Latin American Panel on Unscripted: Form More Hubs, Strategic Alliances

variety.com:

Anna Marie de la Fuente With the writers’ strike dragging on, unscripted content is expected to dominate programming grids.

A panel organized by C21 Media at the L.A. Screenings Independents on the format’s outlook in Latin America could not have been more timely.

Rising costs, shifting consumer tastes, the advent of streaming platforms and the sway of social media have indeed posed new challenges, even to such mainstays as Banijay’s “Big Brother.” One of Banijay’s biggest reality shows, it first broadcast in 1999 in the Netherlands and was syndicated to more than 60 countries worldwide. “It was a gigantic challenge when we decided to produce ‘Big Brother’ again after 10 years had passed since the last edition,” said Guillermo Pendino, VP content and programming, FTA Brands, Latam Sur, Paramount (Argentina-Chile). “It was no longer the same world, there were the platforms, the social networks and you had to speak to a new audience, an audience that didn’t even know what ‘Big Brother’ was because they were still very young the last time it was broadcast,” he noted. “From Paramount we see the unscripted format as a great opportunity, especially at Telefe Argentina and Chilevisión,” he said.

After building a massive house for the reality show in Argentina where contestants lived together under the constant scrutiny of cameras, the key was to air it on as many platforms as possible including Paramount+, a Fast Channel, Pluto, and video game streaming site, Twitch, said Pendino, resulting in an unprecedented audience reach. “Today ‘Big Brother’ is even more successful than it was 20 years ago, it offers multiple business opportunities, on and off the screen,” said Michelle Wasserman, Banijay Rights’ senior VP LatAm, U.S.