Twentieth Century Fox Television and ITV enter groundbreaking international partnership
19/06/2008
Twentieth Century Fox Television, one of the industry’s most successful suppliers of series programming, and ITV plc, Britain’s leading commercial broadcaster, have entered into a groundbreaking international production partnership, it was announced today by TCFTV Chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden, and ITV’s Managing Director for Global Content Lee Bartlett.
Under this unprecedented pact, the two companies will look to identify properties and formats from their respective rosters of hits that can be developed for their home markets. Already, there are plans to develop a new British version of TCFTV’s Golden Globe-winning situation comedy “Dharma and Greg” to be produced by ITV Productions, and other formats from both companies are being eyed for possible series production both in the U.S. and the U.K. The two companies may also avail themselves of each other’s production facilities, with possible American series shooting abroad and British series shooting in the United States.
In addition, the two companies announce today the establishment of a co-financed joint development fund to formulate original programming which they may develop and produce either separately or together for exploitation internationally. The Shared Development Group will be headed up by Ann Johnson and Steve Sicherman from TCFTV and Kate Bartlett and Saurabh Kakkar from ITV Productions.
“We have long recognized that American producers do not have a monopoly on creativity or ideas for great television series,” commented TCFTV Chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “ITV has a fantastic library and a vibrant, innovative development slate and we couldn’t be more excited about this partnership. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work, and of course, we couldn’t be happier to be back in business with Lee, who is a gifted executive and a good friend.”
Commented ITVP Global Content’s Managing Director Lee Bartlett, who recently joined ITV from the Fox network where he served as a senior executive: “ITV has long had a foot in the door of the biggest television market in the world. As of today that door is well and truly open. Both ITV and Fox are committed to delivering superlative programming that appeals to the largest possible audience. This agreement presents tremendous opportunities for a transatlantic cross-fertilisation of ideas and talent - it is also testament to the high regard in which major Hollywood producers regard ITV’s writing and producing talent. I look forward to working with my counterparts at Fox to create great TV for viewers in Britain, America and around the world.”
The Director of ITV Productions, John Whiston, said: “If you are going to partner up with a US company then you should go for the one whose programming you most watch and whose creativity you most admire. For UK creatives, Fox is the best sweet shop in the world and we are very excited about being let loose in it. We are also confident that they will find a lot to enjoy about ITVP.”
This deal was brokered by London based Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution executive Yoni Cohen.
20th Century Fox Television, a division of News Corp, is a leading supplier of entertainment programming domestically and around the world.
A division of ITV plc, ITV Global Content brings together the company’s UK and international production and distribution businesses: ITV Productions, ITV Worldwide (formerly Granada International and Granada Ventures) and the company’s production bases in the US, Germany, Australia and Scandinavia. ITV’s catalogue includes the Academy Award-winning motion picture “The Queen”, acclaimed dramas “Prime Suspect” and “Cracker”, as well as hit formats such as “Hell’s Kitchen”, “I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!” and “Dancing on Ice”. Each year ITV sells thousands of hours of programming to more than 200 countries worldwide.
Contact:
Chris Alexander
Sr. Vice President, Corporate Communications
310.369.2733 chris.alexander@fox.com
Andrew Sholl
Head of Press – ITV Global Content
+44 (0)20 7156 7239 andrew.sholl@itv.com