Nippon TV & Blue Ant Studios Ink Non-Scripted Formats Pact

Nippon TV and Blue Ant Studios are collaborating to expand the presence of unscripted formats from the Japanese media group’s new Gyokuro Studio business in North America.

The new deal, which builds upon an existing relationship between the two companies for the Canadian version of Nippon TV’s Old Enough!, will see the companies working together to further develop original formats from Gyokuro Studio.

The partnership is being spearheaded by Tom Miyauchi, head of the newly established Nippon TV Los Angeles business office, and Blue Ant Studios’ Matt Hornburg, co-president, and Diane Rankin, executive VP of content development and commercial strategy.

Miyauchi said, “Building on the warm reception of Old Enough! in Canada, we see a tremendous opportunity to further localize and expand our global footprint in unscripted formats, and we are proud to announce our strategic partnership with Blue Ant Studios. As a proven force in the content industry, Blue Ant brings invaluable expertise and a strong track record of success in North America and the world. By joining forces, we aim to blend their creativity and market-winning insight with Nippon TV’s original format ideas. This partnership marks a meaningful step in our efforts to deliver distinctive Japanese creativity with both local and global sensibilities to audiences around the world—an exciting collaboration that aligns perfectly with our vision of creating global entertainment at Nippon TV LA.”

Hornburg added, “Blue Ant Studios and Nippon TV share a like-minded vision for broad, four-quadrant entertainment formats with global resonance. As our streaming and network partners continue to ask for ambitious, high-impact content, this collaboration supports our strategic focus on scalable IP with international potential. Piloting innovative ideas in select global markets before introducing them to North America is a model we see gaining traction and one we’re excited to build upon.”