FX Networks’ Chuck Saftler on #EverySimpsonsEver

Chuck Saftler (COM ’85), President of Program Strategy and COO, FX Networks, and “Simpsons World,” a premium interactive digital and online experience available on the FXNOW app for the modern TV viewer

Chuck Saftler (COM ’85), President of Program Strategy and COO, FX Networks, knows what it means to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to television programming. “Anybody who’s at a television network has to be forward-thinking and has to be looking at where the viewers are, and what the viewers expect from us in terms of delivering our program.” In a time where companies like Netflix and Hulu are becoming the norm, Saftler stands strongly behind the idea that viewers are still very much of both the “lean back” (standard, linear television) and “lean forward” (online streaming) parties.

COM’s Master’s in Media Ventures offers students the opportunity to focus on this kind of media innovation, and to position themselves for the jobs the industry needs as it evolves. Saftler agrees, “It’s a fantastic program that’s getting students ready to go out into the world of today. It’s no longer the world of tomorrow. Non-linear is a very critical part of the world of today, right here, right now. It’s only going to become more and more important. So it’s fantastic that there’s a program that can prepare students to go out into the world and be able to have their minds oriented to what the consumers are expecting from companies much like my own here.”

At the end of August 2014, FXX made television history when, for 24 hours a day, over the course of 12 days, it broadcast 552 episodes (Seasons 1 through 25) of the legendary Emmy® Award winning animated comedy The Simpsons as well as The Simpsons Movie, in chronological order. The marathon was more than just a series of re-runs — it was an event, as best exemplified by the uproarious and joyous response on social media of the many viewers who tuned in to watch live. If anything, the record-breaking marathon proved that a “lean back” viewing experience was still very much in demand. And the marathon was only the beginning.

At the end of October, Saftler led the development of “Simpsons World,” a new immersive, interactive digital and online experience available through the FXNOW app and SimpsonsWorld.com. “Simpsons World” offers a premium experience for both the casual and super fan and features on-demand access to every single Simpsons episode for the first time ever and a unique, personalized experience of one of TV best-loved and iconic series. Saftler explains, “The reason why we at FX launched this experience is because the world is changing, and the expectations of viewers are changing.” His idea is to satisfy all viewers, serving up their favorite episodes of The Simpsons how they want it, when they want it, and where they want it.

Is this immersive online viewing experience the future of television? In his opinion, Chuck Saftler sees this as a natural progression, an “additive to the way we’ve behaved watching TV the whole lifetime of television. We simply keep improving upon the ways we nurture our viewing habits. As the needs of viewers and consumers evolve, innovation in technology and media seems to follow.”

Media Ventures students know this firsthand. With alums in strategic positions at Hulu, Twitter, Bloomberg, DirecTV, Wasserman, Pluto TV and many other leading media companies, Media Ventures is at the heart of this evolution.

Students and faculty of the Media Ventures Program explain how the program works.