Tap the potential of Chinese

The China Formats Forum was held yesterday.

As a warming-up session of the Shanghai TV Festival, China Formats aims to promote cultural innovation and global distribution, especially finding potential opportunities for Chinese TV programs.

Internet and high-tech factors were often mentioned during the event because of the fact that China has the world’s biggest Internet population and social media like Weibo and WeChat with millions of users.

“The programs targeting Internet audience have different DNAs from those for TV audience. Some (online) audience even don’t watch TV,” said Jeremy Fox, CEO of UK-based publisher DRG.

Popularity of Mobile Internet and fond of sharing have fueled booming China’s online video market with more than 500 million mobile phone users. Valuable contents will be spread across screens of various devices in China, said Coco Ma, Sohu’s senior director of content.
Overseas publishers are seeking opportunities in the domestic market.

The Selfie Challenge, a reality show targeting for selfie generation, is scheduled to be on air in China in October, after broadcasting in more than 15 countries, according to Dori Media Group, a content publisher from Israel.

The industry chain of program has become globalized as many of their programs are made in Argentina, where offers qualified actors and low cost, Nadav Palti, CEO & President of Dori Media, told the forum.

It’s always a challenge for publishers to understand local taste and requirement during the process of distributing contents globally.

Most publishers of popular China reality shows invite celebrities to attract audience, which has become a “must-have” character in the domestic shows, said Sohu’s Ma.

They have noticed the celebrity influence and planned to invite them in the shows as necessary local adaption, overseas publishers told the forum.

Sabrina Duguet, SVP International Format Sales of All3Media, has found a Chinese partner as Fang Du, VP of Huace Film & TV. Together they will introduce a documentary-style show into China, which is expected to debut in the third quarter.

The Gogglebox is a British observational documentary, featuring English couples, families and friends sitting in their living rooms watching weekly British television shows.

“Chinese audience has sense of humor. You have to find a way to express it,” said Du, who is confident of the popularity of the coming show in China.

Chris Goss, creative director & CEO of Ionoco, showcased how to use latest technologies to add charm of stages and enhance interaction with contestants and audience.

The spot light technologies include heartbeat sensors on contestants in a True or False reality show, laser sensor, and motion capture devices for tracking people’s movement.