Time Out Enters Original Television Production with Unscripted Format Partnership
Once synonymous with city guides, Time Out is now betting on original TV formats to extend its brand into global entertainment markets.
Time Out, the global media brand known for its city guides and curated food markets, is making its first move into original television production. The company announced a partnership with Pig & Horse Productions to develop two unscripted formats ahead of MIPCOM, the international entertainment content market in Cannes.
The move represents a significant expansion for Time Out beyond its core digital media business, which reaches 224 million people monthly across websites, newsletters, and social channels.
Two Formats in Development
The initial slate includes a culinary competition series set inside Time Out Market locations, where emerging chefs compete in fast-paced challenges. The format combines elements of cooking competition with entrepreneurial skills testing, leveraging Time Out’s network of editorially curated food halls in cities including Lisbon, New York, and Dubai.
The second project is a street music talent format filming in London. Performers audition before live audiences for the opportunity to appear in a showcase event alongside established artists. The production approach emphasises social media integration, targeting younger demographics on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Both formats are designed for distribution across digital and linear platforms, reflecting the evolving landscape of content consumption where audiences move fluidly between streaming services, social media, and traditional television.
Strategic Rationale
For Time Out, the partnership marks a test of whether its editorial brand can translate into entertainment formats. The company has built its reputation over 56 years by identifying cultural trends and recommending experiences in urban centers worldwide.
“Partnering with Time Out on a pilot for original unscripted formats allows us to bring authentic, city-driven stories to audiences in a way that feels both immediate and immersive. These formats celebrate culture, creativity, and ambition, with the right brand partner that is committed and engaged. We can’t wait to take them global.”
Salla Kozma, Executive Producer and Founder of Pig & Horse Productions
“We are incredibly excited to embark on this partnership with Pig & Horse Productions. It allows us to develop and test innovative unscripted content, celebrate local talents, and offer fresh formats that resonate with our brand partners and advertising clients. Both food and music are central to what Time Out audiences love, with these new formats offering us the opportunity to further solidify Time Out’s unmatched status as the ‘Best Of the City’ and connect with new audiences through new channels.”
Rob Biagioni, Time Out Media CEO
Production Partnership
Pig & Horse Productions, launched earlier this year with bases in Monaco and Finland, will develop the formats with Anssi Rimpelä of UpToLevel Media. Rimpelä brings considerable experience to the collaboration, having produced major talent competition formats in Nordic markets for Fremantle, including local versions of Idols, Got Talent, and The X Factor.
The production company is also developing other projects including Europe’s K-pop Odyssey, a documentary series, and Reflections of Gauguin, a high-end 80-minute documentary on the French post-impressionist painter currently in production. This diverse slate demonstrates Pig & Horse’s ambition to work across multiple genres and formats.
Market Context
The partnership arrives as media brands increasingly explore content production to diversify revenue and deepen audience engagement. Time Out’s physical footprint through its market locations provides built-in production venues and brand integration opportunities that could differentiate its formats in a crowded unscripted television landscape.
The company currently operates 13 Time Out Market locations in cities including Lisbon, New York, and Dubai, with several new markets expected to open in 2026 and additional locations in advanced discussions. This expanding global network offers scalable production infrastructure for formats that could be adapted to different markets.
Whether these pilots will secure distribution deals remains to be seen, but the collaboration signals Time Out’s willingness to expand beyond its traditional media model into original content creation. The announcement ahead of MIPCOM positions the company to gauge interest from international broadcasters and streaming platforms during one of the industry’s key content marketplaces.