UP TV’s Amy Winter on Creating Positive Programming For Families

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I hate to admit it but I’m getting a little burned out on animation. It feels like we watch it constantly from movies to shows at home and sometimes I crave real faces and realistic story lines. But the reality is, it’s hard to find something to watch as a family that doesn’t involve animation.

UP TV is hoping to change that. My guest this week is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of UP TV, Amy Winter. She says she’s rebranded the network to gear programming toward families without sacrificing quality. I met her recently at a premiere party for UP TV’s newest show, Our Wedding Story. Grab the tissue when you watch because it’s a very moving show where couples share their love story. No explosions. No swears. No sex. Just beautiful story telling. Producers Nick and Colin from Blue Kite Cinema say their goal is to create a cinematic documentary rather than a reality show, and I think they’ve done exactly that. Every shot is beautiful and the editing moves the story along so you feel like you’ve been on the whole journey with each couple.

 

Amy tells me she’s thrilled the show makes people feel something. She came to UP TV from TLC, where she set the tone for docu-style reality shows as we know it. Remember Here Comes Honey Boo Boo? Breaking Amish? And Long Island Medium? That was Amy’s doing. I teased her about bringing the Honey Boo Boo clan into the pop culture lexicon and she took it all in stride. After all, she was right about it making good television.

We also talked about how she ran a cable network while commuting across the country as a mom of three. This is astounding to me because I can’t even get my child to school on time. And she doesn’t have to be there until 9! So the idea of running a TV network, commuting to another state for work, and being a mommy is some Olympic-style momming *praise hands*.

Listen to this episode to hear how Amy makes it work, and her plans for the future of UP TV. Then go here to find UP TV on your cable provider and see for yourself what it looks like when a woman, and a mom, takes the reigns of a network focused on family. They have original shows like Bringing Up Bates and Growing Up McGhee as well as family-friendly re-runs of Fresh Off The Boat, Home Improvement and Gilmore Girls.

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