Latin focus: Telemundo Internacional

Telenovela Labour of Love, a Cinderella-style story, New Orleans-set revenge drama Broken Angel (pictured) and My Dear Handyman, a coproduction with Globo, lead the Telemundo Internacional line-up at MIPCOM this time round.

“We have good expectations for our productions, especially for Spain and Middle Eastern territories,” says Karina Etchison, VP of sales for EMEA at Telemundo Internacional.

Telemundo has shopped its telenovela The Return to over 25 countries, including to Spain via Atresmedia, which also acquired another telenovela, Forbidden Love.

Confirming the growing demand for formats, Telemundo licensed TV adaptation rights to Chilean channel TVN’s original telenovela Hijos del Monte to TVI in Portugal and LBC in the Middle East. Etchison says: “Even with the economic crisis, we are seeing increasing activity in these territories.

Although broadcasters are focused on local production, they are investing in adapted stories. The market has changed and we have simply adjusted to these changes.”

Last autumn, to further diversify the range of its catalogue, Telemundo inked an entertainment formats deal with Spanish TV producer Reset TV, run by former Endemol Spain toppers Toni Cruz and Josep María Mainat.

The first fruits of the deal were seen in July, when Telemundo reached an agreement with Banijay Group for the acquisition of French rights to reality and gameshow formats created by Reset, including the interactive TV contest Letris.