Japan’s public broadcaster latest channel to launch local version of fast-paced format

Independent international distribution company Lineup Industries has sold documentary format Emergency Call to NHK. The Japanese public broadcaster becomes the latest international channel to produce and air a local version of the show which follows the ups and downs of an emergency call centre through the ears and eyes of the people who work there.

Emergency Call will broadcast on NHK in January 2022 and is the second non-scripted format from Lineup Industries to air in the territory, with community radio station series Radio Gaga continuing a successful run, also on NHK.

Takako Ishikawa, Senior Producer at Current Affairs Division, Program Production Department at NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) says, “We are very honored to have this opportunity to be producing the Japanese version of Emergency Call. This format is significant in that it successfully illustrates the daily occurrences at the control room of an emergency unit from a perspective that resonates to audiences the world over, and we appreciate that Emergency Call is a program showing a very high level of human nature. As a public broadcaster, we hope that we will follow their footsteps and show the spirit of call takers in our Emergency Call.”

Ed Louwerse, co-founder of Lineup Industries, said: “It’s fantastic to see how this format is rolling out internationally and capturing the fascination of local audiences. We’re all aware of the crucial work of the emergency services but in shining a light on the people whose important job it is to field the initial call, we are revealing the tense, compelling, and sometimes bizarre conversations that form their day-to-day experiences and how their calm demeanour, clarity of thought and precise questioning can make all the difference in serious and potentially life-threatening circumstances.”

The Emergency Call format was originally created by De chinezen for Belgium broadcaster VRT Eén, the Flemish public channel. Lineup Industries handles global distribution for the series, which has been made locally in Belgium (both Flemish and French), Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, as well as being actively optioned for further markets. In Turkey, it will form part of a governmental public service campaign to inform the Turkish public of a new unified 112 emergency number when it launches in early 2022.

The US version of the format, produced by 8 Hours Television and hosted by actor Luke Wilson, has also sold to Australia’s Nine Network, New Zealand’s TV3 and Talpa TV in the Netherlands. Brand new episodes have also aired on ABC in the US this year.

Emergency Call follows the ups and downs of regular shifts in an emergency call centre through the ears and eyes of the people who work there. Featuring paramedics, police and fire brigade services, the compelling documentary format follows the telephone workers who face critical first minutes of an emergency, inane, unexpected and often dangerous situations requiring immediate responses. Whether it’s handling a distressing call about a suspected intruder or an absurd request for the police to deliver food and cigarettes. This is the story of the extraordinary call centre operators at the front line, who expect the unexpected every time they answer the phone.

For further information, please contact:

Aimée Norman at The DDA Group on: +44 (0) 7957 564 050 or aimee.norman@ddapr.com

About Lineup Industries

With a global reach, Amsterdam-based Lineup Industries is an independent international distributor offering the highest level of sales expertise combined with a tailored, global service. The company consists of a senior team of executives with wide-ranging experience dealing with broadcasters, corporations, independent producers and individuals worldwide. Lineup Industries focuses on formats and derived IP and is competitive and streamlined in its approach, facilitating high quality materials and consultancy, ensuring consistency across every production through its lifespan. In 2016 Beta Film GmbH took a stake in Lineup Industries forging a complementary distribution partnership between the companies.  www.lineupindustries.com