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Friend Zone Format Debuts at MIP-TV MTV’s iconic reality series, Pimp My Ride and One Bad Trip, and brand new transformational docu-series, I Used To Be Fat, will be adapted and created for local audiences across Northern Europe in four separate deals with key broadcasters and producers in 2012. The news comes as Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), heads to MIP Formats and was announced at the conference by Caroline Beaton, Senior Vice President, International Programme Sales, VIMN. In a direct agreement with Viasat, Pimp My Ride will be produced by local production company Limelight TV for weekly transmission on the Norwegian broadcaster’s male-skewing channel Viasat 4 on Tuesdays at 9.30pm. Premiering on Tuesday 10th April, the hour-long show will be titled Pimp My Ride Norge – leveraging the strength of the brand’s original title – and hosted by local celebrities Mona Halvorsen and Rune Ohlsgaard. Meanwhile, Spin TV based in Cologne, have picked up the format rights to MTV’s pioneering reality show, One Bad Trip which will air in a weekly primetime slot on leading German terrestrial broadcaster RTL2 from this autumn. Currently filming in a typical vibrant and party-style Mediterranean beach resort favoured by young Germans, the show will air in four 60-minute parts. Tapping into the recent universal trend for life-enhancing, personal journey content, I Used to Be Fat – a formatted documentary series originally conceived by MTV US’ News and Documentary team – has been optioned by the UK’s STV Productions for eventual air in the market, and Banijay-owned production house, Nordisk, for adaptation in Finland and Sweden. “MTV is known for its cutting edge programme development that’s always ahead of its time, which is why we are in the incredibly fortunate position of being able to offer back catalogue content like One Bad Trip and Pimp My Ride that continues to resonate with youth audiences all over the world,” commented Caroline Beaton. “Our recent agreements in Northern Europe demonstrate the continued strength of our content – both iconic library hits and brand new series – and I’m really looking forward to seeing giant franchises such as Pimp My Ride come alive in brand new languages to a whole new generation of fans.” VIMN will debut emotional rollercoaster dating format Friend Zone at MIP-TV this April. Devised and produced by the makers of Jersey Shore, the show follows single young adults as they ask for their best mate’s advice to prepare for an upcoming blind date only to discover that the ‘blind date’ is actually the two of them. A long time home of ground-breaking formats such as Punk’d and Pimp My Ride VIMN’s format catalogue comprises more than x65 potential format hits from its vast content library. Programming available as formats includes MTV’s Real World, and Room 401, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues and GUTS, Comedy Central’s Crank Yankers and The Joe Schmo Show from Spike. |
