17 December 2009

week 51

Live and off-screen Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Disney World: How FremantleMedia transfers powerful programmes from TV screens to the stage

Germany France Super RTL acquires Scoyo Girondins de Bordeaux publishes book

Broadcasting United Kingdom RTL Group’s channels report The X Factor’s got a winner on the Copenhagen Summit COVER: Montage with live events produced by FremantleMedia Enterprises

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Natural extension What began with the Price Is Right Live more than three years ago has now grown into a whole suite of FremantleMedia live events. Backstage talked to Andy Felsher about the transition from TV format to live event. Spinning the legendary wheel at The Price Is Right Live United States - 17 December 2009

The Price Is Right – property of sophisticated,” says Felsher. “You have to take FremantleMedia – is the longest-running game a look at each show individually and identify the show in TV history. The show itself is as specifics and assets that it cannot do without. legendary as its games and ‘The Big Wheel’ When we started developing The Price Is Right Thousands of fans dreamed about Bob Barker Live, Bob Barker was still hosting the show. He or Drew Carey telling them to “Come on down” is truly a TV legend in the US. So one of the – the phrase with which they invited members main challenges in developing the live event of the audience to take part in the show and was to find a way to do the show without become a candidate. For more than three years Barker.” In the end, The Price Is Right Live has now, fans have the chance to play the game off a lot in common with the televised show, screen and become a candidate on stage in a especially with regard to the main assets like casino. Here, too, they are given the the ‘Big Wheel’ and the ‘showcase’. The opportunity to take home cash and prizes, differences – apart from the presenter – are that including jewellery, appliances and vacation contestants are chosen at random and packages. audience members can sip on cocktails throughout the show. “When I worked on The Price Is Right as an Executive Producer, we realized how much the audience actually loved the experience of being a candidate on the show – just look at them when they come on stage” explains Andy Felsher, Senior Vice President Games, Entertainment & Live Events at FremantleMedia Enterprises. “That’s how we got the idea to turn the TV show into an off-screen event.” The idea went into production and after a few months of planning, developing and producing, The Price is Right Live made its debut in Reno, Nevada and later migrated to Atlantic City. It then travelled to Foxwoods, the largest casino resort Kevin Skinner in the US. Today, the live event of The Price is And even though the concept that was used to Right happens every afternoon at the Jubilee! take The Price Is Right from TV to stage worked Theatre at Bally’s casino in Las Vegas. fine for this particular show, it might not work for other formats. “As I said, you have to look at Even though The Price Is Right is a big success each show individually,” Andy Felsher explains. off-screen, developing a live event like this is “And that’s what we did.” In the case of Got not as easy as it sounds. “You can’t just pull Talent, the live event features artists who away the cameras and that’s it – it’s way more actually auditioned and appeared on the show. 3 week 51 the RTL Group intranet

America’s Got Talent Live launched on their fellow guests cheer them on from the 7 October at Planet Hollywood’s CHI audience. They are able to enjoy the Showroom in Las Vegas, and will head to performances just like at a live television Foxwoods in January. taping. Then, audience members vote for their favorite performance using the armrest touch pads, with their votes tallied to determine the top singer. Performers with the highest votes during the preliminary shows return for a high- energy, grand finale show that same evening. The ultimate winner of each day’s performance will get a Dream Ticket, which gives him front- of-the-line access to any future Idol TV show audition. “I was told that some people from The American Idol Experience made it,” says Felsher. “We’ll see when the new season kicks off in January.”

And still, even with the show concept in place and the artists signed, the work is not yet done. A stable financial basis is as crucial as the creative part. “It’s basically like putting together a business plan, just like for any other business”, Andy Felsher says. “The challenge is that you’re dealing with a smaller budget than you have on TV.” Once the financing is resolved, a venue has to be found and persuaded that the business plan will work. To date, they have been. And when the deals are America’s Got Talent Live in Las Vegas signed, production starts. “We’d rather produce the shows ourselves instead of just The stage show offers fans another means of selling a license” says Felsher. “That way we engaging with performers from the TV show – secure the live event is a high-class production like Kevin Skinner, who won the last season of and doesn’t damage the value or reputation of America’s Got Talent, Barbara Padilla, the brand – like what the audience is used to Grandma Lee, Recycled Percussion, Texas from TV.” Tenors and Acrodunk. Thus the live event transports all the excitement of being in the TV Andy Felsher already has some plans for the studio in Hollywood and allows guests to get year ahead: “I’d love to do more with the Idol up close with the artists and with presenter franchise. The American Idol Experience is very Jerry Springer. “Our advantages are first that ‘theme park’ – but we have to discuss that with we have brands that are popular worldwide and all our partners”, he says. secondly that we know what we’re getting, from the actual America’s Got Talent show on TV,” says Felsher. “It’s a natural extension.” The flip side of this extension is that the live show sometimes doesn’t deliver all the talent that was seen on TV before.

The American Idol Experience in Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, Florida, takes a different approach to delivering a TV show to an off-screen audience. Park guests can audition to take the spotlight onstage while

Ryan Seacrest, host of American Idol, at The American Idol Experience 4 week 51 the RTL Group intranet

No flash in the pan

The Price Is Right Live is a staged event inspired by the game show The Price Is Right. Several elements of the television show have been amended for the live show, such as Cliff Hangers, Clock Game, Hole in One, Race Game, Plinko, It’s in the Bag, and the Big Wheel. Candidates can win prizes like cash, appliances and vacation packages. Currently the shows runs daily at 14:30 at the Jubilee! Theatre in Bally’s Casino in Las Vegas.

America’s Got Talent Live is a show staged Wednesday through Sunday at the Planet Hollywood Casino and Resort in Las Vegas. It features acts such as Kevin Skinner, who won the last season of America’s Got Talent, Barbara Padilla, Grandma Lee, Recycled Percussion, Texas Tenors and Acrodunk. Host of the show is Jerry Springer. From 17 January to 7 February, the event stages Wednesday through Sunday at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods.

The American Idol Experience is a theme park attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. Based on the FremantleMedia format American Idol, the attraction gives park guests the opportunity to audition and perform in front of a live audience who will vote their favorite singers. The ultimate winner of the day receives a Dream Ticket, allowing front of the line access to an audition of the actual TV show.

More live events by FremantleMedia Enterprises

Family Feud Live used to play at the Showboat in Atlantic City and at Foxwoods. Based on the television show, the live Feud had all of the familiar features of the TV show – families battling for cash prizes, quips and malapropisms – but with more electricity and a great deal more audience participation. As in The Price Is Right Live, audience members could actually win cash prizes. Negotiations to open Family Feud Live in Las Vegas next year are ongoing.

HardBat Classic takes the game of table tennis back to where it all began: Back to the days of long rallies, strategic shots and head-to-head battles of cunning and endurance. Playing the game with a pipped-out hardbat is a throwback to a time when every player was a hustler sweating every point. When mailmen could challenge millionaires and nobody had an advantage until somebody scored 21. On 28 June 2009, FremantleMedia Enterprises hosted the first HardBat Classic at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. 500 came, one walked away USD 100,000 richer.

Taste of Emeril’s at Caesars Atlantic City gave everyone the opportunity to step into Emeril Lagasse’s Kitchen. Taste of Emeril’s was a fast-paced, intriguing, and often hilarious food competition and cooking demonstration, where contestants could win prizes including chances to experience the finest restaurants at Caesar’s Atlantic City and The Pier Shops. The live event closed in Atlantic City in late November. Negotiations to open Taste of Emeril’s in Las Vegas next year are ongoing.

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Super RTL takes over Scoyo The Cologne-based children’s channel Super RTL is acquiring 100 per cent of the shares in the online learning portal from Bertelsmann and will integrate it in its online portfolio. Germany - 15 December 2009

Scoyo.de

“Scoyo is a high-quality Internet platform that Super RTL reports that it has gained important complements our existing online offerings. The experience in the online subscription business Scoyo platform will help us expand our over the past seven years. But since Super RTL expertise in children’s entertainment, especially already has a strong online structure, as things in the online realm, to include school-age stand now the channel will only be able to take groups up to Grade 7,” says Claude Schmit, on a small share of Scoyo’s staff. Managing Director of Super RTL. “The quality of the platform’s content is unique, and there is no comparable system in Germany at present.”

Scoyo has implemented more than 4,000 learning modules since launching its marketing in February of this year and aims for for Grades 1 through 7. Furthermore the portal the start-up had won several awards for the quality of its content, among them the “Giga-Maus” at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

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Media research at one click IP Deutschland presents a new service tool that provides access to the results of more than 230 IP studies from the past ten years. Germany - 11 December 2009

IP Deutschland’s studies highlight general Jan Isenbart, IP Deutschland’s Director Media findings about various media and advertising Research & Services, says: “The research formats as well as the specific ways in which database’s convenient search features give numerous campaigns work. A toolbox users quick access to numerous studies that integrated on every page of the IP website lets can serve as valuable aids in decision-making.” users search by keyword, by industry, advertising format, year of publication or media The new tool may now be accessed at www.ip- platform. In addition they can peruse the deutschland.de/studienrecherche. The topics “Media Research” section under “Services”. covered range from advertising effectiveness The new service Tool provides speedy, targeted and media use studies to analyses of access to research results and related broadcasters and target demographics, across information. all platforms in the IP Deutschland portfolio.

Move to the new premises begins Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s contract partner and future landlord S Rhein Estate, a subsidiary of Sparkasse Köln / Bonn, has now handed over the around 80,000m2 building in Cologne – Deutz. Germany - 15 December 2009

To ensure an efficient integration of the digital This will be followed by the move of all broadcasting technology in close coordination Cologne-based Mediengruppe RTL with the building services department, the Deutschland companies, with their total staff of move-in to the new premises will take place around 2000 employees and without retroactively to 30 November 2009. interrupting operations, to the new Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland will thus broadcasting centre. They include RTL handle all remaining work and repairs in the Television, Vox, N-TV and Super RTL, as well as building, among other things in the areas of fire the information and news company Info safety and building automation. At the same Network and RTL Interactive, the Cologne time as the remaining work and any necessary Broadcasting Center (CBC) and the IP repairs are being done, construction will begin Deutschland marketing agency. The entire on the tenant improvements, which include move including vacating the past premises in production technology facilities and Cologne-Junkersdorf and Cologne-Ossendorf, infrastructural expansions such as the staff will be completed by the end of 2010. canteen or the conference technology.

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Focusing on Climate Copenhagen is hosting of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference from 7 to 18 December. RTL Group’s channels cover the event on site extensively. Luxembourg - 16 December 2009

In Germany, RTL Television is providing France, containing for example, the official coverage on the Copenhagen summit in all its website of the conference as well as the news formats including Punkt 6, Punkt 9, Punkt websites of Greenpeace, the WWF and other 12 and RTL Aktuell. N-TV is making the climate organisations. summit a priority in its news coverage. N-TV reporters Madlen Zeller and Susanne Ungrad The website of the French general-interest are live on location and will deliver live feeds on radio station offers a wide assortment of news programmes throughout the day to keep important news in a single location. One can viewers up to date about the latest learn, for example, that on Monday 14 developments and results of the summit. at the December, experts gathered to discuss forests. same time, the news channel has detailed In fact, one of the solutions negotiated at the reports on all topics of the climate posted on its Copenhagen summit to reduce greenhouse website at N-TV.de. gas emissions was the protection of forests. In her column “C’est notre planète” (It’s our In the UK, Five presented two special pieces on planet), RTL journalist Virginie Garin explains the topic of climate change during the first that trees retain carbon in their trunk and week of the Copenhagen summit. Jonathan branches. When trees are cut down and Samuels, Five Chief Correspondent, reported burned, this carbon is released into the live from Kiribati. In fact, Kiribati is likely to atmosphere as gas in large quantities and is disappear by the end of the century thanks to responsible for 20 per cent of greenhouse gas rising sea levels, as Anote Tong, President of emissions, a figure higher than that produced Kiribati told Samuels: “They say the sea could by the transportation sector. The importance of rise by as much as 2 metres. If that happens we the protection forests has thus been made can forget the integrity of our islands.” In much more evident. addition to these reports, Andy Bell has been covering the final stages of the summit, live In the Netherlands, RTL Nieuws has been from Copenhagen since 16 December. featuring ten climate-related stories in ten different parts of the world during the two In France, RTL Radio created a special dossier weeks of the summit. Reporter Conny Mus for on the event, summarising the issues at stake, example produced a story about the value of progress and decisions that were made as well water as the new oil in Jordan. Marije Vlaskamp as the summit’s failures. On its website, users reported on the construction of large water can listen to programmes that dealt with the dams in China’s quest towards cleaner energy. subject to stay informed and thus form their However, the dams have led to an own opinion. Those who’d wish to learn more environmental disaster and large-scale damage about the ins and outs of the summit are invited to the local fauna and nature. In California, RTL to click through a link list created by RTL Radio Nieuws reporter Erik Mouthaan produced a

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feature about the transformation from Silicon the event thanks to their journalists who were Valley into Green Valley. In Copenhagen, Bart on site in Denmark’s capital: Olivier Pierre and Hettema is reporting almost 24/7 from the Van Yperseele reported from the opening, while summit itself, covering new developments via Frédéric Cauderlier reports during the interim the regular news bulletins, the RTLNieuws.nl period and closing. twitter feed and the website. Alpha TV in Greece is giving the event In Belgium, RTL Belgium’s TV channels and extensive coverage in its news. This coverage radio stations have been covering the includes broadcasts from the summit in Copenhagen summit extensively. RTL-TVI and Copenhagen as well as many reports on the Bel RTL actually increased their number of topic of climate change. news reports and special editions devoted to

N-TV.de reporting on the Copenhagen Summit

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FC Girondins book on sale M6 Editions and the FC des Girondins de Bordeaux offer fans a chance to relive the amazing epic of this football club in a 248-page book filled with hundreds of photos and stories. France - 16 December 2009

It all started in 1881 in the Capucins neighbourhood of Bordeaux, when a group of individuals decided to form a sports club, calling themselves “les Girondins de Bordeaux”. From the first football match to the debut of a professional team, the Girondins evolved over the years and built a legend for themselves on every playing field in France and Europe. From the first Coupe de France in 1941 to the championship title in 2009, this book reviews every event that has marked the club’s history.

This first official book will allow fans to relive the club’s amazing saga through hundreds of historic photos and stories by the people that have made this team legendary: Jean Swiatek, Roland Guillas, Aimé Jacquet, Marius Trésor, Patrick Battiston, Alain Giresse, Christophe Dugarry, Bixente Lizarazu, Dominique Dropsy, Michel Pavon and Laurent Blanc all share their favourite memories.

The book is published by M6 Editions, was written by Jean-Michel Le Calvez and Cyril Jouison and is available at the club’s boutiques, Cover of the Girondins’ book in bookshops and at www.girondins.com.

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Joe McElderry wins An average of 15.5 million viewers had tuned in to watch the finale of The X Factor. United Kingdom - 14 December 2009

An enormous peak audience of 19.7 million – an audience share of 62 per cent – watched Joe McElderry win The X Factor final on ITV 1, making it the most-watched finale of The X Factor. The whole two-hour show was watched by an average audience of 15.5 million, translating into an audience share of 53 per cent. The Figures show that the 2009 edition has also been the most watched season of The X Factor ever, with viewing figures averaging 11.8 million and an average audience share of 45.4 percent share – up almost two million on last year’s average.

McElderry, who performed with former Wham singer George Michael during the first of two live final shows on Saturday evening, beat rival finalist 25-year-old Olly Murs and won a lucrative recording contract. In Sunday’s finale McElderry performed Journey’s Don’t stop believing, while Murs, who was mentored by the show’s producer Simon Cowell, sang Twist and Shout. Joe McElderry

Both also performed the winner’s single in a show and want programmes that become a big final bid to win over the public vote, before event. The website has also had a large joining the other 10 finalist acts to sing with increase in traffic, with fans enjoying the former Beatle Paul McCartney. McElderry’s chance to interact with the show through a winner single – a cover of American Miley range of social media platforms.” Cyrus’s The Climb – was released on 16 December. Reports already tipped McElderry to top the British single charts at Christmas, as previous “It has been an exhilarating season for The X winners of the competition have secured the Factor and The Xtra Factor as the production Christmas top spot for the last four years. The team have raised the bar yet again,” says twelve finalists from this year’s show already Lorraine Heggessey, CEO of Talkback Thames. collectively topped the charts last month with “We’ve had our highest ever ratings, which is their charity hit version of Michael Jackson’s incredible for a show in its sixth series, proving You are not Alone. that viewers appreciate the investment in the 11 week 51 the RTL Group intranet

The history of radio ads Belgium’s IP Advertising Service launched an original and innovative site for anyone with a keen or casual interest in radio advertising. Belgium - 11 December 2009

Iloveradioadvertising.be

Belgium’s IP Advertising Service holds more Fans of advertising will be delighted, as the site than 65,000 Belgian radio ads, representing 25 provides unique access to the history of radio years of advertising, in its archives. This advertising, allowing them to rediscover gems veritable treasure trove is now available to the and listen to their favourite ads again. Most of public on a website in French, English and all, Iloveradioadvertising.be is a practical tool to Dutch. The database of radio ads, the most be used during the creation of new ad comprehensive in the country, offers campaigns. It allows users to easily find all the classification on a qualitative criteria base ads in one area and to understand the creative defined by IP’s Sound Laboratory. styles that are emerging in that area. For its launch of the site, IP Belgium called on the Leo The site, with its uncluttered design, is Burnett agency, which came up with an equipped with a powerful search engine that is unconventional message and a phoney destined to quickly become a standard in the creative team with the concept, “Don’t do field. Iloveradioadvertising.be encourages what’s already been done. Check out users to plunge into the world of radio Iloveradioadvertising.be first.” advertising using intuitive tools. Searching is easy, navigation is a pleasure and listening Using the pseudonyms Olivier and Dario, which access is immediate as the site’s player are an anagram of Iloveradio, the two actors instantly plays the selected ads. These ads can managed to get appointments at ten major be collected on personal playlists, downloaded advertising agencies and were able to fool and copied into a blog or onto another site via their creative directors. Equipped with a permalink. hidden cameras, they presented a press-book in which the ads strangely resembled existing ads. The reactions of the creative directors have been assembled See the video on in a video that has been widely IPB.be distributed by e-mail.

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Political coverage RTL Televizija is tracking the presidential candidates on their way to the elections with a special campaign. Journalist Milan Kostro and the host Ana Brdavic Croatia - 17 December 2009

Since 21 November, RTL Televizija’s news On 27 December, RTL Televizija will broadcast format Vijesti has covered the lead-up to the Noc odluke (Decision night), an election special elections with live reports from specially in which journalists report live from the branded election headquarters at the news candidates’ election headquarters. In addition centre. Presidential candidates take the hot to live reports and specialists in the studio, seat, answering a number of questions and RTL Televizija is planning a very rich and proving their knowledge in a quiz about interesting election programme on the election Croatia. Furthermore, individual journalists days. Vijesti will publish the first projection of have been assigned to presidential candidates the election results, obtained in exit polls. to keep track of them during the entire campaign. After the first round of elections on 27 December, as second round is expected, Additionally, the new show Predsjednicki trg RTL Televizija will broadcast RTL Duel, a (Presidential Square) airs on Saturday mornings debate show featuring the two candidates who live from a popular hangout on Varšavska make it to the second round of the election as Street, in the heart of Zagreb. Here citizens guests, before the next round takes place. In have the chance to ask the presidential Predsjednicki tjedan, (Presidential Week) on the candidates whatever they would like to know. eve of round two of the elections, field The citizens have already had the opportunity reporters will accompany the two candidates to speak with the candidates twice. The final as they tour Croatia, and viewers are treated to issue of the show will air on 19 December. the highlights of their live reports in a special show.

13 RTL Televizija’s mobile stage in the city center of Zagreb Looking

Dieter Bohlen’sfor search talent for talent in Germany is almost over. From 37,000 candidates 12 are left to take the stage in the finale of Das Supertalent (Got Talent) on 19 December on RTL Television. So far, this season attracted 6.78 million viewers on average – translating into an average audience share of 33.5 per cent among viewers aged 14 to 49. week 51 the RTL Group intranet

New episodes with the new title character When Alisa – Folge deinem Herzen (Follow Your Heart) ends next spring, Grundy UFA will produce 130 new episodes of the telenovela featuring the new title character Hanna for ZDF. Germany - 10 December 2009

Racegoers have a place to go for news RTL Radio France has just launched On refait les courses, a website for horseracing fans. France - 11 December 2009

The jury has made its selection Auditions for the second season of RTL Televizija’s show Hrvatska trazi zvijezdu (Idols) are over. The jury has chosen 16 candidates who will now demonstrate their singing talent in live shows, starting in April 2010. Croatia - 14 December 2009

Gimme Shelter Teamworx will use the attention generated by its TV film Kongo as it partners with Ben Affleck, Mick Jagger and the UN refugee agency to give help and hope to the people in Congo. Germany - 14 December 2009

A channel for fair play Sport 6, the Sunday sports programme on M6, received an “Iris du Sport,” which is an award for promoting the values of respect and non-violence. France - 14 December 2009

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M6 invests in French fiction The French paper Les Echos points out that the amount of French short format episodes increased by 94 per cent thanks to M6’s Scènes de Ménages, while the overall amount of French fiction on TV dropped by 17 per cent. France - 15 December 2009

Refreshed look and feel FremantleMedia has launched its new website Fremantlemedia.com. United Kingdom - 16 December 2009

Video of the Year The clip of Susan Boyle performing I Dreamed A Dream during this year’s Britain’s Got Talent series was the most-watched clip on YouTube in 2009 with more than 120 million views – more than three times the video views generated by the runner-up. United Kingdom - 17 December 2009

The Green American Dream Expédition RTL ventured through the United States. As it stopped in San Francisco, Texas and New York, the expedition helped RTL Radio France listeners learn about “the American environmental dream”. France - 17 December 2009

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People A new face on Punkt 12 germany - 17 December 2009

Katja Burkard Roberta Bieling Nazan Eckes

From January, Katja Burkard, who has Moderator Nazan Eckes, who has been on anchored the show since April 1997, will be board since Punkt 12 was expanded to two joined by fellow moderator Roberta Bieling. hours in October 2007, looks forward to tackling new tasks in 2010. The committed Three weeks per month, Katja Burkard will moderator is presently working hard on a new moderate RTL Television’s two-hour midday magazine format scheduled to launch in spring. programme as usual, with Roberta Bieling Under the working title Nazan echt persönlich! handling the remaining week. Bieling, an RTL Television is developing a new experienced TV professional, has moderated approximately 30-minute magazine, in which RTL Television’s early-morning news since April Eckes meets people with a very special story, 2003, and has served as a substitute on Punkt or celebrities from politics, sports and society 12 since April 2006. In addition to her new for an in-depth conversation. Eckes will also be noontime duties, Roberta Bieling will continue moderating more sports programmes next to present the morning news two weeks a year. In addition to her recent appearances as a month. boxing reporter, the versatile moderator will again report from the Dakar Rally and will also be involved in coverage of the Fifa World Cup 2010.

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The next edition will be published on Thursday, 14 January 2010

The weekly Backstage Newsletter will be on Christmas holidays.

Starting on 4 January 2010, you’ll find daily news from RTL Group and its Profit Centres on http://backstage.rtlgroup.com

Your Backstage team

17 http://backstage.rtlgroup.fr http://backstage.rtlgroup.com http://backstage.rtlgroup.de

Publisher RTL Group 45, Bd Pierre Frieden L-1543 Luxembourg

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