I don't know if this was the hurdle keeping ABC from bringing back "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" This sounds like it's mainly impacting European operations, but it's possible these are worldwide rights. Is anyone more familiar with this that can shed further light?
quote:
"Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" is up for grabs again, after parent company 2waytraffic confirmed that it is in discussions regarding a possible sale. The Dutch media company, which has been hit hard by premium rate phone scandals across Europe, confirmed Monday that it was in advanced talks with a potential buyer, following a leap in its share price.
In a statement, the board stressed that there was no certainty that the discussions would lead to an offer being made.
Possible bidders include format giants Endemol and RTL-owned Fremantle, both of which are looking to grow through acquisitions this year, or Blighty's ITV, which has aired "Millionaire" since 1998.
Founded in 2004, 2Waytraffic saw off stiff competition when it acquired the rights to "Millionaire" and distribber Celador International for £106 million ($214 million) in December 2006.
Last December, though, it announced that it was phasing out the majority of its call TV activities in Europe, resulting in costs and write-offs of about $3.1 million.
"The business of traditional call TV in Western Europe has been very difficult for the company during the course of this year," chief executive Kees Abrahams said.
An update on this -- Sony Pictures has made a bid for this, and it looks like 2waytraffic will accept it. I don't know if this makes it any more likely for us to see WWTBAM in primetime again.
quote:
Sony Pictures Entertainment has made a $280 million buyout bid for Dutch TV format group 2waytraffic, whose licenses include "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and "You Are What You Eat," the companies announced Thursday.
Management at the Dutch company has accepted Sony's offer, which includes $233 million in cash for full control of 2waytraffic shares and an additional $47 million in earn-out agreements for the company's four founders if they stay on until 2011.
Sony's bid still has to be approved by 2waytraffic shareholders.
2waytraffic's focus on interactive viewing services such as call-in transactions makes it particularly attractive for SPE as it maps out its global expansion strategy.
"With 2waytraffic, we would have the opportunity to expand our access to new content and increase our interactive and distribution capabilities around the world," SPE chairman and CEO Michael Lynton said. "This would complement our successful scripted production and distribution business, and speed up the growth of our light entertainment business."
SPE is already a major producer and distributor of light entertainment formats, including the new CBS hit "Power of 10" as well as evergreens such as "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune" in its lineup.
Originally posted by TOTP: This IS in fact about the worldwide rights for Millionaire.
So would Sony be free to shop a primetime version of "Millionaire" to any US network, or just ABC? Also, was 2waytraffic's ownership of the rights to "millionaire" the reason we haven't seen it in primetime since "Super Millionaire" a few years ago?
