This week, I speak with Bruce Tuchman, former president of MGM Worldwide Networks and as general manager of Nickelodeon Global Network Ventures.
He began as an M&A lawyer at Skadden Arps, joined MTV in 1994 before moving onto Nickelodeon, AMC Global and Sundance Channel Global, becoming President, MGM Worldwide Networks at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
Tuchman describes the learning experiences he had working abroad, and how that prepared him to take US content global. He explains the importance of narrative and story when creating any sort of film or television show. Despite the many differences across cultures, narrative storytelling touches upon universal truths of the human condition. Tuchman explains why shows such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, are liked around the world despite obvious cultural differences across markets.
All of the books Tuchman discusses can be found here.
You can hear the full interview, including our podcast extras,below, as well as at iTunes, Soundcloud, and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts can be found iTunes, Soundcloud, and Bloomberg.
Bruce Tuchman’s favorite books
The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski
Being There by Jerzy Kosinski
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Indignation By Philip Roth
Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Platform by Michel Houellebecq
Atomised by Michel Houellebecq
Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan
