TNT-TBS executive making changes

Turner Entertainment Chief Kevin Reilly told reporters Sunday that the changes he promised for the TNT and TBS networks is underway, starting with a decrease in ad loads on TNT and embracing more creative ad opportunities.

The former Fox boss announced in January that he would cut the ad load on TNT’s forthcoming dramas by 50 percent, and reiterated his desire to increase and elevate the networks’ original output at TNT and TBS.

Though Reilly acknowledged that it would take time to see if the changes get the results he wants, he noted Sunday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., that early results are positive, particularly in decreasing ad load on TNT.

TNT has experimented with reducing ad load per hour by up to 50 percent, increasing program time by eight to 10 minutes. While the number of ad breaks remain the same, they are shorter.

“Animal Kingdom,” which premiered in June, featured a reduced ad load. And upcoming dramas “Good Behavior,” “Alienist,” and “Will” will also feature fewer commercials.

Reilly said all future original TNT dramas will be sold with shorter commercial breaks. He said he hopes to bring the strategy to TBS. But he stressed it’s a shift that requires more participants if it’s to change the game.

Reilly also pointed out the creative ad opportunities that have come from the tactic, including brand integration, such as Maya Rudolph singing a tampon ad during “Full Frontal.”

During his 30-minute Q&A Sunday, Reilly also downplayed the idea that TNT, which has long been known for crime procedurals with broad appeal, is abandoning the format for edgier serialized dramas.