Imagine’s Justin Wilkes on Pushing into Premium Nonfiction, How Streaming Deals are Changing and the Double Strike Impact on Indies
variety.comCynthia Littleton Business Editor About six years ago, Imagine Entertainment went on a diversification push to add top-shelf documentary and nonfiction content to the company’s roster, as well as kids and family entertainment and branded creative marketing, among other content-related businesses.
The timing was spot-on. Imagine has been able to grow along with the boom in demand for original content from platforms, not just in the U.S.
but other major worldwide territories. All of that activity, fueled by private investment funds, is positioning the company extremely well for the industry’s next phase as networks and platforms slash costs, as Imagine Entertainment president Justin Wilkes explains on the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business.” As an independent outfit, Imagine is naturally attuned to the shifts in the marketplace.
The larger conflict that has led to strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA is a result of major changes in the way TV shows are produced for streaming platforms.
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