The show is being developed under the title 'Who's the Greatest?' and the BBC is confident that American audiences will react favourably to the show, after previous successes including 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?' and 'The Weakest Link'.
The BBC will partner Wittworld Los Angeles, headed by MJ Witt, and the independent producers Bob Raleigh, a former syndication president at Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, and Rick Shaughnessy, a veteran internet executive. Together, they will pitch the show to brand marketers and networks.
According to Raleigh and Shaughnessy, the approach will use a multimedia platform hyping the show via integrated-marketing such as internet ads and promotion, event marketing and merchandising.
The series, which the producers hope will launch in 2004, would start with a special and then give viewers a month to cast their votes for the top 100 greatest Americans. Countdown shows will follow and the series will culminate in a live broadcast unveiling the public's choice as greatest American.
In the UK in a closely run competition, Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill was voted "Greatest Briton", beating Elizabeth I, Shakespeare and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
"BBC research showed the success of 'Great Britons' had a lot to do with the interactive 'view-and-vote' component," Raleigh said.
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