International reality powerhouse FremantleMedia Ltd. (American Idol, Pop Idol) and partner Vogue Planet are setting up shop together in Japan.
The two have created a joint venture to produce TV programs and gain ancillary rights. Vogue already has a sandal-hold in the country. It currently produces Mirai Model, a Japanese version of its reality contest format, Model Behaviour.
Tony Cohen, CEO, FremantleMedia Group, said of the new venture: "As the Japanese television industry is interestingly exporting its creative ideas to the rest of the world, so Japanese broadcasters are now also more willing to consider buying international formats."
Japanese TV's highest profile export is Tokyo Broadcasting's cult series, Takeshi's Castle, a 1980's game show that has been dubbed and exported to Germany, Britain, and the U.S. (Spike TV's re-labeled MXC, formerly Most Extreme Elimination Challenge).
