Nippon TV, Blue Ant Studios pair to develop Japanese unscripted formats in North America

Tom Miyauchi, left, and Matt Hornburg

Japan’s Nippon TV is partnering with Canada’s Blue Ant Studios to develop and produce its Gyokuro Studios’ unscripted formats in the North American market.

The partnership builds on the success of Blue Ant Studios’ adaptation of Nippon TV’s hit format Old Enough!, in Canada with a second season planned for TVO and its YouTube channel.

Nippon TV and Blue Ant Studios both have track records in unscripted formats: Nippon TV with global hits like Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank, Old Enough!, Silent Library and Eye Candy; and Blue Ant Studios with Race Against the Tide (recently adapted for BBC Factual and BBC Scotland) and All-Round Champion (an NRK format now in its sixth season).

The partnership will be spearheaded by Tom Miyauchi, head of a newly established Nippon TV Los Angeles Business Office which will launch in July, alongside Matt Hornburg, co-president and Diane Rankin, exec VP of content development and commercial strategy at Blue Ant Studios.

Miyauchi, VP of Nippon TV International and head of Nippon TV LA Business Office, said: “Building on the warm reception of Old Enough! in Canada, we see a tremendous opportunity to further localise and expand our global footprint in unscripted formats, and we are proud to announce our strategic partnership with Blue Ant Studios.

“As a proven force in the content industry, Blue Ant brings invaluable expertise and a strong track record of success in North America and the world. By joining forces, we aim to blend their creativity and market-winning insight with Nippon TV’s original format ideas. This partnership marks a meaningful step in our efforts to deliver distinctive Japanese creativity with both local and global sensibilities to audiences around the world, an exciting collaboration that aligns perfectly with our vision of Creating Global Entertainment at Nippon TV LA.”

Matt Hornburg adds: “Blue Ant Studios and Nippon TV share a like-minded vision for broad, four-quadrant entertainment formats with global resonance. As our streaming and network partners continue to ask for ambitious, high-impact content, this collaboration supports our strategic focus on scalable IP with international potential.”