Nine hopeful of format sales for The Summit

With any new original show, there is always the prospect of format sales, which Nine is hoping to realise with its latest reality show, The Summit.

Nine programmer Hamish Turner said, “From a business perspective, having IP ownership and being able to control those rights, and exploitation of those is really important. We know content is king, but if you’re not owning the content, then you’re probably not going to be left with much at the end of the day.

“I know the Scandinavians are all over it. The UK & US are looking at it. I would say that the writer’s strike is not hurting its chances of getting picked up pretty quickly.”

The Summit is a 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia series, produced by Endemol Shine Australia.

“The core of the idea has come ESA and then the creative process to get the show to commission and then into production is very much a collaborative approach.”

Much of the show’s major development and production place within a year.

“It was a show that came together pretty quickly in the end,” he explained.

“A lot of ideas sit on the shelf for a long period of time, and it takes a moment in time, or a point in the zeitgeist, where you think ‘Australia is ready for this.’”

The show has been drawing VOZ numbers of around 700,000 in metro / regional / BVOD yet with any new show Nine erred on the side of caution when commissioning.

“I think if you went out and did a 50 episode order people would would think ‘I don’t know about that,’” said Turner.

“With a show that is an Australian world premiere, 14 days is a short run. But it’s it’s kind of event TV, so it fits into a space.”

Nine’s last “paper format” Parental Guidance, produced by Eureka, returns for its second season following The Summit‘s debut season.

“We’ve got a big winter of sport with the French Open, Wimbledon, the Ashes and State of Origin, obviously, as well. It’s getting colder, and we’re come to that time when we get a lot of those international sports are coming.”

The Summit 7pm Sunday, 7:30pm Monday, Tuesday on Nine.