Sony buys Embassy Row

US studio Sony Pictures Television has acquired independent production company Embassy Row, which is run by former ABC exec Michael Davies.

The deal, which has been in the works for close to a year, further extends Sony’s moves into the format business; Embassy Row currently has a number of formats in development and production at both the cable and major networks.

Embassy Row also represents the formats of 2waytraffic, which Sony bought last year, in the United States. It currently has ITV gameshow All Star Mr and Mrs in development at one network.

Other shows include British hidden camera series Make My Day at MTV Networks-owned cabler TV Land and Hogs and Heifers, a doc-series made with RDF USA about the chain of faux dive bars.

Davies is best known as the ABC executive who launched international formats such as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and Whose Line Is It Anyway in the US.

He recently told TBIvision that he expected international formats companies to find it tougher to sell their ideas into the US. “British formats are going to be challenged in the next few years because of the way that things are going with the networks. The networks won’t want to see international companies making money from formats that they make successful. They’ll demand a toll,” he said.