The Block Set for Israeli Treatment

SYDNEY, July 23: Israel 10 has acquired the rights to
produce a local version of Southern Star International’s hit reality series The
Block.

The Block features four couples moving into four identical
apartments where they have 12 weeks to design, decorate and renovate the space.
The apartments are then auctioned to the general public and the winner is the
couple whose apartment earns the highest price.

Nine Network Australia is
the original format owner and producer. Format rights have been acquired by
ITV1 in the U.K., FOX in the U.S., SBS in the Netherlands and Belgium, MNET in
South Africa, TV2 in Norway, TV2 in Denmark, TNT in Russia, Viasat in Sweden,
Nelonen in Finland and Prima TV in Romania.

The Australian canned show
has sold to Fox Reality Channel in the U.S., HGTV in Canada, Real Estate TV in
the U.K., Discovery in Latin America, V-me for the U.S. Hispanic market, TV3
and Viasat in Sweden, Associated Yugoslav TV in Bosnia/Herzegovina, Macedonia
and Serbia and DCCTV in Africa.

—By Jackie Stewart