Active TV, Universal Music and ATO ATO to Launch ‘Rockband’ Format in Australia
Announcement posted by The PR Group 20 May 2011
The format known as ‘Battle of the Bands’ in China and funded by Pepsi, was a massive success in its home country with mind boggling figures across its various platforms of TV, Internet and mobile. 130 million people tuned into the show across its first series, 50 million visitors to the campaign website and 20 million watching the live web show.
The show will see a nationwide grass roots competition with hundreds of rock band contenders hoping to win a place in a ten week intensive national rock band battle. Guest appearances by some of the world’s biggest names in rock – both current and legendary will ensure a broad demographic tunes in to rock out with the best of them.
“Australians love their rock music. It’s a hugely popular genre which hasn’t been tapped into for prime time Aussie TV. This format worked incredibly well in China particularly with its strong transmedia elements,” said Michael McKay, President of activeTV; ‘with activeTV’s expertise in live entertainment shows and our success with unscripted formats we think ‘Rock Band’ will excite family audiences as they witness the rock gods of tomorrow, breaking out of the garage and on to the big stage.”
“Australia is renowned for breeding some of the best rock bands in the world from all over the country – think Silverchair out of Newcastle, Jet out of Melbourne, Powderfinger from Brisbane, both INXS and Wolfmother from Sydney and of course the legendary ACDC to name just a few.” said Darren Aboud, General Manager - Business Development & Strategic Marketing, Universal Music Australia; “It’s time for the next big thing to break out and this is the perfect platform to do so”.
“Following our similar format successes in China and now working with activeTV and Universal Music to create a program custom tailored to fit the Australian rock culture, we are ecstatic about bringing our exciting new reality format to Australian TV.” Said Eric Zho, Executive Producer ATO ATO Integrated Media, China; “It promises to be one of Australia’s new hit series in a forthcoming season.” Zho will be appearing as a guest speaker and mentor at the upcoming X Media Lab: Global Media Ideas forum in Sydney June 10, 2011 (www.xmedialab.com).
ENDS
For further information please contact;
Caroline Shawyer,
The PR Group
Ph: +61 (0) 401 496 334
About ActiveTV Australia
activeTV is a respected independent production company specialising in world class unscripted, entertainment, factual and sports programming. The company produced the highly anticipated ‘The Amazing Race Australia’ series for the Seven Network which promises to be one of the biggest debut programs on Australian television in 2011. This comes off the back of their success with 4 series of the award winning ‘The Amazing Race Asia’ for Sony’s AXN Networks and two series for Israeli television. activeTV’s top rating kids show ‘Prank Patrol 2’ was recently nominated for a prestigious Logie award. The company also produces a number of impressive entertainment specials including Christmas spectacular, Carols in The Domain (broadcast annually on the Seven Network), the live broadcast of the Tropfest Final for The Movie Network Channels and the Australian leg of the World Superbike Championship.
About Ato Ato Integrated MediaAto Ato Integrated Media is one of the largest producers of reality programming and one of the largest promoters of international superstar concerts in China. Memorable hit television shows include: Wo Xing Wo Show (aka China Idols), Baishi Qun Yin (aka China Battle of the Bands), Zhu Dong Chu Ji (aka China Top Chef), Shi Shang Ji Xing (aka China Top Models), and the Miss Universe China Pageant. Notable concerts include: James Brown, Norah Jones, Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West, James Blunt, Kylie Minogue, Kenny G, Ziggy Marley, and the Roots.
About Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is the world’s leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.
Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records, Show Dog – Universal Music, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG’s catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.
Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.