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David Ciaramella, Communication Manager of K7 Media, presented two important conferences during Miptv 2023 dedicated to factual and documentary trends and an unique presentation of the hottest new titles during Frapa Formats Summit.

Here some words by David Ciaramella:

Factual and Documentary Trends

Factual television and scripted programming tend to parallel trends, with each genre drawing inspiration from the other. One area of focus is subcultures, with shows like Reign Supreme and Pistol featuring music subcultures, and Kokomo City portraying Black transgender sex workers. Buzkashi, Afghanistan's national sport, is the backdrop for the documentary Riders on the Storm, which delves into the personal journey of a young player who rises to fame but faces the attention of the Taliban.

Cults and conspiracies also provide plenty of material for factual and scripted retellings, such as the documentary Waco Untold and the upcoming Day of the Jackal. Family dynasties, such as the Murdochs and Maxwells, have also been the subject of documentary series, as have biopics, such as Call Me Kate and George Michael: Outed. These topics offer a core of family, money, power, and celebrity that make for compelling television across the genres.


FRAPA Summit

Reality is once again very much in vogue and following years of over-the-top narratives, it seems the latest ideas are much more grounded in real human behaviour. Shows like The Unknown and Stranded on Honeymoon Island persuade participants to place their faith in fate, or the hands of producers, or shadowy ‘game masters’. And what bigger step into the unknown than literally sending celebrities to outer space with Fox’s announcement for Stars on Mars, which sees ‘celebronauts’ living together in a mock space station, battling to be crowned the brightest star in the galaxy.

Travel competition is also back with a vengeance as the world is starting to feel like our playground once again. With Covid in retreat, it’s starting to feel like the world is our playground once again. It’s a mood reflected in shows like Destination X and Travel Battle which offer ambitious new twists on travel to suit every budget and platform. A

Broadcasters are looking for primetime entertainment that allows audiences to have a night out on the sofa, and light-hearted or comedic music-based shows are in high demand. Fremantle and Something Special are bringing The Beatbox, which pits two teams of celebrities against each other to recreate a famous pop song using regular household items and Don’t Stop the Music has just premiered on NPO3, and it has already been a hit with viewers.

Finally, programming that emphasises culture and people's passions were prevalent, often with a focus on diversity and inclusion at their core. The Piano is an obvious example here but a standout for us was Keep Talking, I Love It from MBC Korea. It’s storytelling battle amongst eight contestants, or so-called ‘tongue fighters’. They stand in this luminous MMA fighting ring and have five minutes each to tell a true story, trying to capture the attention of the audience. Each story is halted at its climax and the 100-strong audience in the studio votes for the story that they want to listen to further. And we’d love to hear where the format ends up too!