BEIJING, October 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Endemol, a world leader in multiplatform entertainment, today announced it is partnering with China's leading digital video platform Youku Tudou Inc. to launch the first ever Chinese version of global reality hit Big Brother.
The new series will be a collaboration between Youku Tudou Inc. and Endemol China. Both parties will contribute their strengths to the co-operation, including Youku's strong digital platforms, its advertising and interactive capabilities and Endemol its production expertise and international distribution network. Launching in Early 2015, Big Brother China will run for ten weeks and production is expected to begin soon.
Endemol's CEO of Asian Operations Arjen van Mierlo comments, "We're thrilled to announce this landmark deal with Youku Tudou Inc., bringing a format that has changed the face of television to China for the first time. In a market that annually generates hundreds of billions of video views, partnering with the number one digital video platform will allow us to bring Big Brother to a young audience and deliver the most immersive, interactive and unique experience to fans across the nation."
Victor Koo, Chairman and CEO of Youku Tudou Inc., adds, "We are delighted to be joining forces with Endemol to finally bring this groundbreaking format to China. Fifteen years after its launch, Big Brother continues to be a worldwide hit that engages passionate young fans across multiple platforms. Youku Tudou has been advancing its multi-screen media and entertainment ecosystem to provide its users with higher quality original content. By partnering with Endemol, Youku Tudou can build on its achievements with this great fit into our business model."
Youku Tudou Inc. currently has over 500,000,000 active users across screens, annually generating over 200 billion views.
Endemol (Beijing) Culture Media Co., Ltd. (Endemol China) is a new operation that has been established in Beijing and is engaged in developing and co-developing formats, providing production consultancy services, exploiting content and promoting Chinese content abroad. Endemol has been active in the Chinese market since 2005 and is closely co-operating with the leading TV broadcasters and digital platforms in China.
Endemol's hits in China include five series of celebrity talent format Your Face Sounds Familiar for Hunan TV and The Brain for Jiangsu, which has won the top award at the prestigious Golden Eagle ceremony, China's biggest TV awards; and is now in production for season two.
Endemol China is part of Endemol Asia, which has grown to become Asia's largest formatprovider with more than 45 series sold across the region last year (excluding India where Endemol operates separately to serve the Hindi and regional markets).
25 series of Big Brother will have aired in more than 70 countries across 2014. After 15 years, the format continues to be a hit in the USA, UK, Australia, Italy, Spain, Canada and Israel as well as in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Africa and Asia.
For more information:
Charlie Gardner
tel: +44 (0) 7977 075 643
charlie.gardner@endemol.com
ABOUT ENDEMOL
Endemol is a world leading creator, producer and distributor of multiplatform entertainment. The company annually produces over 15,000 hours of programming across scripted and non-scripted genres, including drama, reality TV, comedy, game shows, entertainment, factual and kids programming.
Endemol comprises a global network of creative companies in more than 30 countries and works with over 300 broadcasters, digital platforms and licensees worldwide. The business covers development, production, marketing, distribution, franchise management and multi-platform initiatives including digital video, gaming and apps.
Endemol's credits in non-scripted entertainment include worldwide hits such as Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Wipeout, The Money Drop and Your Face Sounds Familiar. The company's growing portfolio of award winning drama and comedy includes international titles such as The Fall, Peaky Blinders, Hell On Wheels, Benidorm, Ripper Street, Black Mirror, Bad Education, Mad Fat Diary, Hot in Cleveland, Kirstie, Leverage, Home and Away, Death Comes to Pemberley and The Crimson Field.
As one of the world's largest independent content distributors, Endemol launches over 80 new entertainment formats a year on broadcast networks across the globe and distributes more than 33,000 hours of finished programming. The company's creative teams around the world are continuously developing new ideas that are shared across the Endemol network.
Endemol is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information: www.endemol.com or follow us on Twitter @endemol
About Youku Tudou Inc.
Youku Tudou Inc. (NYSE: YOKU) is China's leading Internet television company. Its Youku and Tudou Internet television platforms enable users to search, view and share high-quality video content quickly and easily across multiple devices. Its Youku brand and Tudou brand are the most recognized online video brands in China. Youku Tudou's American depositary shares, each representing 18 of Youku Tudou's Class A ordinary shares, are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "YOKU."
For more information, please contact:
Jay Chen
Communications Director
Youku Tudou Inc.
Tel: (+8610) 5885-1881 x 7161
Email: jaychen@youku.com
