U.S. Pickup for Dori’s uMan

TEL-AVIV: Dori Media Group, in collaboration with Indiemedia, has scored a sale for its interactive format uMan to ITV Studios America for the U.S. market.

The cross-platform show features eight contestants entering a "lab" for 21 days, during which their every move is controlled by viewers. They score "life points" to win. Viewers, who can watch the show on their mobiles or linear TV, have control over how the contestants live, what they eat, what they wear and who they sleep with. The format has been sold to 15 countries since its July 2009 debut.

Nadav Palti, the president and CEO of Dori Media Group, commented: "We are very proud to be collaborating with ITV Studios America, who have produced successful programs such as Hell’s Kitchen. We believe that an international format such as uMan can be easily adapted for different countries and cultures around the globe and we cannot wait to see the debut of the ITV version. uMan, developed by Dori New Media for Cellcom Israel, the leading Cellular operator in Israel, is a unique product that has the ability to attract the highly desirable teenage audience, and enable them to influence the outcome of the show through their mobile phones and through the Internet.”

Mark Rowland, the executive producer of Supernanny USA and founder of Indiemedia, added: "uMan is the perfect format for 2011. It keeps you hooked whether you’re watching on TV, on your phone or online."