Sony, Televisa seal copro deal

Mexican network Televisa and Sony Pictures Television (SPT) have partnered on an exclusive first-look coproduction deal covering unscripted and scripted formats.

Under the terms of the agreement, SPT will get first-look worldwide copro rights (excluding the US and Latin America) to all Televisa telenovelas and unscripted formats. Conversely, Televisa gets first look Spanish copro rights to SPT formats.

SPT president of international production Andrea Wong said the pair would aim to “develop high-quality television series based on telenovela and scripted formats for audiences around the world.”

“Our worldwide production capabilities and proven track record in producing scripted formats combined with their longstanding expertise in creating tremendously successful telenovelas makes this an ideal partnership,” she added.

“The successful scripts, diverse library and writing capabilities that Televisa offers to this alliance match perfectly with Sony’s experience in producing quality content for local markets,” said Televisa president of television and content Antonio Bastón Patiño.

It’s not the first time the pair has hooked up to coproduce. They partnered on a Mexican version of Argentinean telenovela Los Simuladores (The Simulators) in 2008.

The move also marks SPT’s latest formats drive. The firm has remade US hits such as Everybody Loves Raymond, Married… With Children and King of Queens in territories as diverse as the Middle East, Russia, Poland and Israel in recent months.

Televisa, meanwhile, is the Spanish-speaking world’s largest TV content producer and is best known for its telenovelas. It shares much of its programming with US Hispanic net Univision, which has achieved ratings parity with the major US networks in recent years.

The company’s popular novellas include Donde Esta Elisa? (Where is Elisa), which has been remade in numerous territories; Triunfo del Amor (The Triumph of Love); and Soy Tu Dueña (I’m Your Owner).