Cables Quote by Reed Hastings
“If you look at cable networks, they almost always start licensing content wherever they can, so they can build a subscriber base. But then they start doing their own content; it's a pretty well-trodden path.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Tech Conference, 2015
Cable networks first acquire external content to build audiences, then develop original programming, following a proven growth strategy.
In simple terms: Start with proven content, then create originals.
Key Takeaway
Leverage existing assets before innovating.
Themes
business strategy
content acquisition
original production
growth
media industry
Mood
analytical
strategic
pragmatic
Type
business
media studies
When to use this quote
- startup scaling
- TV network planning
- digital platform development
Key Concepts
strategic management
economics of media
innovation cycles
Questions to Reflect On
- When should a company shift from acquisition to creation?
- How do you balance risk and reward in media?
A Different Perspective
Original content creation can be risky and costly.
![“Why would you let [the TV audiences] build a habit of going to the cable networks? So I think they've obviously smartened up now, and they're not giving the summer to cable anymore.” quote by James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fd9/james-patterson-171_audience_why-would-you-let-the-tv-audiences-build_3048570.jpg)
![“Just before I began doing this show [The Last Word ], a dear friend of mine, Karen Russell, asked me what I was going to do with the show.She meant how was I going to use this platform to do something important, something that I wouldn't be able to do without an hour of real estate in cable news…” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e3a/donald-trump-18_able_just-before-i-began-doing-this-show-the_134932.jpg)
