Feel good shows the way to go

"FEEL-GOOD" programming is the way to go for TV networks, the world renowned producer behind shows like Survivor has told an Australian pay TV conference.

Mark Burnett, who produced shows such as Survivor, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader and The Apprentice, told the ASTRA conference in Sydney on Thursday that feel-good television was something that could keep audiences coming back.

And it was also a win for networks because advertisers liked it.

"Stuff that doesn't feel good can get temporary ratings but it's no good because advertisers don't want to support that kind of programming," Burnett said via satellite cross from Los Angeles.

"Advertisers won't let their brands on negative attack-type programming. I've never done that kind of programming and never will.

"I don't think it makes any kind of sense because why would advertisers support it.

"No one's going to put a show on that advertisers won't embrace."

Burnett said he didn't want to give away many of his secrets about what he believes will be the next trends.

But he said one of his next projects, a TV series about Alaska, featuring former Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, will be "hugely compelling".

British-born Burnett, who was in the army and had a stint as a nanny before becoming one of the most successful television producers in the US, said the key to having long-running series was making it high quality, keeping it familiar, but also keeping it fresh.

"Anybody can make crappy TV," Burnett said.

Survivor has just been renewed for a 21st and 22nd season in the US, and Burnett said he'd like to see another Australian version, after the Nine Network's failed experiment.

"I wish someone would do it again," he said.

Among other speakers at the annual ASTRA conference was Mark Fries, the chief executive of the second largest pay TV operator in the world Liberty Global, who told guests that television viewing, particularly pay TV was in a great position world-wide despite internet options.

"We're actually falling back in love with the TV," Fries said.

A third of Australian households currently have pay TV and he said he expected that to grow to 50 per cent.

He also dismissed the threat from free-to-air as it adds more digital channels through Freeview.

"Freeview is a great service in the sense that it is free and it is getting people to think about multi-channel television who didn't think about it before," Fries said.

"In many ways it could be a great on ramp for Austar and Foxtel because it is teaching people that there is more to television than just what you have been used to for three decades or whatever."

"I believe it could be a marketing tool in some respects."

Later in the day, more executives joined together to discuss ways that pay TV could make more interesting and relevant content.

Paul Robinson, managing director of KidsCo, the new family friendly children's pay TV channel, said it was important to offer viewers "original and unique" content they can't get anywhere else.