UK broadcasters cautious with new US series

UK broadcasters have not yet picked up any of the new shows in development for the 2008-09 season in the US.

In recent years, new series have been snapped up quickly during and after the LA Screenings, the annual event where pilots are showcased to international buyers.

Fewer shows were produced in time for this year's demonstration because of the writers' strike, but several acquisitions executives have also identified a lack of urgency to buy.

The delay is likely to mean that talked-about and successful new series are still picked up, but at a later stage.

Jay Kandola, ITV's director of acquisitions, said that executives making the trip to LA had been a little surprised by the lack of completed pilots: "We knew that the writers strike had happened but it was still a bit of a shock."

Kandola said the market to bring shows to the UK was not as strong as it had been and predicted that the slower buying pattern would continue next year.

David Smyth, Sky One acquisitions head, said of the trend: "It will be a lot more like the unscripted marketplace, where ideas will come up all the time. You find out about them and you bid for them but there isn’t necessarily a market that showcases that."

Amy Barham, who holds the same position for Virgin Television, agreed: "It doesn’t feel like you have to make your move a week after May 17."

Among the shows up for grabs this year are Fringe, from Lost's JJ Abrams, and Buffy creator Joss Whedon's new project, Dollhouse.