The format industry’s leading players weigh in on what’s driving the business today.
The 2000s ushered in the era of the megaformats, marking the arrival of global hits like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Big Brother and Survivor. Twenty-plus years later and the business is thriving—with those brands remarkably still on the air in several territories—despite what has been a difficult few years.
“The format business was one of the first to slow down when Covid-19 hit, but it was also one of the first to quickly respond and kick off again,” says Tim Gerhartz, the managing director of Red Arrow Studios International. “It’s an adaptable and flexible genre, as you can quickly stop and start production; you easily can change elements or adjust the volume as needed or to suit demand.”
James Townley, global head of content development at Banijay, observes, “We are…
