TBI Weekly: Content Innovation Awards 2023 shortlist revealed

The Content Innovation Awards 2023 shortlist has been unveiled ahead of the ceremony at MIPCOM in October, following a record-breaking number of submissions.

This year’s Awards reflect the rapidly changing content industry, with long-standing favourite categories such as Best New Scripted Series and Best Documentary sitting alongside new categories focused on true crime, FAST channels and Representation & Inclusion Awards for both scripted and unscripted content.

Rai’s Exterior Night, Paramount+ hit Bosé and BBC One’s Beyond Paradise are among drama series making the cut on the scripted front, while Prime Video’s The Murder Of Meredith and BBC Two’s The Mysterious Mr Lagerfeld are among shows to have made the Best Documentary shortlist.

Entertainment Format of the Year has again proven hugely competitive, with MBC‘s Keep Talking and NBC’s Password among shortlisted shows, while Netflix’s Deep Fake Love and Fox’s Stars On Mars are among nine shows vying for the reality prize.

Shows including BBC Studios’ Phoenix Rise and Disney+ series Ginayei are among those on the shortlist for kids prizes, while Fremantle’s Baywatch channel and WeDoBig Stories are finalists in the FAST category.

To find out more about the Content Innovation Awards 2023, click here.

To book your place at the ceremony, click here.

Read on to see the full shortlist or click here.

Best Animated Kids Programme

Builder Brothers Dream Factory | Sinking Ship Entertainment, Scott Brothers Entertainment and Nelvana Enterprises for Treehouse
Cracké Family Scramble | Productions Squeeze
Mechamato The Animated Series | MONSTA and Jetpack Distribution for Cartoon Network, Netflix, Amazon
Pip and Posy | Vici King and Magic Light Pictures for Sky Television, Channel 5 / Milkshake!
Supertato | BBC Studios Kids & Family and BBC Studios
The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe – Season 1| Hanna Barbera Studios Europe Production Team and Warner Brothers Discovery for Cartoon Network

Best Live Action Kids Programme

Ghostwriter | Sinking Ship Entertainment, Sesame Workshop and Apple TV+ for Apple TV+
Ginayei | Somos Productions / Piñolywood studios and Somos Distribution for Disney+
Jane | Sinking Ship Entertainment and Apple TV+ for Apple TV+
Meet the McQueens | Big Little Fish TV for CBBC
Reu & Harper | Tim Duck and Channel 5
Tab Time | Kids At Play and Tabitha Brown for YouTube Originals

NEW: Best Live Action Kids Drama

Macy Murdoch | Shaftesbury for CBC Gem
Phoenix Rise | BBC Studios Kids & Family and Sinking Ship Entertainment
Ruby and the Well | Shaftesbury in association with BYUtv and Family, a WildBrain network and BYUtv (US), WildBrain (Global) for BYUtv, Family Channel
The Argonauts and the Gold Coin | RTVE & Portocabo and RTVE for Clan TV
Three | Ananey Studios; Executive producers: Orly Atlas-Katz, Osnat Saraga, Shirly Oran; Created by Michal Cooper-Keren and Lior Yaron and Beta Film for HOT

NEW: Multi-brand FAST Channel of the Year

MyPadel TV
Pluto TV – Kids Ukraine Channel | Nickelodeon and Paramount Global Distribution
TENNIS CHANNEL | TENNIS CHANNEL INTERNATIONAL and TENNIS CHANNEL INC.
Vevo
wedo Big Stories | BIG MEDIA and wedotv

NEW: Single-brand FAST Channel of the Year

American Pickers | Cineflix Productions and Cineflix Rights for Pluto TV
Baywatch | Fremantle
BBC Top Gear | BBC Studios
Gardening with Monty Don | All3Media International
The Jamie Oliver Channel | Jamie Oliver Productions and Fremantle
5-Minute Crafts | TheSoul Publishing

NEW: The Representation & Inclusion Award – Scripted

Crush, the story of Tamina | RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana and STAND BY ME
Hudson & Rex | Shaftesbury and Pope Productions Ltd. in association with Citytv and Beta Film GmbH for Citytv
Leo’s world | Rai Radiotelevisione Italiana and Brand-Cross srl and Mondo TV
One of us | Habanita Federation and Federation International for TF1
Ralph and Katie | ITV Studios in association with Keshet UK and Keshet International for BBC One
Sort Of | Sphere Media and Abacus Media Rights
Wreck | Euston Films (a Fremantle Label) and Fremantle for BBC Three (UK), Hulu (USA)

NEW: The Representation & Inclusion Award – Unscripted

First Wars | Blackfella Films and ABC Commercial for SBS Australia
Gusto TV | Chris Knight and Gusto Worldwide Media for Gusto TV
Inside Our Autistic Minds | BBC Studios
Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne | Naked (a Fremantle label) and Fremantle for BBC Three (UK), Hulu (USA)
Reaching the Dream | Fremantle Finland and Fremantle for Yle TV2, Yle Areena
Scared Of The Dark | MultiStory Media and ITV Studios for Channel 4
The Swap | Laurie Critchley for Special Broadcasting Service
World of Wonder Productions | WOW Presents Plus

NEW: Best True Crime Series

Becoming Ian Brady | Emma Griffiths and Abacus Media Rights for Amazon Prime
Brothers in Arms | Jeevan Nathan, Shermin Toh & Audrey Anthoney for Mediacorp Channel News Asia
CIDADE ALERTA EM SERIE- CASO LARA | Rádio e televisão Record SA
Murder in the Red Light | Matthew Gordon and Abacus Media Rights for Amazon Prime
Lynchings | PlayPlus and Record TV
Royal Mob | Tom Stubberfield, Ben Goold, Jane Root and eOne

NEW: Best New Scripted Series Based on a True Story

Exterior Night | Rai, The Apartment (a company of the Fremantle group), Kavac Film, co-produced with ARTE France and Fremantle
Last King of the Cross | Helium and Cineflix Rights for Paramount + (Australia)
Marie Antoinette | A CANAL+ Creation Originale Produced by CAPA Drama, Banijay Studios France and Les Gens and Banijay Rights
Maxine | Clapperboard Studios and Channel 5
Rogue Heroes | A Kudos and Nebulastar Production and Banijay Rights

NEW: Best New Scripted Series Non-English Language

Bosé | Shine Iberia and Elefantec Global and Legacy Rock for VIS/Paramount+ / SkyShowtime
Childhood Dreams | Topkapi Films and Banijay Rights
Indefensible | Pixcom and Calinos Entertainment for TVA
MOTEL VALKIRIAS | Coproduced by CTV & SPi and Onza Distribution for RTP; TVG; HBO Max (Spain & Portugal)
Rana Naidu | Locomotive Global and Paramount Global Content Distribution for Netflix India
Rebooting | Reina Oda and Nippon TV
Señorita 89 | Fabula, Fremantle and Fremantle for Pantaya (USA), Starzplay (Latin America)

Best New Scripted Series

Beyond Paradise | Red Planet Pictures and BBC Studios for BBC One
Crossfire | Dancing Ledge Productions (a Fremantle Label), Buddy Club Productions and Fremantle for BBC One
Everyone Else Burns | Jax Media and Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group for Channel 4
Little Bird | Rezolution Pictures, OP Little Bird and Fremantle for Crave, APTN lumi
Reginald the Vampire | Cineflix Studios, Great Pacific Media, Modern Story, December Films and Cineflix Rights for SYFY (US)
Riches | Greenacre Films and Banijay Rights
Safe Home | Kindling Pictures and Banijay Rights for Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
SisterS | Peer Pressure and Shaftesbury in Association with Mermade and Gaze Pictures and Fremantle, RTÉ, IFC, Bell Media for Crave, Sundance Now
The Gone | Kingfisher Films & Keeper Pictures in association with Southern Light Films and Red Arrow Studios International
The Swarm | Schwarm TV Production (Joint-company of Intaglio Films & ndF International Production) for ZDF, France Télévisions, Rai Fiction, Viaplay Group, Hulu Japan, ORF, SRF, in co-production with Bravado Fiction and Beside Production, produced in co-operation with ATHOS KG and Beta Film & ZDF Studios for ZDF, France Télévisions, Rai Fiction, Viaplay Group, Hulu Japan, ORF, SRF
The Twelve | WBITVP Australia and Format: Warner Bros. International Television Production / Tape: Fifth Season for Foxtel, Australia
Wreck | Euston Films (a Fremantle Label) and Fremantle for BBC Three

Best Returning Scripted Series

Departure | Shaftesbury in association with Corus, Starlings Television, and Red Arrow Studio International and Red Arrow Studio International, Starlings TV Distribution for Global TV
Endeavour – Series 9 | Mammoth Screen in co-production with Masterpiece and ITV Studios for ITV
Hudson & Rex | Shaftesbury and Pope Productions Ltd. in association with Citytv and BetaFilm GmbH for Citytv
Sort Of | Sphere Media and Abacus Media Rights
The Capture | Heyday Television, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group for BBC One
The Sea Beyond S3 | RAI and Picomedia and Beta Film

Best Documentary Series

Dinosaur with Stephen Fry | Mentorn Media and Krempelwood, Passion Distribution
Evacuation | Wonderhood Studios and Fremantle for Channel 4
Hitler: A Life in Pictures | Jonathan Mayo and Rainmaker for Channel 4
Inside Our Autistic Minds | BBC Studios
Lucky! | Jiva Maya
The Australian Wars | Darren Dale and Rachel Perkins and ABC Commercial for Special Broadcasting Service
The Elon Musk Show | 72 Films (a Fremantle Company) and Fremantle for BBC Two
When Sharks Attack: 360 | Nick Metcalf, Laura Offer and National Geographic
Wild Heroes | Juanita Edwards and Banijay Rights
Wild Isles | Silverback Films and Banijay Rights

Best Documentary

Charles: In His Own Words | Tom Jennings, Ron Nelson, Johnny Stark, Rob Kirk, Will D’Epagnier, Lemuel Lyes, Jennifer Willcut and National Geographic, Disney+, Hulu for National Geographic, Disney+, Hulu
Confessions of a Psycho Killer | Nick Mavroidakis and Abacus Media Rights for Amazon Prime
KING CHARLES III: THE REAL ME, The Inner Voice of Society | Steve Parker and National Hellenic Broadcaster, Cypriot Broadcasting Corporation, Costa Rica Broadcasting Corporation
LUCÉLIA | RECORD TV and PLAY PLUS
Coal Slaves (Escravos do Carvão), Repórter Record Investigação | Record TV
Right Here Right Now | Beyond TNC and Banijay Rights
The Good Season (La Bella Stagione) | Groenlandia Film and Banijay Rights
The Murder of Meredith | Matthew Gordon and Abacus Media Rights for Amazon Prime
The Mysterious Mr Lagerfeld | Finestripe Productions and Cineflix Rights for BBC Two (UK)

Best Short-Form Series

Iruthi Payanam | Darshan Kunasagran & Regina Pereira
Podacto | Nisan Ceren Özerten & Faruk Özerten and BluTV for BluTV
RAID: Call of the Arbiter | Nicholas Day, Gary Rosenfeld and Plarium/Pixel United for YouTube
Sloppy Jones | Susan Nation and Hop To It Productions Inc for OUTtv
UNHhhh | World of Wonder Productions and World of Wonder Productions / WOW Presents Plus / YouTube

The Sustainability & Innovation Award

A studio fit for the future | Luxvide S.p.a.
FAMILY PIGGY BANK | Armoza Formats & Game Changer and ITV Studios
Food Wizards | RAI – ZOCOTOCO and MAD ENTERTAINMENT
Jane | Sinking Ship Entertainment and Apple TV+ for Apple TV+
REPORTER RECORD INVESTIGAÇÃO TRANSGARIMPEIRA: A ROTA DO OURO NA AMAZÔNIA | RECORD TV
The Lumi Platform | Karen Dewey and Lumi Media
The Weather Channel en Español | The Weather Channel en Español

Series Launch of the Year

Farmer Wants A Wife | Eureka Productions and Fox for Fox
Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge | Endemol Shine North America and Banijay Rights
2DEZIT | Sputnik Media and Mediawan for Streamz
Stars On Mars | Eureka Productions and Fox for Fox
Time Zone | Zeppelin for HBO Max and HBO Max

Competition Show of the Year

RuPaul’s Drag Race | World of Wonder Productions and WOW Presents Plus / Paramount
That’s My Jam | Universal International Studios’ Monkey in partnership with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group for BBC One
The Big Interiors Battle | Remarkable and Banijay Rights
The Masked Singer UK | Bandicoot and Abacus for ITV
The Mole | Eureka Productions and Netflix for Netflix
The Parent Test | Eureka Productions and ABC for ABC
The Piano | Love Productions and Fremantle for Channel 4

Entertainment Format of the Year

Claim To Fame | Kinetic Content and Red Arrow Studios International
Drag Race | World of Wonder Productions
Keep Talking I Love It | Seung Hoon Han for Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)
Love Triangle | Endemol Shine Australia and Banijay Rights
Password | Fremantle North America and Fremantle for NBC
The 1% Club | Magnum Media and BBC Studios for ITV
The Masked Singer UK | Bandicoot and Ababcus for ITV
The Summit | Endemol Shine Australia and Banijay Rights

Factual Entertainment Programme of the Year

Eva Longoria: Searching For Mexico | CNN Original Series (CNN Original Series Executive Producers: Amy Entelis, Lyle Gamm and Jon Adler) and Banijay Rights
Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne | Naked (a Fremantle label) and Fremantle for BBC Three (UK), Hulu (USA)
Secret Life of the Auction House | Curve Media Limited, Cornerstone Studios Group Limited and Cineflix Rights for Discovery + (UK)
The Wizard of Sauce | Chris Knight and Gusto Worldwide Media for Gusto TV

Reality Show of the Year

Deep Fake Love | Cuarzo Producciones and Netflix
Farmer Wants A Wife | Eureka Productions and Fox for Fox
FBoy Island | STX Alternative & The Year O fElan Productions and Warner Bros. International Television Production for Max / The CW, USA
Ghost Adventures | MY Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery for Travel Channel/Discovery+
Kokkedoor Vuur & Vlam | Jaco Loubser & Paul Venter and Homebrew Films for kykNET DStv SA
Reality Queens of the Jungle | WBITVP Netherlands and Warner Bros. International Television Production for Videoland, The Netherlands
Scared Of The Dark | MultiStory Media and ITV Studios
Stars On Mars | Eureka Productions and Fox for Fox
Tempting Fortune | Voltage TV and Cineflix Rights for Channel 4 (UK), Roku (North America)

Distribution Innovation

BBC Earth | BBC Studios
Brookside returns 40 years after launch | Lime Pictures and All3Media International
El País FAST TV Channel | El Pais and The Channel Store for The Channel Store
Gusto TV | Chris Knight and Gusto Worldwide Media for Gusto TV
FilmBox+ Smart Channels | FilmBox+: Home of Good Movies
The Channel Store – Easiest gateway to new FAST/AVoD distribution models | The Channel Store for The Channel Store