DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg is working on a new venture which he describes as “New TV”.
Speaking to Deadline, Katzenberg says he’s “found a brand new Everest” with his start-up WndrCo.
The venture is aimed at creating short-form shows for mobile devices. Each show will have a full story arc, which will be limited to 6-10 minutes per episode. WndrCo’s target audience is 18-34 year-olds.
“The reason why I’m convinced the timing is right and it’s going to happen is that today you have these devices with you all the time,” Katzenberg said.
The former DreamWorks Animation CEO is looking at an advertising-supported model, but hasn’t ruled out bringing in an SVoD component.
“There’s a new technology, a new form of consumption, so there needs to be an ad model in this that makes this financially rewarding,” Katzenberg said, adding that “the studios and the content providers are excited; showrunners couldn’t be more excited because it’s a new challenge for them.”
Katzenberg insists he doesn’t think ‘New TV’ means the death of traditional TV, “I think we will be able to look back and see that ‘New TV’ was additive to television. It’s not a zero-sum game. This is not a substitute for sitting down and watching an outstanding piece of entertainment like Westworld or Peaky Blinders.”
