Industry

Fuji Television Network has entered into a strategic partnership with international format specialist Tim Crescenti and his company Small World International Format Television, as the Japanese broadcaster steps up the global exploitation of its scripted and unscripted IP.

Under the agreement, Crescenti will act as a non-exclusive representative for Fuji TV’s format catalogue outside Japan, supporting international sales and adaptations across global markets. He will also provide strategic advisory services on the development of new original IP with international potential.
The move comes as Japan’s leading broadcasters continue to strengthen their international format operations, particularly in North America, with companies including Nippon TV and TBS expanding their global activities and investing more heavily in international development and distribution.

Fuji TV has a long history in the format business, having originated globally recognised properties including Iron Chef and Hole in the Wall, the latter distributed internationally by Fremantle.

Crescenti, meanwhile, is one of the established figures in the international formats sector and has been involved in the discovery and global distribution of a number of Japanese and international properties, including Dragons’ Den, Silent Library, I Survived a Japanese Game Show and Better Late Than Never, based on the Korean format Grandpas Over Flowers.

Tomoaki Hashizume, Head of Global Distribution & Business Development at Fuji Television Network, commented: “The global demand for innovative, high-concept unscripted and scripted formats has never been higher. As our peers in Japan continue to expand their presence in the U.S. and global markets, we are thrilled to partner with Tim Crescenti. Tim’s deep industry relationships, creative instinct, and unmatched expertise in cross-border format adaptations make him the ideal partner to amplify Fuji TV’s diverse catalog on the global stage.”

Tim Crescenti, Small World IFT, added: “Japan—the country, the culture, and our deep relationships with our Japanese colleagues—has been the very heart of our business for twenty years. Fuji TV has consistently generated brilliant, game-changing concepts, from timeless global hits to next-generation ideas. This partnership captures everything I love about working with Japan. We look forward to bringing Fuji TV’s rich library to international buyers and collaborating on brand-new formats designed specifically for global appeal.”