ITV Studios and China’s Zhejiang Media Group have announced a new partnership to co-develop non-scripted IP for the local and global market.
Further details about the first co-developed project the companies are working on, Go! Fishing! are to be announced in the coming months.
Mr. Shen Jian, Editor-in-Chief, Zhejiang Satellite TV, Zhejiang Media Group, said “We are delighted to partner with ITV Studios to co-develop new IP for Chinese viewers. We are definitely seeing an appetite globally for new formats that explore universal themes through different cultures. I am personally very much looking forward to the collaboration which we expect to produce a new co-developed concept to launch in China and internationally in 2025.”
Ruth Berry, President Global Partnerships & Zoo 55, ITV Studios said, “Zhejiang Media Group is a valued, longterm commercial partner to ITV Studios and I am pleased that with this deal we will unite our creative forces to develop original IP for Greater China and the international market”.
The deal was brokered on behalf of ITV Studios by Augustus Dulgaro EVP Sales Asia Pacific and Zoe Tsui, Head of Content & Format Sales Great China.
Vice Studios deal
In other news for ITV Studios, VICE Studios (the studio arm of the VICE Media portfolio business) has selected ITV Studios as its exclusive global distribution partner.
The deal will see ITV Studios add nearly 2,000 hours of VICE content to its 90,000+ hour catalogue, as well as represent future projects in the VICE Studios’ pipeline.
The partnership also includes future VICE Studios produced content, including new scripted series from VICE’s UK production hub, producer of the highly successful Gangs of London series on Sky.
Jamie Hall, Co-President of VICE Studios said, “We have been looking for a distribution partner that matches our creative ambition to work with us across our diverse and dynamic slate. With their flexible, creative deal-making, digital first thinking and scale, the exceptional team at ITV Studios led by Ruth Berry, will ensure our programmes gain greater global exposure.”
Ruth Berry, President Global Partnerships and Zoo 55, said, “Adding VICE’s unique catalogue to our distribution portfolio and managing their brands in digital exploitation and FAST channels represents an exciting and rare opportunity to strengthen both our content pipeline and digital footprint. I am hugely excited about the opportunities for both parties and am looking forward to working closely with the VICE Studios’ team.”
Deal negotiations were led by Joe Patrick for VICE Media and Julie Meldal-Johnsen and Graham Haigh at ITV.
Jon Creamer
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