Industry

This year's MIPCOM marks a milestone for Formatbiz as the platform celebrates its 15th anniversary. Founded in 2009 by Maria Chiara Duranti, a seasoned industry expert with deep experience in television formats, Formatbiz has grown into a trusted resource for professionals across the global TV landscape, providing essential insights, news, and trend analysis.

Duranti’s path to founding Formatbiz was shaped by her extensive career at Mediaset, where she led the formats division for over a decade. During this time, she both witnessed and contributed to television's evolution, particularly as reality TV rose to prominence. The launch of "Big Brother" in Italy and its sweeping international success marked a turning point, as did the global sensation of the survival reality format “Expedition Robinson,” later known as "Survivor" on CBS in the United States. Similarly, the emergence of the iconic quiz show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” was another landmark that defined modern television.

Yet Duranti's journey into international media began even earlier, with her career launch at Telecinco in Spain, a network founded by Silvio Berlusconi in 1991. This role gave her invaluable global insights, as she contributed to notable co-productions like “Bellezas al Agua,” “Bellezas a la Nieve,” and the prime-time show “Il Circo,” sharpening her expertise in entertainment television.

Her professional path continued in London, where she joined the Italian editorial team at Bloomberg Television, founded by Michael Bloomberg. As an anchor for a live daily news program, Duranti expanded her knowledge of the audiovisual sector, gaining hands-on experience in the production of entertainment programs, editorial responsibilities, and live news broadcasting.

Returning to Italy, Duranti joined the entertainment division under Fabrizio Battocchio, now Head of Formats and Factual at Mediaset. This role immersed her in the world of formats and the international TV market, paving the way for the creation of Formatbiz.