Producer Profile: Mark Burnett Productions (US)
April 1, 2007 by
Brendan Christie
Mark Burnett Productions
Beverly Hills
No Web
Just when you’re sure Mark Burnett must have finally run out of ideas, he returns with a couple of hits. The mind behind The Apprentice, Survivor, Rock Star and dozens of others returned this year with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and On the Lot.
Is the key to his success accessibility? Says Chili Scot Cru, executive in charge, international at MBP: ‘Good television is good television, whether it’s drama, comedy, or reality, and we are taking the high road, we believe, with our shows. If you look at Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? – a new genre for us, we haven’t done game shows before – that’s a very family-friendly show that kids can watch with their parents. If you look at Survivor, that’s family, appointment viewing. I think that’s what we’re looking for with the upcoming Pirate Master. Mark likes to make television that he can watch with his kids, and I think that is the big difference between us and a lot of our competitors.’
Recent titles: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, On the Lot
Employees: 2,000 to 5,000
Hours this year: 98-plus
Upcoming includes: On the Lot, Pirate Master (CBS), Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
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