Warner Bros Australia partners with satirical news site The Betoota Advocate

Warner Bros International Television Production Australia (WBITVP) and The Betoota Advocate, a local satirical news site, have struck a production partnership.

Michael Brooks

The two firms will join forces to produce a slate of premium unscripted projects aimed at both the domestical and international market.

WBITVP Australia is behind formats including The Bachelor, The Masked Singer, Celebrity Apprentice, Selling Houses Australia, The Repair Shop, Dancing with the Stars, First Dates and Who Do You Think You Are? along with drama series Love Me and The Twelve.

The Betoota Advocate – similar in tone to US satire site The Onion – was founded in 2014 and is an online news publisher. Several of its articles have been mistaken as fact by major Australian outlets, including a story about a Sydney city parking ranger who accidentally booked himself. The satirical article was later reported in Weekend Today.

Michael Brooks, managing director of WBITVP Australia, said: “With its distinct, bitingly satirical and smart approach to content, The Betoota Advocate has won a huge following. Meanwhile, Warner Bros – with its storied TV production experience and international reach – is perfectly positioned to elevate this voice, and we’ll work together to develop premium unscripted television series with local and global appeal.”