According to Television Business International magazine (TBI), which is part of Informa Telecoms & Media, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? is the most popular gameshow in  the world. Analysis of ratings data in the world's key TV territories revealed that it was the most popular TV contest in 2009, twelve years since its launch on ITV in the UK.

TBI compiled the top-ten list of the world's most popular gameshows (see table below) and other entries include Deal or No Deal, Wheel of Fortune and Hole in the Wall.

However, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? was the runaway winner in terms of audiences across the world. Sony Pictures Television, through its format distribution arm 2waytraffic, sells the show to international broadcasters and has licensed it to over 120 territories. Having launched on ITV in the UK in 1998, the show was sold to 2waytraffic in 2006 and it was in turn acquired by Sony in 2008.

"In tough economic times broadcasters want cost-effective shows that reach a broad section of viewers and gameshow tick those boxes - the results clearly show the enduring appeal of a well thought out gameshow format," says Stewart Clarke, TBI Magazine Editor. "The fact a show like Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has gone off air in several countries only to return later proves it has achieved 'classic' status. The appearance of veteran formats including Jeopardy and Family Feud/Family Fortunes also illustrate the kind of lifespan a successful gameshow can have."

Please see full list of most-popular gameshows below:

Source: TBI (Informa Telecoms & Media) 2010

TBI analysed French audience measurement company Mediametrie's data for the period 01/01/09 to 30/11/09. Ranking were based on the number of times a show appeared in a country's top-rated programmes with shows under five minutes and duplicates excluded. The countries surveyed were: UK, US, Australia, Belgium (North and South separately), Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain and Sweden.

For more information, please contact:

Denise Duffy

PR Manager, Informa Telecoms & Media

Mob   +44 (0) 7500 330826 

Email: denise.duffy@informa.com

Twitter: @informatm_pr

Notes for editors:

Television Business International (www.TBIvision.com) is the industry trade magazine for the global TV business. With an audience of broadcasters, distributors and producers around the world, the magazine is published by Informa Telecoms & Media and has been in existence since 1988.

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