Ben Frow: 5 will not be sold by Paramount following takeover

5 will not be sold off by Paramount following the takeover by David Ellison’s Skydance, according to content chief Ben Frow. 

Frow was asked about the potential for a sale during the 5 Spotlight session at the Edinburgh TV Festival and said he had received endorsement from the new leadership team of 5’s importance to the company. 

“I had a conversation with the new boss who said he was very keen on Channel 5 and very impressed with what we do and thinks we can do a lot more for the business,” Frow said. “He speaks my kind of language.  
 
“I’ve always had my eye on my responsibility and what I’m supposed to deliver. I also think we’re incredibly creative and if you go back to very original Paramount [the Redstones’ motto] was ‘content is king’ and content is still king and we’re really good at doing content.” 

Paramount’s shares rose 36% when chief exec Ellison outlined the US studio’s content plans alongside streaming chief Cindy Holland last week.  

While most of the focus has been on Paramount+ and the US operations – Paramount closed a high-profile deal with Stranger Things creators the Duffer brothers yesterday – Ellison has talked about the importance of Paramount’s global assets, while newly installed president Jeff Shell has previously indicated that linear networks are still part of the plans. 

Though, cost savings are being sought by the top team, Frow dismissed talk about 5’s financial contribution to the overall business, noting he “can’t read a budget sheet” and his focus is on commissioning programming which draws eyeballs. 

“I’m very clear about my job - my job’s to get the audience,” he said. “I don’t advertise it, I don’t commercialise it, I’m not in charge of whatever it is that people do, that’s their job. My job is to try and make sure they’ve got the content which means they can get what they need to hit the numbers that we’re asked to hit.”