The question of how different media can stay afloat in the era of Internet, streaming, and mobile platforms is one of the biggest and most contested in entertainment news today. Debates about paid-for content and marketing revenue whirl through headlines and opinion columns while industry executives work to keep their companies competitive and dynamic. Stephanie Plasse, senior vice president and head of the distribution legal group at A&E Networks, understands the challenges of evolving distribution methods from a legal and business standpoint. Here, Plasse discusses how networks meet demands of the twenty-first-century consumer.

Modern Counsel: Since online and streaming services started, people are viewing TV programming differently. How has that changed the way A&E Networks functions?
Stephanie Plasse: We’ve become much more conscious of the way consumers want to receive and view content. Those habits and interests have changed, and the growth and availability of digital means of distribution has created new opportunities. Digital distribution is becoming more prevalent, and entertainment companies have to adapt. For me, that means working on deals that ensure that there is a digital avenue for our viewers to consume content.
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