IONOCO TO POWER MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD WORLDWIDE
ionoco has been selected as the computer system provider for the second series of 
FremantleMedia’s hit US game show Million Dollar Password and has also been named as the preferred technology supplier for the format worldwide.
The deal, which follows the success of the first series, also sees ionoco contracted to provide the technology for over 65 episodes of Password in Spain. The company, a major new force in the broadcast, lottery and gaming markets, launched last month with matrix, a graphical selection system that is designed to put an end to UK phone-in scandals by being transparent, auditable and completely fair.
In its Million Dollar Password deal, ionoco developed, facilitated and implemented a self-contained system that provides the game play functionality of the show. The main control system, based on their ionologic™ software platform and running on their ionocore™ hardware, generates all on-air graphics for the speed and money rounds. It also controls secondary systems that generate the graphic feeds to the on-set projectors, the game play feeds to the contestant monitors and the information feeds to the host and producers as well as scrolling text on some sections of the set.
The system triggers sound effects, provides triggers to the lighting system and synchronises most of the effects in the show. It has also been designed with facilities to roll out of the format into different territories as most parameters within the system are configurable – language, fonts, colours, positions and sizes.
Chris Goss, Founder and CTO of ionoco says, “When launching ionoco in April we wanted to build on 25 years of G-Graphics’ success by providing new management, research, development and technical resources. To have secured a contract with such a prestigious show in such a short space of time is fantastic and through a strong, confident and energised team we will continue to drive the business forward.”
Rob Clark, Senior Executive Vice President, Entertainment and Production, Worldwide Entertainment for FremantleMedia adds, “ionoco’s experience in the field of television graphics and control systems is unsurpassed. We worked closely with them on the initial development of the game play and graphic elements of the show and are delighted at the success of the first series.”
Hosted by Regis Philbin, Million Dollar Password is a modern update on one of television’s greatest game shows Password. Contestants team up with a celebrity to earn up to one million dollars. One player from the team is told secret passwords and can use only one-word clues to get the teammate to guess them. If the player and the celebrity can work well together and become a solid team, that player could uncover the Million Dollar Password.
ionoco secured the deal with Kristen Stabile, Executive in charge of Production Million Dollar Password for FremantleMedia USA. The computer system will be developed by Chris Goss and Darren Lines for ionoco. The series will be produced and directed by Mark Gentile and executive produced by Vincent Rubino for FremantleMedia USA.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
ionoco
ionoco specialises in sophisticated graphics and control systems for the broadcast, lottery and gaming markets worldwide. Built on the proprietary software platform, ionologic™, and run from bespoke ionocore™ computers, ionoco systems are uniquely configurable, easy to operate and proven in more than 1000 productions, 12,000 TV episodes and 60 countries.
The company was launched in 2008 after the merger of G-Graphics, Randomaker and TV2GO. Clients include Endemol, BBC Worldwide, FremantleMedia, 2waytraffic, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Recent projects by ionoco include Are you Smarter than a 10 Year Old?, Deal or No Deal, Power of 10, and Gala TV.
Based in Winchester in the UK, with offices and associates in France, the US and Asia, ionoco is led by Chris Goss, Simon Ingram and David Walton.
For further information, please visit www.ionoco.com.
© ionoco™ Ltd. All Rights Reserved. matrix is patent pending.
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises, the company’s content exploitation arm, offers an unparalleled licensing, distribution and home entertainment brand extension package. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes talkbackTHAMES, UFA and Grundy amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating over 10,000 hours of programming, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, including: Idols, The X Factor, Got Talent, Neighbours, The Bill, Family Feud and The Price is Right.
www.fremantlemedia.com
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