ITV Studios in Format Deal with China’s Hunan TV

HONG KONG: ITV Studios has inked a pact with Chinese broadcaster Hunan Television in which the two companies will jointly develop unscripted formats that will air locally and be exported worldwide.

Hunan TV, which reaches more than 58 million viewers in China, will license multiple unscripted formats over the next three years. ITV Studios will partner with the Chinese broadcaster on developing, creating and owning these new properties. The titles will air in prime time on Hunan this year. ITV Studios will represent the worldwide rights outside China for the finished and format versions.

Ouyang Changlin, the president of Hunan Television, stated: “We are very pleased with this agreement which bring together two major broadcasters. I believe that the collaboration will bring Hunan TV’s entry into the international market one step closer. We look forward to the delivery of the new shows to our audience cross China.”

Lee Bartlett, the managing director of ITV Studios, added: "China’s television format industry has tremendous potential for international growth and, until now, has been relatively untapped. It was President Changlin’s extraordinary vision and enterprise to create a platform to showcase China’s production skills to the global TV market that has enabled us to build this new partnership. The collaboration will also unite Hunan TV with the very best in creative talent through ITV Studios in-house format-development team.”

Remy Blumenfeld, the director of formats at ITV Studios, noted: "We consider this to be a truly unique agreement which will provide ITV Studios and Hunan with the frame work to create, produce and showcase to China, and the world, the skill and originality of China’s finest television makers. ITV Studios created 6 of the top 10 shows watched on ITV this year, along with a slate of entertainments highest rating formats for other leading broadcasters—such as FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen. It’s our ambition to work with Hunan in creating a portfolio of compelling ‘must-see’ shows for the domestic broadcaster, which our sales force will then sell to the global market.”

James Ross, the regional director for Asia at ITV Studios, added: “Today’s news is a culmination of an ongoing partnership which has also involved our two companies hosting producer exchanges in the U.K. and China. We have learnt volumes from each other, and together our new strategic agreement will showcase to the world the very best in China’s television ideas courtesy of Hunan and ITV Studios.”