How Often Do Celebrity Production Companies Launch Hit Shows?

Jeffrey Katzenberg relied on the entertainment model of yesteryears: banking on celebrity appeal. One example is Quibi shelling out $6MM to Reese Witherspoon. Don't get me wrong. I love her as much as the next person in Legally Blonde. However, no one is rushing to hand Quibi their money as she narrates a nature documentary.

Putting talent at the center of its business opens up entirely new opportunities for media companies when the core asset and value is attributed to the individual. The new line of business now becomes somewhat inverted: instead of everything being limited to under a brand halo where advertisers buy on the brand and consumers subscribe to the brand,... See more

When the playing field is leveled such that the only content is what people are able to produce themselves, the major advantages that celebrities have disappear: access to professional production resources and distribution through traditional gatekeepers. The remaining differentiators are entertainment value and fun.