AZN TV Misrepresents 'Quest China, Da Tiao Zhan' to Washington Post

AZN TV Misrepresents 'Quest China, Da Tiao Zhan' to Washington Post

NEW YORK, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- House Films wishes to correct the public record. In the Sunday (May 15th) Washington Post front page article "TV Networks Try To Attract Asians And All Their Niches," Mr. Steve Smith, the Managing Director of AZN TV, stated that the House Films show "Quest China, Da Tiao Zhan" was about Chinese people: "They're focusing on the fact that everyone is Chinese." As head of the show's original American broadcaster, Mr. Smith should know that this is not true.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050217/QUESTCHINALOGO )

In October of last year, while working together, House Films and AZN TV decided to expand the concept of the "Quest" series and produce it with multi- ethnic teams speaking mostly English, and AZN TV aired the first season, "Quest USA, Da Tiao Zhan," twice last year. Almost half of the semi-finalists of "Quest China, Da Tiao Zhan" are not even ethnically Asian. Anyone who visited the FAQ section of the show's web site, http://www.questchina.tv/ , will see that the show did not require applicants to be Chinese or even Asian.

Steve Smith also knows that House Films is looking to replace AZN TV as a financer and U.S. broadcast partner. This makes his incorrect characterization of the show disturbing.

The second season was always considered an opportunity to broaden the viewership of the show. Steve Smith's statements in The Washington Post make it more difficult to reach this goal. House Films calls on Mr. Smith to correct this misrepresentation of our program.

The company also rejects the reporter's characterization of "Quest China, Da Tiao Zhan" as "warm and fuzzy." House Films is striving to make a show that is intelligent and thought-provoking and appreciates great reality shows like "The Apprentice," "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race." These shows do not shoot for the lowest common denominator and are great television.

In referring to the first season, "Quest USA, Da Tiao Zhan," Associated Press writer Ted Anthony wrote:

"Unlike many such shows, which are ultimately nihilistic, this one offers a glimpse into what good reality TV can be: putting people against unfamiliar backdrops and seeing how they react, thus getting a window into their lives, their culture, their outlook. That's something 'Fear Factor' will never do."

College Times writer Eddie Shoebang wrote:

"If the first season is any indication, this could be the start of smart, intelligent reality television."

After working for several months to bring in a Chinese partner, in late April, House Films signed a contract with Shanghai Media Group for production support and distribution of the show in China. Shanghai Media Group is the premier Chinese partner for western companies including MTV, Time Warner, ESPN and Discovery Networks, to name a few.

On May 6, AZN TV changed their mind about the program and pulled the funding for "Quest China, Da Tiao Zhan," a full six months after approaching House Films to co-produce the show, after signing a deal memo and a contract and six weeks before House Films was scheduled to start shooting because House Films refused to convert the show into a Kung Fu challenge show.

House Films is presently looking for a financial and broadcast partner in the U.S. market. For more information about the show, contact sarah@housefilms.com or visit the Web sites http://www.questchina.tv/ (second season) or http://www.questusa.tv/ (first season).

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050217/QUESTCHINALOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: House Films

CONTACT: Sarah Zhang of House Films, sarah@housefilms.com

Web site: http://housefilms.com/
http://www.questchina.tv/
http://www.questusa.tv/

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