Q: Which genres of formats do you feel will still be popular/ less popular this year?
A: Game shows, including physical game show formats still seem popular. From what we had heard, even old traditional game shows from back in 70’s and 80’s might be back, as a trend toward looking back into the past is prevalent. We hear less about dating, cooking, and reality shows overall.
Q: Which genre of formats do you see increased interest?
A: In addition to game shows mentioned above, formats involving “financing” and “housing” seem to be drawing more interest. Also, we hear more about scripted reality shows, instead of non-scripted reality shows, compared to the past.
Q: Comment on the volume of format sales in the past year and whether you think there will be more or less interest this year?
A: Format sales for Japanese broadcasters overall are steadily increasing, as more and more Japanese broadcasters are involved in the format business.
Q: What is the biggest challenge for the formats business this year?
A: Compared to three or four years ago, when it seemed that everyone was looking for formats from Japan, we feel there is less enthusiasm toward Japanese formats in general.
Q: What key challenges do you face in adapting your formats for Asian buyers?
A: The two biggest issues are; one being copycat programmes, which hurt our legitimate businesses, and the other being that overall production costs in Asian countries are significantly lower than how much we spend in Japan, which makes big titles difficult to adapt in many parts of Asia.
Q: Which countries have produced formats that have interested buyers in a big way?
A: Japan’s biggest competitors in format businesses have been United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Scandinavian countries mainly Norway, and more recently Israel.
Q: Which countries are acquiring new formats in a big way?
A: This varies from each Japanese broadcaster participating in Treasure Box Japan but Vietnam has been very active recently.
Q: What key titles are you pushing at MIPTV this year?
A: Each broadcaster will introduce a brand new format at the Japanese Format Showcase at MIPFormats. (Session name: TREASURE BOX JAPAN – World Premiere! Brand New Formats!)
The eight broadcasters in TREASURE BOX JAPAN are:
NHK/NEP – BrainFlash!
NTV – A-HA! Experience
TV Asahi – No Brainer
TBS – Athletic Fire
TV Tokyo – “What’s daddy”!
Fuji TV/FCC – Clockhanger
ABC – Far Away Neighbours
YTV – The Secret is Out! Hometown Pride
About TREASURE BOX JAPAN
Made-in-Japan TV formats jointly promoted by 8 major Japanese networks Japan, for decades, has inspired some of the world’s most famous TV formats with the country’s unique creativity and innovation. In order to strengthen its efforts to sell its leading formats overseas, eight major Japanese broadcasters have begun a joint promotional project titled, TREASURE BOX JAPAN.
At 2012’s MIPCOM in Cannes, France, a VIP Gala Dinner on the eve of the opening was successfully organised to introduce the latest Japanese formats, and the eight broadcasters, namely Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV), TV Asahi Corporation (TV Asahi), Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. (TBS), TV Tokyo Corporation (TV Tokyo), Fuji Television Network, Inc. (Fuji TV), Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation (YTV) will continue their cooperative efforts at this year’s MIPTV and beyond. A session devoted to TREASURE BOX JAPAN is scheduled at MIPFormats, to be held prior to the opening of MIPTV.
Japanese broadcasters have individually been active in the international markets for over thirty years, but never has any all-Japan union come to materialise until TREASURE BOX JAPAN.
