FremantleMedia Enterprises Secures Greek Deals for Hit Formats

LONDON, April 3: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has
licensed a number of its hit international formats to broadcasters in Greece,
including Got Talent, Betty La
Fea, The X Factor, Let’s Make A Deal and Distraction.

Antenna in Greece has acquired the format rights to Got
Talent, in which the show’s contestants
take to the stage for an open audition before a studio audience and a panel of
celebrity judges, before going on to a public vote in a live finale. The format
originated in the U.S. for NBC in 2006 as America’s Got Talent, produced by FremantleMedia North America, with a
second season now confirmed. Other broadcasters that have also acquired the
format include Seven Network in Australia, M6 in France, ITV1 in the U.K., TV4
in Sweden, Channel 1 in Russia, RTP in Portugal and SBS in Belgium.

The Greek terrestrial broadcaster Mega Channel has acquired
the format rights to Betty La Fea. Greece’s version, produced by On
Productions, premiered on January 1 as the 200×30-minute Maria, I Aschimi, and has earned
audience shares of up to 40 percent of all individuals, and achieving results
100 percent above Mega Channel’s daytime average.

Alpha TV in Greece has picked up rights to three of
FremantleMedia’s formats, including the talent search show The X Factor and the game shows Let’s Make A Deal and Distraction. The Greek version of Let’s Make A Deal, produced by On Productions, will launch in Greece
later this year as a 140×1-hour series. The 40×40-minute local version of Distraction,
produced by Ata Productions, launched last
year, peaking with a 25.7 percent audience share for all individuals. It will
return to the channel this spring.

David Ellender, the CEO of FremantleMedia
Enterprises—which handles format deals in those markets where
FremantleMedia Productions does not have a local operation—commented:
“Greece is an important European market and continues to consolidate its
position as a key international player. We’re thrilled to be working with these
leading Greek broadcasters and delighted that they have embraced our portfolio
of international smash hit formats. We are proud to offer broadcasters a
diverse cache of programming both on tape and as formats, meeting their needs
in collaboration with FremantleMedia Productions.”