels we license to in other countries must [...]

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Will you consider taking all rights except DVD rights?

December 26, 2008

Yes, we often work this way. Sometimes producers seek only to retain North American DVD rights, in which case we can also market DVD rights to other territories around the world, in addition to distributing to television, VOD and new media markets.

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Will you consider taking all rights except in the United States?

December 26, 2008

Yes, as long as we can also control the rights in the United States after the initial television window (after the first license term ends, for example with PBS or Discovery, etc.)

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Download a PDF of our MIPCOM 2006 Catalog

December 26, 2008

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Download a PDF of our MIPTV 2006 Catalog

December 24, 2008

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Download a PDF of our MIPCOM 2005 Catalog

December 23, 2008

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Philosophy

December 1, 2008

Janson Media is a producer, distributor and publisher of film, television and DVD/video programming. Programming that is entertaining, informative, thought-provoking, and enlightening. Programs about people and places. Programs that tell great stories. Our catalogs feature quality entertainment and information covering a wide range of genres. Our programs are fun and interesting, and often important, and [...]

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The Equity Question and the State of the Documentary Television Business

December 1, 2008

This is an article written in 2003 by Stephen M. Janson. It’s still worth reading, and can provide a “reality check” for independent producers hoping to earn income from their copyrighted programs.

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Stephen Janson’s Resume

November 1, 2008

Stephen Janson President, Janson Media PRODUCTION CREDITS Producer Timeless: A National Parks Odyssey (Pledge Special) (PBS, 2008) Kenny Rogers: The Journey (Pledge Special) (PBS, 2006) When Nature Strikes Back: Landslides (National Geographic Channels International, 2003) When Nature Strikes Back: Monsoon (National Geographic Channels International, 2003) The Tom Whittaker Story: One Step at a Time (Discovery [...]

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Protected: MIPCOM 2008, Cannes: Market Overview

October 25, 2008

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Worldscreen Profiles Janson

April 3, 2008

Worldscreen.com’s TV Real Weekly profiled Mr. Janson in its May 14, 2008 issue. Read it here.

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M.D. Morgan, Milagro Beanfield Films

January 8, 2008

“I wanted to take a moment to praise Stephen Janson. As an award-winning production house producing all manner of commercial, corporate, and documentary programming, our relationship with Steve Janson has from the outset proved to be outstanding in every possible way.

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Mr. John Givens, Small World Productions

January 7, 2008

“Simply put Stephen Janson and Janson Media are the best in the business. We’ve tried several others with little success, but Steve and his friendly staff always come through. They know the markets and have the contacts. They’re accessible, flexible, creative, forthcoming and completely honest. I recommend Steve and Janson Media without hesitation!”

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PBS Station Airdates for “Xavier: Missionary & Saint”

January 7, 2008

Xavier: Missionary & Saint Note: In addition to the following carriage information, PBS stations in Dallas, Houston, Detroit and Tampa are planning to carry the program around Easter. Also, WNED-TV Buffalo, is considering pledging the program in March. Please contact your local PBS station for airdates and times as schedules are subject to change.

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Mr. Jim Jenner, PACCOM, Inc.

January 6, 2008

“Janson Media has been a great help to us in expanding the sale of our programs. The staff is always helpful and efficient. Stephen consistently provides solid advice and has represented us well. In a world where distributors often over-promise and seldom deliver, Janson really stands out as an honest, hard-working, reliable and effective partner [...]

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Ms. Linda Lewis, The Entertainment Group

January 6, 2008

“The Entertainment Group has worked with Janson Media for over a decade and we are extremely pleased with the results of our partnership. Janson Media has represented our programming, as well as marketed and promoted our company, and we have produced television programming together. Stephen Janson’s knowledge, experience and personal contacts in the entertainment business [...]

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Mr. James O. Fraioli, Whiteshark Entertainment

January 5, 2008

“It’s been a pleasure working with Stephen and Janson Media. Not only is everyone professional and extremely knowledgeable of the industry, but Stephen’s expert advice is extremely encouraging, especially for freelance filmmakers like myself.”

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Mr. Tracy Valleau, Digital Light Studios, Inc.

January 5, 2008

“I recently had a consultation with Mr. Stephen Janson, of Janson Media, regarding a television pilot we had developed. Frankly, marketing to television is new to us, and Mr. Janson’s consultation was simply invaluable.

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Mr. Joe O’Brien, NFocus Visual Communications

January 5, 2008

“Finally, there’s an organization that knows what’s going on in the ever-changing world of television and video acquisitions and programming. Their advice was invaluable to us.”

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Mr. Harvey Chertok, Quartet International

January 5, 2008

“Janson Media is a First Class worldwide TV and Video distributor. Thoughtful and thorough. Well connected and well respected. If there’s a deal out there, they’ll get it. It’s a privilege to have them represent our programs.”

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Mr. Desmond Smith, NewsCo

January 5, 2008

“We are a Canadian documentary group specializing in media and human rights issues. We have worked with Steve for the past decade. In a lifetime working at CBS News and ABC News and now being an ‘independent’ I can say how much I have found Steve’s sage advice so helpful.

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