Industry

FOX Entertainment and its in-house studio, FOX Alternative Entertainment (FAE), have launched an international unscripted format fund to identify intellectual property for the global market, it was announced today by Charlie Collier, CEO, FOX Entertainment.

As part of FOX Entertainment’s strategy to build and diversify its portfolio of content and revenue streams, the fund will invest in and develop internationally originated unscripted program concepts, ranging from reality-competition and variety series to dating and other genres, for provincial networks and platforms. In providing local broadcasters cost-effective programming, FAE will co-produce series selected by the fund with each series’ partner. Rob Wade, President of Alternative Entertainment and Specials of FOX Entertainment, will be responsible for overseeing the fund.

“FOX has long been a global leader in alternative programming. This enviable track record of more than three decades of success brings with it great expectations to remain as the world’s preeminent platform in the genre,” said Collier. “This fund presents us with the opportunity to continue identifying and curating formats that fulfil several key objectives: diversify our slate of owned content, expand FOX’s interests globally and better serve our platform partners.”

“Many of the most powerful series that have changed the face of television were unscripted formats that originated outside the United States,” added Wade. “With a deep well of undiscovered ideas across the globe waiting to be recognized, FAE stands ready to deploy this format fund to partner with local creators and networks to develop cost-effective and innovative, broad-based programming that, in success, will also benefit FOX here at home.”

FAE recently produced the all-new variety competition program “The Big Deal” for Ireland’s Virgin Media Television in partnership with Dublin-based BiggerStage. The hit series, presented by Vogue Williams and featuring celebrity judges, including pop legend Boy George; comedian and actor Deirdre O’Kane; Aston Merrygold, formerly of JLS and recent finalist on “The Masked Singer” in the U.K.; talent show favorites, Jedward; and music star Lyra, marks the channel’s most successful original format launch ever, winning its time period by 20% across all viewers and improving the full year-to-date slot average by 50%. “The Big Deal” was created and is owned by FAE.