Disney+, Netflix, and HBO Max are investing in reality TV to fuel streaming and top Hollywood agency

Publish date: 2024-06-28
2022-01-31T17:58:06Z

Amid a bustling non-scripted television landscape — with the top streamers including Disney+, Netflix, and HBO Max investing heavily in the genre — talent agents Nir Caspi, Daniel O'Connor, and Ross Raphael have been named partner at WME's non-scripted TV division, Insider has learned exclusively. 

With the trio's ascension, there are now 19 non-scripted TV partners under the leadership of division head Lance Klein. WME's non-scripted TV department covers unscripted programming, documentaries, broadcast sports, and broadcast news, with Amir Shahkhalili and David Sherman overseeing non-scripted under Klein, Jim Ornstein leading sports broadcasting, and Henry Reisch leading news broadcasting. 

"I genuinely feel like we are entering the golden era of non-scripted programming," said Raphael. "The pandemic escalated cord cutting, but it also escalated the demand for non-scripted and documentary. In 2020, as more people were stuck inside and unable to experience life situations the same way that they had in a pre-pandemic era, they started watching more non-scripted to feel like they were experiencing those situations and live vicariously through the programming." 

Raphael, who started in the agency's mailroom in 2010, now tends to a client roster filled with such high-profile production companies and studios as Luminant Media, Campfire Studios, eOne, and Propagate, and brand portfolios including Hasbro and Condé Nast. He is particularly enthusiastic about working with Hasbro in the wake of its acquisition of eOne, known for preschool brands including "Peppa Pig."

"With this big name IP, it brings built-in marketing and name recognition," he said. "So it's such a safe bet for both old players and new players who are entering the space for streamers." 

O'Connor, who has been at WME since 2008 (he was at IMG Worldwide when it was acquired by WME in 2013) and was upped to agent in 2015, works with the agency's non-scripted and sports broadcast groups to represent on-air sports commentators and help athletes transition "from the playing field or court to the broadcast booth," he said. On his roster are the NFL Network's Kyle Brandt, CBS Sports' Charles Davis, Turner Sports' Taylor Rooks, ESPN's Ashley Brewer, and Fox Sports' Dean Blandino. 

O'Connor has his eye on the boom in legalized sports gambling in the U.S. and the opportunities it brings to his on-air talent and producer clientele. 

"These gambling platforms are much more than just betting platforms, that are quickly becoming content platforms as well," said O'Connor. "You're seeing this with FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, MGM, just to name a few." 

Caspi, who joined WME in 2011, represents filmmakers, producers, and production companies, facilitating in the sale of Scout Productions' "Queer Eye" reboot to Netflix and "Legendary" to HBO Max, Campfire Studios' WeWork documentary to Hulu and "The Way Down" to HBO Max, Done and Done Productions' "Selling Sunset" to Netflix, and Brent Hodge's Martin Shkreli feature documentary "Pharma Bro."

"It's been very rewarding to be able to navigate the newer landscapes and create really strong businesses for clients that sell there," said Caspi. "While we are seeing bits of consolidation, the more buyers we have that continue to enter the market is always healthy," he added, "to have a competitive environment." 

Caspi helped launch a licensing strategy for "Queer Eye," featuring a consumer product line at Walmart and LEGO, and is working to find homes for projects from Scout's newer documentary division, such as Greg Berlanti LGBTQ+ docuseries "Equal," which was sold to HBO Max. 

The heated streaming market means that buyers at services such as Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and others are eager to plunk down cash for programs that will hopefully draw in viewers and paying customers. 

"Linear programming presented certain parameters," said Raphael. "Everything was an algorithm about ad sales, about the margin they were going to make. And with the streaming boom, it's so much more than that now. It's about driving subscribers, gaining notoriety, gaining prestige, winning awards. And to put a price on that, people are willing to overpay. So we've really seen budgets just continue to increase year over year."

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