Here are the global TV and streaming television stories that should be on your radar for Monday, February 16th, 2016:
Banijay Entertainment Unveils ‘Staying Alive’ Format (Advanced-Television)
Media and entertainment content distributor Banijay Entertainment has announced new music entertainment format, Staying Alive, produced by Endemol Shine Germany for ProSieben and Joyn. Through next-gen technology, the show delivers a musical experience in which today’s chart-topping artists perform showstopping duets with some of the most iconic voices in music history, such as Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Freddie Mercury.
Next Narrative Africa Fund Founder Akunna Cook on Why Hollywood Needs An Africa Strategy (The Hollywood Reporter)
In Africa policy circles there’s a saying: “African solutions to African problems.” I used to say: actually, we can have African solutions to global problems. And we should expand our imagination — and that also means African narratives for a global audience, talking about politics, climate, health, class issues. There’s no reason you couldn’t have a show set in Lagos or Nairobi tackling the sam themes Parasite did. So how do you create a fund that has a narrative shift at its core, that gets more productions to think about Africa as a place to produce, more writers to think about Africa as a setting, and to be intentional about infusing projects with meaning — because those are the projects that travel and win awards?
Netflix’s ‘Single’s Inferno’ Producers Credit ‘Compelling Personalities’ Like Choi Mina Sue For Season’s Success (Korea JoonGang Daily)
The production team attributed part of the season's success to what they called a "law of qualitative transformation." By increasing the number and diversity of cast members, they said, the likelihood of participants finding compatible partners rose, ultimately improving the overall quality of communication. The number of contestants increased from 12 in Seasons 1 through 3 to 13 in Season 4 and 15 this season. Several members, including Choi, Park and Lee, are based in or reside in the United States.
Some critics have argued that many female contestants are former Miss Korea participants and that the show serves more as a stepping stone into the entertainment industry than a pursuit of sincere romance. Kim Jae-won rejected the claim.
"We do not seek such profiles," he said. "Our only criteria are individuals with appealing looks and communication styles. Among ordinary applicants, many decline to appear despite fitting those standards. We do not evaluate 'specs.'"
’The House Of The Spirits’ Premieres On Prime Video This April (Advanced-Television)
At the 76th Berlinale Film Festival, Prime Video announced that The House of the Spirits, the first Spanish-language television adaptation of Isabel Allende’s iconic novel, will premiere on the streaming platform globally on April 29th.
Based on Isabel Allende’s internationally acclaimed novel, The House of the Spirits is an eight-episode family saga spanning half a century, centered on three generations of women – Clara, Blanca, and Alba – in a conservative South American country shaped by class struggle, political upheaval, and magic.
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ZDF Studios Seals 1,200-Hour Drama Deal With Hungary’s TV2 Group (Variety)
ZDF Studios has closed a multi-year deal to supply Hungary’s TV2 Group on more than 1,200 hours of drama, with free TV, pay TV and VOD rights for Hungary that allow the broadcaster to run the package across its linear channels and streaming services.
The package leans into high-recognition German brands suited to weekday stripping, themed scheduling and on-demand stacking — a volume play aimed at keeping schedules filled with proven titles.
Morocco Is Ready To Tell Its Own Stories (The Hollywood Reporter)
“Morocco has established itself as a dynamic bridge between Africa, the Arab world and Europe. Filmmakers such as Sofia Alaoui, Hicham Lasri, Maryam Touzani and Nabil Ayouch reflect the strength and visibility of contemporary Moroccan cinema, including the rising presence of women directors,” says Berlinale Pro Director Tanja Meissner. “This combination of creative momentum, industrial capacity and openness to international collaboration makes this the right moment to spotlight Morocco and engage in a broader conversation about its role within global line production.”
Canal+ Takeover Of MultiChoice Puts Local Shows Under Pressure (ETWN)
French media giant Canal+ has officially taken control of MultiChoice, the company which owns Showmax and DStv, and it isn’t wasting any time cutting costs.
In two years, Multichoice has lost 2.8 million subscribers, with many customers opting for cheaper streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
The French firm is now trying to save even more at DSTV, a massive €400 million a year by 2030.
FIFA World Cup Media Rights Snapped Up In Philippines By Aleph (Sportcal)
Aleph, a global digital advertising firm, has snapped up exclusive broadcast rights to men’s soccer’s upcoming 2026 World Cup, in the Philippines.
Via a gatekeeper deal unveiled yesterday, Aleph will lead commercialization and multimedia distribution of media rights to the World Cup, which will take place in June and July across Mexico, Canada, and the US.
It will appoint media rights partners across all platforms, including free-to-air, pay-TV, digital streaming, mobile, and video-on-demand.