FOX Entertainment Launches International Unscripted Format Fund To Identify Intellectual Property For Global Market Company's In-House Studio FOX Alternative Entertainment to Fund Unscripted Content for International Networks and PlatformsLos Angeles, CA - September 24, 2021 - 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.
FAE was formed in 2019 to oversee the production of FOX's hit singing-competition series and television's #1 primetime program THE MASKED SINGER. In addition to THE MASKED SINGER, FAE produces I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE, last season's #1 new unscripted program, THE MASKED DANCER, NAME THAT TUNE and FOX'S NEW YEAR'S EVE TOAST & ROAST 2021, as well as co-produces ULTIMATE TAG. All-new programs produced by FAE include the guessing game-meets-baking competition CRIME SCENE KITCHEN, hosted by Joel McHale and this Summer's #1 news program (with Fly on the Wall Entertainment); the singing competition ALTER EGO, featuring Grammy Award winners Alanis Morissette and will.i.am, actor/singer Nick Lachey and producer/songwriter/singer Grimes and Emmy winner Rocsi Diaz; DOMINO MASTERS, with Eric Stonestreet hosting; and NEXT LEVEL CHEF, the next evolution in cooking competitions, hosted by Gordon Ramsay and from the recently announced Studio Ramsay Global.
About FOX Entertainment
FOX Entertainment's 30-year legacy of innovative, hit programming includes 9-1-1, 9-1-1: LONE STAR, THE MASKED SINGER, LEGO MASTERS, THE SIMPSONS, Empire, 24, The X-Files and American Idol. Delivering high-quality scripted, non-scripted, animation, live content and major sports, FOX won the 2020-2021 broadcast season, marking the second consecutive season it ranked #1. In addition to its broadcast network, FOX Entertainment oversees the operations of FOX Alternative Entertainment, its in-house unscripted studio that produces THE MASKED SINGER, I CAN SEE YOUR VOICE and NAME THAT TUNE, among other series; the award-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment, which produces animated content for FOX, including the Emmy Award-winning hit BOB'S BURGERS and new series DUNCANVILLE, THE GREAT NORTH and HOUSEBROKEN, as well as programming for other broadcast, streaming and cable platforms; and Blockchain Creative Labs, a new business and creative unit formed in 2021 by FOX Entertainment and Bento Box, to build, launch, manage and sell Non-Fungible Token (NFT) content and experiences, and fungible tokens, as well as digital goods and assets. FOX Entertainment also recently formed the production venture Studio Ramsay Global, in partnership with award-winning chef, restaurateur and presenter Gordon Ramsay, to develop, produce and distribute culinary and lifestyle programming for FOX, its fast-growing ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) service, Tubi and platforms worldwide. Tubi features more than 35,000 movies and television series, and news content that's available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Most recently, FOX Entertainment acquired the entertainment platform TMZ and all its media properties, including its hit syndicated magazine programs, TMZ and TMZ LIVE, and its flagship digital platform, TMZ.com.
