BossaNova Media has been responding to the challenged market by sticking to what it does best—listening to what buyers need and making sure to provide exactly that. Claire Runham, head of acquisitions, and Tatiana Grinkevich, head of sales, share with TV Real Weekly how the company is responding to the shifts in the market by working closely with key partners, exploring alternative revenue streams and crafting a digital strategy to extend the life of library titles.

TV REAL: What’s your take on the state of the unscripted programming landscape at present?
RUNHAM: It’s very fragmented and is certainly not getting any less challenging to navigate. At BossaNova, we’re continuing to focus on the type of content we know works well for us. In particular, talent-led tough-jobs [programs] such as Guy Martin: Proper Jobs, which is returning for a second season; high-volume returning blue-light shows like Motorway Patrol, which is into its 23rd season; and short-run crime series like Heist: Robbing the Bank of England and Ed Gein: Original Psycho.

TV REAL: In what ways has BossaNova Media responded and adjusted to the shifts in the market over the last year?
GRINKEVICH: The buyers in all the major markets now know to brief us on what they want with the confidence we’ll make it happen, [as we did with] Days that Shocked the World. We’ve been working very closely with our key partners to identify the right projects and to get involved as early as possible. We’ve also been exploring different funding approaches—getting creative is key. We are “lean and mean” and have been from the start. We know that experience is one thing, but learning from the last couple of years is another. Stay humble.

TV REAL: With the current economic climate, what types of factual programming is BossaNova Media focusing on, in terms of format, genre, etc.?
RUNHAM: As a general rule, we’ll stick to what we know because it’s working well for us. At BossaNova, we’re well established as a destination for buyers for a certain type of content. That said, we are continuing to explore alternative revenue streams. We have a number of irons in the fire, which are slightly too early to mention at this current stage but are exciting opportunities for us in 2026—watch this space!

We continue to look for projects that have the potential to become long-running, returnable brands for traditional broadcasters, but which can also expand into additional opportunities beyond the traditional linear screen—like Airport Security: USA, which is returning for a second season, and the consistently popular Caught on Dashcam, which is into its seventh season, both of which we’ll be launching at the London TV Screenings and MIP LONDON. We are also consistently in the market for miniseries and one-offs that have popular appeal, are commercial and can stand out in a schedule, including innovative historical investigations like Ancient Autopsy and true-crime titles such as Ed Gein: Original Psycho.

TV REAL: What has been key to securing funding in today’s market? What role are co-productions playing, and how early do you board projects?
RUNHAM: We work in a variety of ways and will board projects at any time; we operate on a case-by-case basis. A big part of our business model is to become involved with shows very early and help to shape projects so that they are pre-sellable to traditional broadcasters. Because of the way that the market has been evolving, we have been proactive in seeking out new relationships that will support securing funding for a show; S4C came on board alongside Getty Images to sponsor our most recent Development Day, and we’ve developed ongoing dialogues with organizations that can bring funding to the table through routes beyond the broadcast license fee.

TV REAL: How are you finding the overall state of commissioning for factual shows? Are you seeing more demand for new content, or are buyers still preferring reruns and sequels?
RUNHAM: More often than not, when we have a successful series, a broadcaster will want to come back for more. It’s easier to get a returning brand that has worked over the line, rather than something new, which is testament to the risk levels of broadcasters. That said, when has this ever not been the case? I’m noticing that where broadcasters are willing to take more of a risk is with those shorter orders of one-to-four parts.

Days that Shocked the World is a good example of a project that defies these rules because it’s an anniversary boxset—set up as one brand, but includes many anniversary subjects that form one-or-two parters. Every year there will be new anniversaries to commemorate, so we have the opportunity to keep bringing it back.

TV REAL: What growth are you seeing in digital sales? What is driving your digital strategy?
GRINKEVICH: Our digital sales have massively increased by almost 3000 percent from 2024 to 2025, from a very low starting point, admittedly. We’ve had huge success in the U.S. with Borderforce USA, which is by far our biggest leader in terms of digital sales, closely followed by true-crime content. We’re also in talks to acquire older catalog titles purely to push our digital arm of the business. These are shows that may not travel as well internationally on traditional linear platforms but have the potential to do great business for us on YouTube.

TV REAL: What is your overall outlook for 2026? Where are the biggest areas of opportunity for the industry at large and for BossaNova Media more specifically?
GRINKEVICH: We are cautiously positive about 2026 after what has arguably been one of the toughest years for the industry. There’s a lot of content out there, but we want to control the amount that comes through and curate it to make our platform as attractive and relevant as possible.

TV REAL: Are there any upcoming titles you would like to mention?
GRINKEVICH: We are currently finalizing our London TV Screenings launch list, and Roman Empire by Train, Days that Shocked the World, Hunting Outback Gold, Heist: Robbing the Bank of England and Airport Security: USA season two are among our priority titles.