Disney’s Buena Vista Productions, Silverback Ink First-Look Deal

BURBANK, October 1: As part of an effort to ramp up its
production of reality programming, Disney’s Buena Vista Productions (BVP) has
signed a first-look deal with Silverback, formerly known as Talpa Scandinavia.

Effective immediately, the agreement with Silverback gives
BVP the U.S. rights to all content, formats and series developed by Silverback.

“The partnership will strengthen our capabilities, as Anna
[Carrfors Bråkenhielm, the CEO of Silverback] and her team have had tremendous
success in creating programming that is innovative, unique and groundbreaking,”
said Brian Frons, the president of daytime at Disney-ABC Television Group. “She
is brilliant at producing European formats that resonate with American
audiences. I was lucky enough to have worked with her when she brought Survivor and many other successful formats to the world, and
I’m thrilled to have the opportunity again.”

“I’m delighted to team up with BVP and I’m confident that
this will be a very fruitful partnership,” said Bråkenhielm. “Knowing Brian
from the birth of reality television, when he was head of programs at SBS, and
having the honor of working closely with him on several projects, I’m confident
that we are in the best of hands. The fact of being European in the most
important TV market in the world demands for the best partner in the field to
translate our creative ideas to U.S. taste and flavor. In BVP, we have found
just that.”

Silverback is focused on developing and producing
international formats for TV and cross-media platforms. Originally founded as
Talpa Scandinavia by Anna Carrfors Bråkenhielm, the company parted from John de
Mol’s Talpa Media Holding after a management buy-out earlier this year, which
resulted in a rebranding of the company to Silverback.