TVFORMATS
From dating formats like Spy Date and Love at Third Sight to the long-running global hit Power Couple, Dori Media is positioning its unscripted formats business to be flexible and adaptable to current market conditions. As Nadav Palti, president and CEO of the company, tells TV Formats Weekly, in a risk-averse climate, proven successes can go a long way toward getting a commission over the line. Palti talks to TV Formats Weekly about key trends he sees reshaping the format sector.
TV FORMATS: With budgets challenged and an uncertain climate, are you still seeing a reliance on proven brands?
PALTI: Buyers, large and small, are looking to minimize risks. One way they are doing so is by producing and airing proven successes. Our unscripted format Power Couple is becoming a great example of this strategy. Power Couple continues to expand its reach. We are continuing to develop additional seasons, episodes and challenges together with our international clients. At the same time, we are presenting the format to new clients who are increasingly interested in Power Couple due to its success in many territories. Additionally, we are creating new variations and remakes of proven track-record content, expanding the formats in new creative ways.
TV FORMATS: What opportunities are you seeing to dust off older brands and reboot them for contemporary viewers?
PALTI: Reviving past successes is another way to minimize risks and maintain super brands. If the format is still relevant, producing a remake and adjusting it in terms of quality, number of episodes and characters presents an opportunity for developing and producing a new series in a shorter period of time and with fewer challenges. For example, Lalola, originally released in 2007, was one of the most successful series of all time, sold to dozens of countries across the world. In 2024, we produced a new version, which aired on ViX with tremendous success. The successful format was adapted to be set in the present day and features numerous other updates.
TV FORMATS: We’ve seen cutbacks at the streamers across a range of genres. Are you still seeing a commitment to entertainment formats?
PALTI: We are definitely still seeing a commitment to entertainment formats from the streamers. They also need fresh content. But unlike in the past, most streamers today are purchasing content on a territory-by-territory basis, thereby reducing costs and risks. Scripted or non-scripted.
TV FORMATS: Are there particular genres—game shows, dating, cooking, talent, etc.—that seem particularly in demand at present?
PALTI: We are actually seeing interest in all sorts of different formats and genres right now. It really just depends on the different territories, what their audiences enjoy and budgets.
TV FORMATS: What opportunities do you see for cross-border format co-development?
PALTI: One way to minimize risks is through co-productions. There are countless models that can be adapted to suit the various parties involved. We are consistently interested in co-productions and offer different models, both financial and production-based. Each partnership is unique. We apply a great deal of creativity in tailoring the co-production to fit the specific title, partners, and country of production. We are open to co-producing with both local and global partners. While co-productions reduce risk, they also share the opportunity, so we always strive to balance the model to ensure the best possible fit.
