The executives from the Uruguayan channel spoke to ttvnews in Miami about the new big bet in entertainment, which will be released on their screen this March.
*By Luis Cabrera, Fernando Moreno and Ana Carreira, from Miami, USA
A strong bet on entertainment has earned Channel 4 a leadership position in Uruguayan broadcast TV and it is one that they are going to double this year with the production of an original format.
“We are developing the first original IP called Home Masters, which will be released very soon on our screen in March,” Javier Olivera, General Manager of Canal 4, began in a conversation with ttvnews from the current edition of Content Americas.
“It is a reality show, a design and DIY competition, an in-house production, created by the channel,” added the executive.
“Last year we had Renovación total, which is a similar genre, with a very good commercial and audience level. And this year we took a step further,” added Mariano Mosca, Programming Manager at Canal 4.
Home Masters is a competition format with 20 couples who enter the workshop and must face three juries specialized in different areas. The couples must overcome different challenges and go through stages.
The project will begin production this February at the channel’s production hub, where they are already beginning to receive visits from potential partners interested in adapting it in their own territories.
“We have many interested parties in the region to follow it closely, because it has a very good production model. Countries like Brazil or Chile are interested in making the product and will be traveling to Uruguay to see the production of the program. The entire cycle, the 20 episodes, can be recorded in a month,” explained Olivera. “Commercially, we have not yet gone on air and it has still been a success, with interesting investments. It is totally customizable to the commercial part.”
“All within the framework of a very strong screen, after a very good year. In that context, launching this type of product is very positive,” added Mosca.
This strength was given by another great bet in entertainment, which is Ahora caigo, which is already in production of its fourth season. “And we are with the second season for Ecuador,” said the executive. “The second season of Quién caerá has just aired in the US, a success on Unimás, with historic numbers for the slot. We are already working on the new season.”
“The hub of Ahora caigo is becoming much more consolidated, one of our great bastions on our screen, in alliance with ITV, owners of the format,” he concluded.
