The concept of a television format is well known to viewers, the creative industry and lawyers alike. However, each of these groups understands it in its own way. In general terms, a ‘television format’ is the method of producing a given television programme (series, game show, reality show, etc.), particularly in terms of certain standards: aesthetics, rules, a similar formula and repeatability. This standardisation allows viewers to form positive associations, which are intended to encourage them to continue watching and engage with the characters’ stories. From the perspective of broadcasters and television producers, on the other hand, formats are a guarantee that the product they offer (a series or programme) will achieve commercial success. The final group, namely lawyers, see ‘television formats’ as a conglomerate of various types of rights – copyright, industrial property rights and protected know-how – which, taken together, constitute a protected work. But what exactly is a television format? There is [...]