Mark Burnett in Asian Partnership

SINGAPORE, October 10:
Mark Burnett International has entered into a 10-year partnership with
Singapore’s Genting International to develop, produce and distribute reality
television series and game shows in the Asia-Pacific region.

The collaboration marks
the first step in a long-term strategy for Mark Burnett International to expand
in Asia. It is also the first entry into television production for Genting
International. The deal sees the formation of Mark Burnett Productions Asia
(MBPA), a 50-50 partnership with a joint investment of up to $20 million. The
partnership covers all of Asia except Japan and the Middle East. MBPA will
develop content for the region as well as license the format and completed
rights to all platforms.

Burnett commented: “We’ve
been doing business in and around Asia since our company was founded and we’ve
been looking at ways to do more in this massive market. Shortly after our first
meeting with Genting we felt like we had found the perfect company to partner
with, not only to bring our existing library to the territory but also to
develop and produce original content that will be of interest to television
viewers throughout Asia.”

MBPA will have its base in
Resorts World at Sentosa, a more than S$5-billion mega-resort being built in
Singapore by Genting International. Resorts World at Sentosa, opening in 2010,
will house Southeast Asia’s only Universal Studios Singapore, six theme hotels,
showrooms and film-production facilities.

MBPA will use Resort World
Sentosa’s facilities and resort attractions for some of its productions.
Visitors at the resort can participate in game shows, watch the programs being
made and even interact with the ‘stars’ of the show. Prior to the resort’s
opening, MBPA’s temporary office will be based in Resorts World at Sentosa’s
corporate headquarters in Singapore.