UK TV picks up 'Sing my Song'

Sing My Song has attracted 480 million viewers since its premiere in January, and British ITV Studios will extend the show's popularity to a broader global audience. Photo provided to China Daily

Veteran singer-songwriter Liu Huan is one of the four judges in the Chinese television talent show Sing My Song. Photo provided to China Daily

The hit television talent show Sing My Song will reach the global market after a landmark deal with a British distribution company. 

British ITV Studios Global Entertainment has signed a landmark deal to distribute China's talent show Sing My Song to the global television market. And ITV Studios will produce a UK version in the next two years, ITV Studios confirmed to China Daily on Tuesday.

This marks the first time that an original Chinese talent show format has been exported internationally.

Mike Beale, director of International Formats at ITV Studios, says: "This deal is a fantastic example of the benefits of a British-Chinese creative partnership."

"As a leading TV distributor, ITVS GE has a wealth of experience of distributing some of the world's most popular TV formats to territories around the globe. In Sing My Song, Star China has created a prime-time entertainment show with proven appeal to millions of viewers in the TV business' hottest market," Beale says.

Beale says the deal is sure to generate a huge amount of interest from international buyers.

ITVS GE is one of the world's outstanding international TV distribution, home entertainment, publishing, merchandising and licensing businesses. It distributes celebrated content across all genres from both its in-house production business, ITV Studios and collaboration with leading producers from around the world.

Sing My Song is a studio-based music contest, searching for the best original songs in China. Four of the music industry's most accomplished singer-songwriters share their experience and expertise as producer-judges, providing feedback and guidance to the contestants. The judges also have an important goal: Each is scouting for songs to be part of their own original music album.

The competition uncovers singer-songwriters who have the ability and talent to compose and perform their own songs.

The Sing My Song series has aired on China's national TV channel CCTV-3 since January, reaching 480 million viewers, with a total audience share of 37 percent in China and CCTV-3's slot ratings increased 59 percent year-on-year, according to CSM Media Research, China's leading audience measurement organization.

In China, downloads of the original songs have also proven the popularity of the music, turning the show into a cultural phenomenon and extending its life beyond its TV air time.

The show is created by Star China's subsidiary entertainment program production company, Shanghai-based Starry Productions. Star China is a leading media entertainment group in China with businesses ranging from TV production, broadcasting, filmmaking, artist management, music and concert production.

Tian Ming, CEO of Starry Productions, stresses in a Chinese media interview that the show spreads Chinese culture and expresses Chinese confidence.

"ITVS GE, an outstanding global distributor of the best programs in the world, has a stellar reputation and Star China is thrilled they are representing our first original format," says Vivian Yin, chief representative of Star China and vice-president of Starry Productions.

"We entrust Mike and the ITVS GE team to take Sing My Song to all territories and are positive the international buyers will discover as much success in their region with the format as we enjoy in China," Yin says.

Star China has established relationships with China's leading platforms, including CCTV, Dragon TV, Zhejiang Satellite TV and Shandong Satellite TV.

"We should be confident about Chinese TV producers' innovation ability," says Xiang Xiaowei, cultural counselor at the Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom, adding that Sing My Song takes the talent show genre in a new direction, highlighting the musical creativity of the contestants, not only making stars.

The ratings success and high levels of audience engagement with the show on social media has illustrated the appeal of this new approach, Xiang says.

TV is an emerging industry in China. In recent years, China's main TV stations have introduced many variety shows formats from foreign countries like the United States, the UK and South Korea. While those shows are welcomed in China, some critics point out that Chinese TV producers should make more original format shows.

Sing My Song's success embodies the innovation of Chinese TV producers, using the experience of other countries as a reference point, Xiang says.