Rising Star Key Art - H 2013
Broadcasters in Greece and Ukraine are the latest to catch on to Rising Star, the hit Israeli singing competition format, with Greek network MEGA and Ukraine’s 1+1 taking local adaptation rights to the show from Keshet International.
Rising Star, which ABC will air in the U.S., is billed as the first truly interactive talent show. Viewers at home can vote live for their favorite contestants. If a singer gets enough viewer votes, a wall of television screens with images of the viewers rises up, allowing the performer to complete their song in front of the live studio audience.
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Since premiering to hit ratings in Israeli last year, the show has been an international sales success story. Keshet has sold format rights to more than 25 territories following the show’s launch at the MIPCOM TV market in Cannes last October. That makes Rising Star the fastest-selling talent show format of all time, according to research group The WIT.
Both the Greek and Ukrainian broadcasters plan to launch their local versions of Rising Star this fall. 1+1 in Ukraine has opted the format in a multi-season deal with an initial 15 episode order for the first season. MEGA, which also picked up Keshet’s children’s music talent show Master Class, commissioned an initial 14-episode first season for Rising Star.
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The first international version of Rising Star will go out in primetime on Globo Brazil on April 6. ABC will bow the U.S. version of the show this summer.
