MTVNI Finds its Format Footing

The format catalogue of MTV Networks International (MTVNI) continues to go from strength to strength.

Even before heading to Cannes, MTV Networks International (MTVNI) had secured a slew of deals from its format catalogue, with local commissions coming from broadcasters in Europe, the Asia Pacific and Africa. This includes Pros Vs. Joes heading to Norway’s TV2, with an option secured in Australia; Bridal Bootcamp getting a local treatment with Italy’s Mediaset; and the game show Pay It Off scoring a pickup from Nigerian brand-management company Linam Concept, which will partner with a local sponsor to package the format.

MTVNI, known for its strong youth-skewing brands, launched a trio of new formats at MIPTV as well—Slips, Moving In and Dance Cam Slam—continuing to solidify a name for itself as a serious player in the format landscape.

"Our format catalogue is a mixture of well-known MTV titles that resonate with youth audiences around the world—such as hit shows like Pimp My Ride, Punk’d, Made, Room Raiders and 16 & Pregnant—as well as titles from other powerhouse brands, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Spike and CMT, that appeal to a slightly different, niche or wider demographic," says Caroline Beaton, the senior VP of international program sales at MTVNI. She highlights in particular Bridal Bootcamp (CMT), GUTS (Nickelodeon) and the male-skewed programs Pros Vs. Joes and The Joe Schmo Show (Spike).

Beaton explains that there’s a good balance with commissions from MTV Networks’ channels and third-party broadcasters. "Our formats have strong track records in multiples territories, both in terms of ratings from the original show airing on our network of channels, and from local adaptations," she adds. Another strength for MTVNI in the format space is its built-in brand recognition. "We have iconic franchises that are instantly recognizable, such as Pimp My Ride, The Real World and The Hills," says Beaton.

While the company has many strong original brands in its catalogue, MTVNI is careful when deciding which series to format and what kind of maturity a show must reach before doing so. "We would typically wait for around six months in order to build up a strong ratings track record from the original series on our own channels around the world" before formatting a show, Beaton explains. "In the case of formats that are lightly formatted but complex to produce (i.e. The Hills or Jersey Shore), we might wait until at least two seasons had been produced and aired."

The success of shows like Jersey Shore and The Hills rely heavily on the cast of larger-than-life personalities they feature. As such, MTVNI is able to offer up a tailored package for format buyers where the consultation is heavier in both the pre-production/casting stage and in the post-production/editing stage—where the expertise in this type of format is required most—rather than during the actual filming.

"We offer a production consultancy package most suitable for the format being adapted," says Beaton. "In short, this means that the consultancy may be provided by the format creator or producer of the originating version, or by a flying producer that is an expert in adapting formats internationally—depending on which is deemed more beneficial for the format and/or client in question. We also have full production bibles, and in some cases, can provide numerous local versions of the format to follow."