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Anime

Mini-Interview: The Anime Network

By AnimeEv 1 year, 10 months ago

« Back to the Anime Expo 2010 Feature Center

Ladies and gentleman!

In a stroke of luck (read: I can guilt a wolf out of eating a pork chop), we have garnered an interview with none other than the Anime Network’s Stacy Dodson, who just happens to be the first boss I ever had back in the late 90s, as well as a walking charm factory and a testament to all that is awesome.

It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten a nice run-down from the TAN crew, so let’s see what they’re up to. Without any further ado…

So tell us about the current state of the anime network: what are you guys up to these days?

It’s a very exciting time for us with Anime Network online. We’ve just wrapped up our first simulcast, Demon King Daimao, and have just begun online streaming of Maid-Sama! just a few after it started airing on TV in Japan. We have a long line up of new shows that will be coming on our various services over the summer and fall, so viewers really need to keep an eye on our Twitter announcements.

Beyond our well known Online Player and Video on Demand Services, we have forged {content-sharing} partnerships with some of the top names in {Anime and Digital Content Delivery}, such as Amazon, Anime News Network, Hulu, PlayStation Network, TV.com, YouTube Rentals… These partnerships allow our content to reach a broader audience in the most convenient formats.

What are your daily duties like?

Lots of reading emails, meetings, presentations and spreadsheets and running around. Pretty boring stuff for an interview question.

There’s obviously been a lot of shuffling, re-shuffling, and amalgamating happening with regard to TAN and its parent companies. The oft-heard term is “Zombie ADV”, et al. Can you clarify the structure? Valkyrie?

Anime Network has always operated independently and still has access to the same content library as before only now its assets are owned by a new company called Valkyrie Media Partners.

How many homes is the network in these days?

We are available in 40 million but everyone in North America can access us online

How many folks have access?

Every household in North America with Cable or Satellite TV or an Internet connection can access Anime Network. Viewers can access over 45 hours monthly on our Video on Demand service which is available in 40 million TV homes and our Streaming Online Player, which is accessible everywhere, has over 1000 episodes of free & premium content to watch instantly, with more being added every week.

Anime Network programming is also available through Sprint TV, Sony’s PlayStation Network, Netflix, YouTube, and other {instant services}. Check out www.theanimenetwork.com for a list of everywhere we are available.

People with iPhones, iPads, Android and Nokia mobile devices can download apps to access their favorite Anime series and features, plus receive special features

Tell us: how important is your online presence? Do you partner with other websites? License or loan content to various providers or aggregates? How does one move in the ever-shifting streaming media landscape?

Our online presence is very important and we do license our content to other services. It is important to keep up with the ever changing media landscape and it is also important to expose our content to a broader audience. Partnerships with sites such as Hulu help expose a larger audience to Anime.

Where is the network headed? What are your goals in 2010?

Reach out to a broader audience. Give viewers more points of access to our content and convenience, such as our upcoming smart phone apps. More shows! More Simulcasts!

What dictates what gets added (and what doesn’t) in terms of programming?

We like to keep a variety in our schedule so equal parts action, comedy and drama.

How many VOD episodes can you “run” at once?

Users get up to 45 hours of content monthly on VOD which is usually 90 or more episodes at once. Online there are over 1000 episodes.

The recent announcement that the Playstation Network would be picking up TAN sounds like it could be promising. What could you tell us about the partnership?
We are already on Playstation Network and have been for a while. At least a year. The partnership is great. We are all big fans internally of the PlayStation gaming systems so we enjoy being a content partner with them.

Do you see TAN expanding into digital “premiere” and theater showings, a la something akin to what Bandai has been doing using digital projection in theaters?

At this time we do not have any plans to move into the theater showings but who knows what the future brings.

The future: what does it hold? Please use as much vulgarity as you deem fit.

If I tell you now what am I going to put in the future press releases?

…

AnimeEV is the content director for Ani.me. He stepped on stage, at Live Aid, the people gave, and the poor got paid.