DERMOT HORAN SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: ENTERTAINMENT

YOU may not know who he is, but Dermot Horan is responsible for much of the television that you watch. Every May, Horan travels to LA along with around 1,500 other buyers from various networks around the world to watch the pilot programmes.

Horan has worked in acquisitions for over a decade and has been responsible for buying programmes such as Lost, Prison Break and Desperate Housewives for RTE, a network that has an incredible record for getting the rights to massive US programmes before other Irish or British channels.

Horan reckons he's on to a couple of winners this year as well. First up is Ugly Betty which goes out on RTE2 tomorrow, a few days before Channel Four first broadcasts it. Ugly Betty was the surprise hit in the US this year. Based on a Columbian series, it's "very much in The Devil Wears Prada territory" according to Horan. RTE will broadcast it at 7pm, aiming at the teenage girl market, which they failed to catch with two so-so teen dramas Whistler and Falcon Beach in 2006.

In Spring, Shark, another Horan purchase will come to RTE. James Woods stars as a defence lawyer who, following a midlife crisis and divorce, switches to the prosecution. Like CSI or Law and Order SVU, every episode is self-contained, something that Horan believes will become more and more important, as many people don't have the time to keep track of the plot week in week out in programmes such as Lost, Prison Break or 24. DVD box sets then do well, but the networks end up losing out on viewship ratings.

Horan's expertise and savvy nature has brought him to the board of RTE. He's also behind merchandising, promos and press and publicity, making him on of the most influential behindthe-scenes employees at the station.