Freeform Boss Tom Ascheim Touts ‘Four-Part Formula for Longevity’

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Freeform president Tom Ascheim laid out what he called the network’s “four-part formula for longevity and maybe gentle world domination” during an executive session at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Friday.

“One, take a stand,” Ascheim began. “86% of young adults expect brands to be more than just a product. They want brands that support their belief system and we’ve built with that philosophy in mind. Two, push boundaries of all kinds…Our audience demands originality and that’s what we strive to deliver.”

“Three, epic stunts,” he continued. “’31 Nights of Halloween’ and ’25 Days of Christmas’ delivered more than 100 million people just last quarter. 90% of that viewing is live. Who said young people don’t want TV? Four, stream everything. Three years ago we made a commitment to stream all of our original programming. Today, two thirds of that viewership happens on Hulu. Boy, it’s nice to have them in the family.”

Acheim also broke down why the network remains committed to programming for millennials and Gen Z.

“For us, it’s pretty straightforward — they are the biggest and most influential audience in the world,” he said. “They are voracious and exceedingly discerning consumers of content. They demand clarity and excellence and their exacting standards have helped us form a distinctive strategy to create a brand that is built to last.”

Ascheim announced during the session that Freeform had given out new season renewals for the show’s “Grown-ish” and “Good Trouble.” Freeform has also picked up the drama series “Last Summer,” which was ordered to pilot late last year.