'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'.......in Afghanistan?!?

[Brian Damage]

LONDON -- It may be a theater of military conflict, but Afghanistan is now about to get its own injection of Western entertainment with the launch of an Afghan version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” it was announced Friday.

2waytraffic International, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, has licensed the format rights of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” to local producer Shams Productions, which is currently in final discussions with an as-yet undisclosed broadcaster. The deal is the first time that a light entertainment format has been officially licensed into the territory.

Shams Productions will produce a 52 x 60 minutes series of the format in studios in Kabul from late November.

Contestants will have their eye on the main prize, 1 million Afghanis, equivalent to $21,000, a “life-changing” amount of money in Afghanistan, according to 2waytraffic International managing director Ed Louwerse.

“‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ has always been a ground breaking format in terms of its incredible global reach and track record,” said Louwerse.

“So when Shams Group International wanted a high quality light entertainment format to launch in the Afghanistan market, ‘Millionaire’ was the first show they looked to.
'Millionaire' heads to Afghanistan
First light entertainment format licensed there
By Mimi Turner

Oct 17, 2008, 10:48 AM ET

LONDON -- It may be a theater of military conflict, but Afghanistan is now about to get its own injection of Western entertainment with the launch of an Afghan version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” it was announced Friday.

2waytraffic International, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, has licensed the format rights of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” to local producer Shams Productions, which is currently in final discussions with an as-yet undisclosed broadcaster. The deal is the first time that a light entertainment format has been officially licensed into the territory.

Shams Productions will produce a 52 x 60 minutes series of the format in studios in Kabul from late November.

Contestants will have their eye on the main prize, 1 million Afghanis, equivalent to $21,000, a “life-changing” amount of money in Afghanistan, according to 2waytraffic International managing director Ed Louwerse.

“‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ has always been a ground breaking format in terms of its incredible global reach and track record,” said Louwerse.

“So when Shams Group International wanted a high quality light entertainment format to launch in the Afghanistan market, ‘Millionaire’ was the first show they looked to.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...c56641b529d625