With Brexit looming in the U.K., a reality TV host presiding over the Oval Office in the U.S. and a seemingly unending stream of news headlines from all over the world with stories each more rattling than the next, these are, indeed, strange times we\u2019re living in.<\/p>\n
Television tastes can be a great barometer of what\u2019s going on politically and economically in the world. When the events of real life are dark and twisty enough themselves, programming that provides optimism and escapism is often what\u2019s in demand. Light entertainment can be the perfect antidote to the nonstop onslaught of doom-and-gloom discussions about climate change, recessions and riots. Perhaps that\u2019s part of the reason the bizarre, wacky, laughter-inducing antics of The Masked Singer <\/em>have struck a chord in so many markets around the world recently.<\/p>\n Also, the heartfelt contestants and slow-burn style of The Great British Bake Off <\/em>have charmed viewers all over the globe, including in the U.S., where a local version returns in time for the holidays. In this issue of TV Formats<\/em>, we hear from Love Productions\u2019 Richard McKerrow about the warmth and care that have given rise to the hit show. We also hear from The Amazing Race\u00a0<\/em>co-creator Bertram van Munster, who talks about how the series is perfect for a whole family to watch together.<\/p>\n The authenticity and \u201creal reality\u201d of social experiments are resonating, with the current market trend being toward those that explore true-to-life societal issues. We examine what\u2019s new in social-experiment formats in another in-depth feature. TV Formats <\/em>also shines a light on the wave of physical competition formats, reflecting the zeitgeist of mindfulness surrounding health and fitness.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just viewers\u2019 tastes that are shifting with the times; buyers\u2019 budgets are as well. Game shows tend to see a rise in commissions when the economy is in a slump. As Fremantle\u2019s Rob Clark tells us in this issue, the genre\u2014lauded for being safe, cost-effective and reliable\u2014is back in a big way.<\/p>\n As minimizing costs and risk, and maximizing innovation, are top of mind for many in the formats business during these challenging times, we also explore how co-development is becoming increasingly popular.<\/p>\n After a long stretch of complex dramas awash with complicated (sometimes morally compromised) characters, all hail the entertainment format.<\/p>\n