Fremantle and Banijay settle format row

FremantleMedia prodco Abot Hameiri and Banijay Group have settled their legal dispute over alleged similarities between the Best of All and All Against 1 formats.

The pair issued a joint statement this morning that confirmed the issue was closed, while keeping specific details of the settlement under wraps.

“The legal dispute between the parties has been resolved,” the statement read.

Abot Hameiri, an Israeli formats firm owned by FremantleMedia, had alleged elements of its Best of All had been copied, but today the companies said they considered each piece of IP an original format.

“Abot Hameiri and Banijay have acknowledged and agreed that Banijay’s All Against 1 [pictured] and Abot Hameiri’s Best of All are original formats which can coexist independently,” the statement confirmed.

The pair added that Dori Media Group, which sells Best of All, and Banijay Rights will be selling the respective formats internationally. “Banijay and Abot Hameiri each look forward to bringing their distinctive and successful shows to further markets in the near future,” the statement read.

The dispute erupted last year on the eve of MIPCOM in October when Abot Hameiri went public with an allegation that Banijay Zodiak Nordisk had copied its format Best of All format.

Then in November, FremantleMedia said it was taking Banijay to court after the pair failed to resolve the formats dispute.

The companies said today they will make no further comment.