Murdoch Gets in on the Game

Twentieth Television and Elisabeth Murdoch’s Shine Ltd. will import an American version of Britain’s live My Games Fever to all Fox owned-and-operated MyNetworkTV affiliates starting in December.

The strip is described as multiple games that embrace home viewer participation through text messaging and online interaction. It will be presented commercial-free during the Fox station test and then rolled out to the national marketplace in early 2007.

Airing live from 1-3 p.m. ET/12-2 p.m. CT, My Games Fever will be executive produced by Debbie Mason, a specialist in participation television, who launched and oversaw a number of UK channels that carry formats in this area.

“This proven television genre has enjoyed huge success in the UK and the time has come to bring it to the United States,” said Twentieth Programming President Paul Buccieri.

“Shine is proud to be undertaking the first major network commission for the U.S. market in this genre,” Murdoch, CEO of Shine and daughter of News Corp. Chairman-CEO Rupert Murdoch, said in a statement. “The UK production team we have assembled has extensive experience in this area and they are hugely enthusiastic to be bringing this new and exciting format to the U.S.”

Fox Television Stations President Dennis Swanson, called the “seamless” game “a perfect fit for our stations.”

Founded in 2001 by Elisabeth Murdoch and based in London, Shine produces a broad range of programming for the UK and international markets.