2waytraffic

2waytraffic was a Dutch television production and interactive-media company established in 2004 by former Endemol executives Kees Abrahams, Unico Glorie, Taco Ketelaar, and Henk Keilman. Based in Hilversum, the company developed and produced television entertainment, distributed program formats, and worked on interactive services that connected broadcasting with mobile and telephone-based audience participation. Its international footprint included offices in London, New York, Budapest, Stockholm, and Madrid. The company became especially associated with phone-in quiz programming. Shows such as Play, Garito, and Game On invited viewers to call premium-rate telephone numbers for the opportunity to win cash prizes. This model reflected the broader convergence of television, telecommunications, and audience interaction during the 2000s, when broadcasters and producers increasingly used mobile and phone services to extend engagement beyond the television screen. 2waytraffic expanded materially in 2006 through a series of acquisitions. In June it acquired Emexus, a company providing technology for content aggregation, service delivery, mobile marketing, mobile entertainment, and mobile internet applications. In August it acquired Intellygents, a creative development business founded by former Endemol employees Kirsten van Nieuwenhuijzen and Mark van Berkel. These transactions broadened 2waytraffic beyond conventional television production into mobile technology and format development. Its most consequential transaction was the December 2006 acquisition of the rights and program library of Celador International. The deal brought the international Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise and more than 200 game-show formats into 2waytraffic’s portfolio. Celador International was relaunched as 2waytraffic International in March 2007, creating a dedicated international format-distribution and licensing operation covering territories including the United States, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, and the Nordic region. Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired 2waytraffic through its subsidiary 2JS Productions on June 4, 2008. Later that year, 2waytraffic became the distributor of entertainment formats associated with Sony Pictures Television International. Sony subsequently consolidated several television businesses under the Sony Pictures Television structure. In April 2012, 2waytraffic was renamed Sony Pictures Television International Formats. The 2waytraffic identity was gradually removed from internationally licensed programs, and the standalone brand was discontinued in 2013. After the reorganization, 2waytraffic effectively continued only as an in-name-only corporate and rights-related unit within Sony’s television operations. Copyrights associated with its formats were later assigned to CPT Holdings, Inc., a company connected with Sony Pictures Television. Intellygents was also eventually integrated into Tuvalu Media following Sony’s investment in that company, and the Intellygents name was later retired. The historical 2waytraffic brand is therefore best understood as a former Dutch television and interactive-media company whose principal enduring assets were television formats, including the internationally important Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? library.

2waytraffic was founded in 2004 in Hilversum by former Endemol executives Kees Abrahams, Unico Glorie, Taco Ketelaar, and Henk Keilman. It developed as a television production and interactive-media business at a time when broadcasters were experimenting with premium-rate telephone participation, mobile services, and formats that could be adapted across national markets. The company established offices in London, New York, Budapest, Stockholm, and Madrid, giving it a broader international operating base than a purely domestic Dutch production company. Its early output included phone-in quiz programs such as Play, Garito, and Game On. These shows used premium-rate telephone lines to allow viewers to participate and potentially win cash prizes. Alongside television production, 2waytraffic pursued technology and creative-development activities connected with mobile entertainment, mobile marketing, and interactive content. The company expanded through several acquisitions in 2006. Emexus joined in June and contributed technology for content aggregation, service delivery, mobile marketing, mobile entertainment, and mobile internet applications. Intellygents was acquired in July and added a creative development team and formats including That's the Question, Take It or Leave It, The Greatest Royalty Expert, and 50-50, identified as the first spin-off game show connected with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The most important expansion came on December 1, 2006, when 2waytraffic acquired the rights and library of Celador International. This transaction gave the company control of a substantial international game-show portfolio, including the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise. Celador International was relaunched as 2waytraffic International on March 14, 2007. The unit owned, distributed, licensed, and operated more than 200 game-show formats across markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, and the Nordic countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired 2waytraffic through 2JS Productions on June 4, 2008. On September 29 of the same year, 2waytraffic became the distributor for entertainment formats associated with Sony Pictures Television International. Sony later consolidated its US and international television interests under the Sony Pictures Television structure. In April 2012, 2waytraffic was renamed Sony Pictures Television International Formats. The former brand continued to appear only temporarily in some rights and format contexts, while the Sony Pictures Television identity increasingly replaced it on licensed programs. By 2013, the 2waytraffic brand had been discontinued as a visible standalone identity. The company remained relevant mainly through its acquired format rights and intellectual property, which were assigned to Sony-related entities including CPT Holdings, Inc. Intellygents was separately integrated into Tuvalu Media after Sony acquired a 60 percent stake in that company in 2010; the Intellygents name was later retired, although its formats remained with Tuvalu. 2waytraffic is therefore historically significant as a bridge between Dutch television production, interactive participation, mobile media, and international format ownership, rather than as a currently operating consumer-facing brand.

1. 20132waytraffic identity is discontinued

   The brand is phased out from international licensing activity, while associated rights continue under Sony-related entities.

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2. 2012Business is renamed Sony Pictures Television International Formats

   The renamed unit replaces 2waytraffic as the principal corporate identity for the format business.

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3. 2009Sony consolidates television operations

   Sony brings 2waytraffic and other television businesses into a consolidated Sony Pictures Television structure.

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4. 2008Sony Pictures Entertainment acquires 2waytraffic

   Sony acquires the company through its 2JS Productions subsidiary.

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5. 2007Celador International becomes 2waytraffic International

   The acquired international format business is relaunched under the 2waytraffic International name.

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6. 2006Emexus joins 2waytraffic

   The acquisition adds mobile marketing, mobile entertainment, mobile internet, and content-delivery technology.

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7. 2006Intellygents is acquired

   2waytraffic adds a creative format-development company founded by former Endemol employees.

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8. 2006Celador International library is acquired

   The transaction gives 2waytraffic the international Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise and a larger game-show format portfolio.

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9. 20042waytraffic is established in the Netherlands

   Former Endemol executives Kees Abrahams, Unico Glorie, Taco Ketelaar, and Henk Keilman establish the television and interactive-media company in Hilversum.

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A television content, format-rights, and interactive-media company combining entertainment production with mobile and telephone-based audience participation.

• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Television game-show format

  The international quiz-show franchise was the most prominent asset acquired from Celador International. 2waytraffic owned, licensed, and distributed the format across multiple territories after acquiring Celador International's rights and program library in 2006. The franchise became the central asset in the company's international format-distribution business and remained associated with Sony's television-format operations after the 2waytraffic brand was retired.

• PlayPhone-in quiz show

  Play was among the phone-in quiz programs associated with 2waytraffic. Its participation model used premium-rate telephone calls, giving viewers a theoretical chance to win cash prizes while extending the program's interaction beyond conventional broadcast viewing.

• GaritoPhone-in quiz show

  Garito was one of the interactive quiz programs produced or associated with 2waytraffic. Like the company's other phone-in shows, it was built around telephone participation and the possibility of cash rewards for viewers.

• Game OnPhone-in quiz show

  Game On belonged to 2waytraffic's phone-in entertainment output. The format used premium-rate calls to involve viewers directly in the program and offered a theoretical opportunity to win money.

• That's the QuestionTelevision format

  That's the Question was among the formats associated with Intellygents, the creative development company acquired by 2waytraffic in 2006. It formed part of the broader format-development portfolio brought into 2waytraffic through that acquisition.

• Take It or Leave ItTelevision format

  Take It or Leave It was an Intellygents-developed entertainment format that became part of 2waytraffic's content portfolio after the 2006 acquisition of Intellygents.

• 2012Replace the 2waytraffic identity with Sony Pictures Television International FormatsStrategy

  Sony consolidated its television businesses and increasingly presented international format activity under the Sony Pictures Television identity.

  What changed. The company was renamed Sony Pictures Television International Formats, and the 2waytraffic logo was progressively replaced on licensed programs.

  Aftermath. The 2waytraffic brand was discontinued as a standalone operating identity by 2013, while its format rights continued within Sony-related companies.

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• 2008Join Sony Pictures EntertainmentM&A

  Sony Pictures Entertainment expanded its international television and format activities through the acquisition of 2waytraffic.

  What changed. Sony acquired 2waytraffic through its subsidiary 2JS Productions.

  Aftermath. 2waytraffic became part of Sony's international format-distribution structure and later operated under the Sony Pictures Television International Formats name.

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• 2006Acquire Celador International's rights and libraryM&A

  2waytraffic sought to expand from Dutch television and interactive programming into international ownership and distribution of established entertainment formats.

  What changed. The company acquired Celador International's rights and program library, including the international Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? franchise.

  Aftermath. Celador International was relaunched as 2waytraffic International in 2007, giving the company a portfolio of more than 200 game-show formats and a stronger international distribution position.

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• 20132waytraffic brand discontinued

  The 2waytraffic identity was phased out from internationally licensed programs and ceased to function as an active standalone brand.

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• 20122waytraffic renamed Sony Pictures Television International Formats

  Sony reorganized the business under the Sony Pictures Television International Formats name, marking the end of 2waytraffic as the primary operating brand.

  Leadership change
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• 2008Sony Pictures Entertainment acquires 2waytraffic

  Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired 2waytraffic through its subsidiary 2JS Productions.

  M&A
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• 20062waytraffic expands through acquisition of Emexus

  2waytraffic acquired Emexus, expanding into mobile content aggregation, mobile marketing, mobile entertainment, and mobile internet technology.

  M&A
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• 20062waytraffic acquires Intellygents

  The company acquired the creative entertainment developer Intellygents, adding program-development capabilities and formats such as That's the Question and Take It or Leave It.

  M&A
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• 20062waytraffic acquires Celador International rights and library

  The acquisition brought Celador International's program library and international format rights, including Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, into 2waytraffic's business.

  M&A
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1. 2waytraffic