Andre Provencher

President, La Presse Télé

What are your highlights for MIPTV?
The Parents, A Star’s Life in Lyrics, Seduction and a new cooking/chef reality show.

How is 2010 shaping up for the company?
We are anticipating a very exciting year for La Presse Télé.  We are launching 3 new formats on the international market. Our frontrunner format “The Parents” had a first and very successful fall production in Greece (Mega) and Spain (Antena 3). We are also looking forward to expand the Parents’ family around the World with a few options in discussion. La Presse Tele is diversifying its local production with 12 shows on air in Canada and more than 6 projects in development. We are a young, but very ambitious company and we are counting on our quality and variety of programming to secure our place on the international market.
We are convinced that the format business will pick up. This is a time when every dollar counts and needs to be well spent. Producing a quality show that has proven to be successful in another territory tends to reassure broadcasters. The format is a sensible solution to introduce new and innovative programs without taking too many risks.

Why are formats an attractive option right now?
The format industry relies on market shares, proven record and clear production bibles to follow. Consultations with the original production 
team also eliminate prior mistakes. These factors help to maximize every dollar spent and contributes to a successful television program.

What are some of La Presse Tele’s newest formats on offer?
We are excited to launch our new primetime entertainment show A Star’s Life in Lyrics. It’s an innovative new format in which a host receives well-known guests and have their lives unfold before their eyes in songs. Through clever interviews, the star reveals his fondest memories associating each event with a special song. The personal moments can vary from the song playing at his wedding, the lullaby his mother sang to him or the song he is ashamed to love. Viewers get to learn more about guests’ musical universes, as favorite performers of theirs serve up the great songs that have marked guests’ lives. Surprise performances, first-time-ever versions, everything needed for a great musical party and for producing strong emotions live and in front of an audience. The original concept was introduced in Fall 2009 on SRC in French Canada and has been winning the Saturday primetime slot ever since with a record 20% market share.

What are La Presse Télé’s key strengths?
La Presse Télé is located in Montreal and we believe that gives us a great advantage. Because Quebec’s first language is French and is surrounded by English territories, we have been creating our own television for decades. By sharing a border with the USA and working closely with English Canada we are also keeping up with new trends. This makes for quality and inventive programming with very tight budgets. Quebec is truly a niche of creativity and La Presse Tele is a perfect example of this.