NYTVF Signs Five New Development Partners

VH1, BIO, Logo, Hasbro Studios, Ch. 4 join 2012 Festival

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/27/2012 12:38:04 PM

The New York Television Festival on Friday confirmed nine development partners for the 2012 NYTVF, which will take place Oct. 22-27.

New network partners include VH1, BIO Channel and Logo, as well as NYTVF's first children's entertainment partner, Hasbro Studios, and its first international network partner, U.K.'s Channel 4.

VH1, along with returning partners IFC and MTV, have signed on as award sponsors for the Independent Pilot Competition, where each will seek unscripted formats, alternative comedy submissions and animated and live-action comedies, respectively.

The other six partners, including inaugural sponsors Sundance Channel and SevenOne International, are signed on for NYTVF Pitch, which guarantees a development deal from each network for one producer and pitch.

"We've never before had so many partners signed on for the beginning of the NYTVF development season and we're thrilled to have such a diverse and prestigious group looking to the NYTVF artistic community for great talent and ideas," said NYTVF founder Terence Gray.

Including previously announced partnerships, the 2012 Festival has thus far lined up 12 guaranteed development deals, including a short pilot competition with Comedy Central.

IFC recently greenlit the first comedy from the Festival to go to series, ordering 10 episodes of Bunk (previously Pointless) to premiere in June.