Press Releases

LONDON, UK (November 30, 2011) - Sony Pictures Television (SPT) today announced it is to start development on a complete season of 60 original Russian episodes of the local adaptation of Everybody Loves Raymond (known locally as The Voronins). This marks the first time a full season of the format will be written and produced outside the US by continuing the storyline beyond the US original. As the pioneer of situational comedies in the Russian market, SPT has now reproduced all 210 original US episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond in Russia for CTC, with original US scripts running out towards the end of the last season.

Russian and US script writers will collaborate in Moscow to develop the additional episodes. The team consists of Russian writers and a US consultant Jeremy Stevens, who worked on the original US series. Production will begin in Spring/Summer next year with broadcast expected later in 2012.

Maria Smirnova, Vice President and General Director, Sony Pictures Television Productions Russia said: "SPT's local sitcom adaptations have thrived in Russia to such an extent that demand for local adaptation is outstripping the original US supply. We're really looking forward to seeing what the two development teams create and are very proud to have helped build several teams of promising young writers through our work on The Voronins."

SPT's production studio in Russia has also started shooting season six of Married…with Children (known locally as Happy Together) for TNT channel in Russia, with a 50 episode order. This will make a total of 374 episodes, of which 119 will have been written especially for Russian audiences. Separately, this month sees SPT launch its Russian version of CBS sitcom, The King of Queens (known locally as Newlyweds), also for CTC.

Other international adaptations of Everybody Loves Raymond are currently produced in the Middle East, Poland and Israel.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution. In addition to one of the industry's largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Internationally, SPT produces 6,000+ hours of programming annually in over 70 countries. SPT is a leader in local language productions, some of which are co-produced with local partners, and sells SPE-owned formats around the world. To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People's Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 120 channel feeds, which are available in 159 countries reaching more than 543 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT owns Dutch entertainment company 2waytraffic, production company Embassy Row and Sony Movie Channel, and is a part owner of cable channel GSN, new 3D channel 3net, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT's syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

Sony Pictures Television Contacts:

Mark Macdonald
Sony Pictures Television EMEA
+44 207 533 1363
mark_macdonald@spe.sony.com

Kerry Parker
Premier PR
+44 207 292 8346
kerry.parker@premierpr.com