NATPE: Mexican broadcaster Televisa and Mad Men studio Lionsgate have signed a deal to create English-language television content for US broadcast and cable networks.
The partnership will see the development of scripted and unscripted English-language programming as well as adaptations of format from Televisa’s library of telenovelas. The agreement also includes a “significant” fund intended to attract talent to between six and eight projects a year.
Among the initial slate of projects are a TV spin-off based on comedy flick From Prada To Nada; drama Badlands for ABC, based on Televisa telenovela Soy Tu Duena; Terminales for ABC Family; and another telenovela adaptation Teresa.
The move comes after the two companies created a movie joint-venture, Pantelion Films, in 2010 to acquire and distribute feature films for the Hispanic market in the US. From Prada To Nada is a Pantelion title.
“We believe our proven success in creating exportable content for markets around the world, coupled with a strong, savvy and experienced local partner in Lionsgate, is a winning formula for establishing a strong presence among viewers in the US English speaking television market,” said Televisa president and CEO Emilio Azcarraga.
The news continues one of the big trends at Natpe in Miami this week, that of Spanish-language producers looking to get into English-language content, as the US Hispanic market increasing embraces English.
Cisneros Group, parent of Venezuela’s Venevision and Miami distributor Venevision International, said it was starting the development of English-language sitcoms for the US market, and hitherto Spanish-only Univision said it will begin subtitling its primetime telenovelas into English and hinted at English-language production.
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