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Tag: FremantleMedia

  • FremantleMedia closes Latin American deals as La Screenings begin

    FremantleMedia closes Latin American deals as La Screenings begin

    MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID), the distribution arm of FremantleMedia, announced a raft of recent sales in the Latin American region as it kicks off its LA Screenings campaign.

    FID vice president sales and development, Latin America and Hispanic USA Sheila Aguirre brokered the deals with a number of key broadcasters in the region.

    Discovery (People & Arts) acquired season four of Mark Burnett’s The Apprentice, which tests competitors’ survival techniques in New York City’s corporate jungle as the candidates face weekly business challenges and strive to reach the top. The winning candidate is awarded an apprenticeship with top tycoon Donald Trump. Discovery (People & Arts) also picked up the new series of Project Runway, the reality fashion hit hosted by Heidi Klum in which talented fashion designers get the opportunity to show their designs in front of the global fashion community in New York and displayed in the pages of Elle magazine.

    As the FIFA World Cup draws ever closer, football fever continues to grip the world and viewers in Colombia and Brazil will soon be able to learn about the History of Football: The Beautiful Game (13 x 1 hour), to be broadcast on Colombia City TV and TV Cultura in Brazil. Narrated by Terrance Stamp, this series tells the definitive story of the game that generates more excitement, passion and wealth across the world than any other sport.

    The History Channel signed a deal for a package of five key factual documentaries, including Holy Warriors (2 x 1 hour), which documents the struggle between the English King Richard the Lionheart and the Muslim leader Saladin for control of Jerusalem.

    In The Real Face of Santa (1 x 1 hour) Dr Franco Introna delves into the history of Santa Claus to discover the real story of St Nicholas. Although the image of Santa as an old man with a white beard is recognised all over the world, the truth is much stranger. Combining facial reconstruction technology with top secret Vatican documents, Dr Introna and his team unravel the mystery of St Nicholas.

    Catherine The Great (2 x 1 hour) also goes to the History Channel. The life of one of Russia’s brilliant rulers is the subject of this drama documentary, telling the story of Catherine’s reign, and how she strove to modernise Russia, with new ideas on health and education and waged wars in her ruthless quest for expansion. Catherine The Great brings to life one of history’s most powerful and passionate women.

    In The Story of 1 (1 x 1 hour) Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) goes on a humour filled journey to discover what tale lies behind the simplest number we have. Using computer graphics, ‘one’ is brought to life for the programme, in its various guises. The story reveals where our modern numbers came from and how the invention of zero saved us from having to use Roman numerals today.

    Rounding out the History Channel’s package is Khubilai Khan’s Lost Fleet (1 x 1 hour). Marine archaeologist Kenzo Hayashida’s discovery of a ship from a Mongol fleet that sank in 1281 AD, leads to new insights into the empire of Khubilai Khan. This documentary sheds light on the mystery of the fleet that sank on its way to fight the Japanese samurai.

    In further agreements, viewers of GloboSat in Brazil and Cosmopolitan Television Latin America will soon see Godiva’s (19 x 1 hour), where the high-pressure, fast-paced world of the restaurant business is revealed, as are the equally entwined private lives of the young, urban tribesters who populate it.

    In a final deal, the first of its kind as brokered by FID, Canal 10 in Uruguay has signed a format deal to produce 13 episodes of Distraction locally. The gameshow, created by FremantleMedia’s talkbackThames, combines ridiculously simple trivia questions with hilarious concentration-breakers and will be produced by Canal 10.

    FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender said, “The breadth of the deals closed in the Latin American market by Sheila Aguirre provide a very positive note on which to enter the LA Screenings, and certainly bode well for a successful market ahead.”

  • NBC’s new reality show celebrates American talent

    NBC’s new reality show celebrates American talent

    MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC will kick off a new show America’s Got Talent from 21 June 2006.

    The series will feature a colourful array of hopeful future stars. Singers, dancers, comedic performers and unique acts of all ages will have a chance to strut and perform in front of a panel of judges who will determine, which acts advance to the final rounds. The winner walks away with a million dollars in cash.

    The idea comes from FremantleMedia and Simon Cowell who also do the huge hit American Idol on Fox. The show will be hosted by Regis Philbin who has also hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
    NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly says, “Regis is one of America’s most recognisable and beloved TV personalities. I couldn’t be more pleased to have him as the host of America’s Got Talent working alongside Simon Cowell and the excellent team of producers.”

    Philbin said, “For years I’ve thought about hosting a variety show on television but I could never put it together in my mind. Finally, here it is and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

    Cowell says, “I am delighted that Regis has agreed to host America’s Got Talent. Regis is just the best, and I am really looking forward to working with him.”

  • FremantleMedia deploys Artesia DAM solution to hasten access to TV shows

    FremantleMedia deploys Artesia DAM solution to hasten access to TV shows

    MUMBAI:The international creators and producers of television programmes FremantleMedia has implemented Open Text’s Artesia Digital Asset Management solution (Artesia DAM) for a new Web-based system that will dramatically speed up access to programmes for broadcast customers in countries around the world.

    The international creator has deployed the Digital Asset Management to speed up access to television shows globally.

    The announcement was made at the National Association of Broadcasters conference, NAB 2006, the electronic media show at Las Vegas.

    The Open Text’s Artesia Digital Media Group has a major presence at the event as sponsor of the Digital Asset Management Pavilion and the DAM Theater.

    According to an official release, with this Web-based application, all of FremantleMedia’s regional offices have the ability to preview more than 1,000 hours of programming as well as new shows in more than 20 countries where FremantleMedia has production offices.

    The solution initially supports the worldwide drama department and will soon scale across other departments.

    “This is already one of our most important sales tools, letting broadcasters around the world tap into the breadth of our programming quickly and easily. We look forward to expanding the system across all of our departments,” said FremantleMedia Production executive VP production Worldwide Entertainment Rob Clark.

    An important aspect of FremantleMedia’s business is identifying and selling “formats” globally. For example, the company reviews programmes when they are aired and determines whether the programmes have potential for remarketing in other markets.

    A recent example is The Apprentice, which FremantleMedia brought to the UK and other international markets. A traditional format like The Price is Right, the world’s number one game show, took about 40 years to get to the point where it is now broadcast in 40 different countries.

    Today improved communications and digital broadcasting mean that a format like Pop Idol in the UK has reached 30 countries in three years. By using Artesia DAM, the company is compressing this time even further.

    “From the outset we were looking for a DAM solution that could meet our needs for at least the next five years. That meant it had to scale in two dimensions by volume and by the nature of the content used,” said FremantleMedia information systems & technology head Nigel Dixon.

    “Other critical factors that led to the selection of Artesia DAM were the ability to integrate into our existing systems and other products, and production deployment within a six-month timeframe. We worked closely with the Artesia team to deliver the solution on time and under budget, ” briefs Dixon.

    The initial implementation of Artesia DAM will give the company’s sales staff and broadcasters around the world immediate access to shows shortly after they are broadcast. At present, this is done by the distribution of DVDs which results in significant delays.

    The company is already seeing a significant time-to-market advantage using the new system. In addition, more than 1,000 hours of FremantleMedia’s extensive programming archive is available in Microsoft Windows Media format through the Web application.

    “FremantleMedia is leading the trend globally toward central management of program content and distribution using digital asset management along with Web-based user interfaces,” said Open Text’s Artesia Digital Media Group president Scott Bowen.

    “Across the board we’re seeing that Artesia DAM delivers significant business value, helping to lower operational costs and improve the bottom line.”

    Artesia DAM is a leading solution for managing large volumes of digital content, such as video, audio and graphics files, in global organizations. The solution helps customers manage this content more efficiently, and helps them to reduce costs, safeguard copyrights and derive new revenue streams by re- expressing and reusing existing content. It complements every phase of the video asset lifecycle including production, review and approval, distribution, and content preservation.

    The company has a cliente based which includes leading media and entertainment companies, such as Comcast, Discovery Communications, DreamWorks, HBO, and MLB.com, informs the release.

  • FremantleMedia ups Schneider-Sickert to director of operations & strategy

    FremantleMedia ups Schneider-Sickert to director of operations & strategy

    MUMBAI: One of the largest international creators and producers of programme brands in the world FremantleMedia has announced the appointment of Christian Schneider-Sickert as director of operations and strategy.

    In this newly created position, Schneider-Sickert will be responsible for driving FremantleMedia’s global company strategy, investment policy and central operations. In addition, he will be responsible for FremantleMedia’s central business diversification activities, states an official release.

    The roll-out of the successful Quizmania participation TV format, currently on air in the UK and Poland, will also be part of his extended remit. Schneider-Sickert will become a member of the FremantleMedia Operating Board with immediate effect.

    Schneider-Sickert joined FremantleMedia from arvato, part of Bertelsmann, in June 2004, where he held the position of head of strategy. He previously worked in mergers and acquisitions for Bertelsmann and in the principal investment group at Goldman Sachs.

    FremantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen said, “Christian has done an outstanding job in helping define FremantleMedia’s strategy in an industry that is undergoing significant change, and I am looking forward to him driving our diversification activities.”

    Schneider-Sickert added: “I am delighted to have been asked to take on this new role and am looking forward to further developing FremantleMedia’s commercial strategy and improving our operational efficiency.”

    Schneider-Sickert holds an M.A. in Oriental Studies from Oxford University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

  • FremantleMedia expands UK home entertainment team

    FremantleMedia expands UK home entertainment team

    MUMBAI: Fremantle Home Entertainment (FHE), the home entertainment division of format creator FremantleMedia has appointed Rebecca Candler as senior product manager for the UK.

    Candler will manage and develop the ongoing relationships with DVD labels represented by FHE. Additionally, she will be responsible for creating and developing innovative marketing campaigns to support releases from these labels as well as FHE’s own label and also assist in building brand awareness of the division by maximising opportunities for the company’s proprietary library of over 19,000 hours of programming.

    Candler will be based in London and will report to FHE marketing manager Michelle Donovan.

    Donovan says, “2006 sees the continued expansion of our DVD business in the UK. With this appointment, we have another experienced marketing executive who can further develop relationships with our labels and oversee the strategic marketing of our portfolio of brands. I am very pleased to announce that Rebecca is joining the team and I feel certain that, with her tremendous TV and studio experience along with her industry knowledge, she will be a great asset to the team and play a major part in the continued growth of our business.”

    Candler joins FremantleMedia from Warner Home Video where she was senior product manager, television and special interest. In this role, she was responsible for the strategic product management of the company’s TV sector including key Warner Bros TV properties Friends, Joey, The OC and West Wing.

  • FremantleMedia appoints Wong as licensing manager, Americas

    FremantleMedia appoints Wong as licensing manager, Americas

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Americas (FLW, Americas) has appointed Nora Wong as licensing manager, Americas.

    In this newly created position, Wong will manage the licensing of key FremantleMedia brands such as American Idol, The Price Is Right and Family Feud for the apparel, health and beauty and publishing categories. She will be based in FremantleMedia’s Santa Monica office and will report directly to FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Americas vice president licensing David Luner.

    “This has been a very active year for FremantleMedia as many of our properties like American Idol, The Price Is Right and Family Feud continue to gain in popularity and perform beyond our expectations. This success has provided us with a great opportunity to build our licensing division in order to meet consumer demand for products based on our brands. Nora will be an excellent addition to our team. Based on her experience with emerging youth trends, consumer publications, fashion and style trends and interactive home DVD gaming, we could not have chosen a better person to round out the licensing team,” said Luner.

    Wong brings a wealth of related experience into her new role at FremantleMedia. Most recently, Wong served as graphic novel editor for Tokyo Pop. Wong also served as a contributing writer to Magic and Women’s Wear Daily Magic where she covered the women’s contemporary wear, street wear, urban wear and accessories beat.

    Her position just prior to joining FremantleMedia was as Imagination Enterprises director marketing where she oversaw licensed DVD games based on Family Feud, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Pirates of the Caribbean and Name That Tune.

  • David Ellender is FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO

    David Ellender is FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO

    MUMBAI: Television format crestor and distributor Fremantle has announced that David Ellender who is currently Fremantle International Distribution (FID) MD, has been promoted.

    He is now FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO. He also joins the company’s operating board. Ellender will now oversee both FID and FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW) – the two commercial divisions that report into FremantleMedia Enterprises. FID has a global network of sales offices and licenses over 19,000 hours of programming including American Idol, The Apprentice: Donald Trump, Project Runway and Jamie Oliver series to 150 countries worldwide as well as handling DVD exploitation through Fremantle Home Entertainment.

    FLW exploits the company’s brands including Idols, The X Factor and The Apprentice across multiple off-screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support and music publishing.
    Under Ellender’s leadership FremantleMedia Enterprises will continue to build on its position and its ability to exploit brands in partnership with FremantleMedia’s international network of 25 production companies around the world. FremantleMedia Enterprises is already a substantial contributor to FremantleMedia’s overall profitability.

    FremantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen, said: “David has led FID superbly over the last few years, turning it into a distinctive and very profitable distributor of a huge range of factual, entertainment and scripted programming, representing both leading independent producers as well as our own extensive catalogue. He has been responsible for a great turnaround in the division’s operations and his promotion is highly deserved. FLW has also been one of the great success stories of our company in the last few years, both commercially and in the great scope of its activities, from traditional licensing through to telephony and interactive. FLW has an outstanding management team and is now one of the world leaders in its field.”

    Ellender says, “I am very proud of my achievements strengthening FID’s portfolio of programming over the last few years and building up a superb team of sales executives. We have worked very hard to establish FID as a leading international distribution company. I am grateful for the opportunity to oversee FLW and look forward to increasing Enterprises contribution to the company going forward.”

  • FremantleMedia strikes deals with German broadcasters

    FremantleMedia strikes deals with German broadcasters

    CANNES: The distribution arm of global production company FremantleMedia, Fremantle International Distribution (FID), unveiled at MipTV a diverse range of programme sales to German broadcasters. It was announced by FID managing director David Ellender.

    Ellender said:”We are very pleased to announce this latest raft of sales in Germany. The diversity of our programming translates into broad appeal for the different networks and Veronika Gracher has worked closely with the German broadcasters to ensure that FID can meet their needs. These latest deals are testament to the enduring strength of our factual and drama catalogues.”

    The sales, brokered be FID VP Sales German Speaking Europe & Eastern Europe Veronika Gracher, include the acquisition of Munich: The Real Assassins (1 x 1 hour) by Discovery Europe (German-speaking Europe).

    This documentary looks back at the events of September 1972, when, at the Munich Olympics before the eyes of millions of television viewers, 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Black September, a radical group within the PLO. It features testimonies never heard before from Mossad agents who carried out Israel’s bloody revenge to reveal the true story behind the most incredible government-sponsored mission in the history of the War on Terror.

    In a further agreement, History of Football: The Beautiful Game (13 x 1 hour) will be broadcast on Germany’s History Channel to coincide with World Cup fever. Narrated by Terrance Stamp, this series tells the definitive story of the game that generates more excitement, passion and wealth across the world than any other sport.

    Other German deals will see crime drama Homicide (55 x 1 hour) will air on AXN, while Sex In The Bush: Australian Animal Attraction (2 x 1 hour) will be seen on Arte (Germany / France). This series combines stunning footage with amazing and sometimes shocking stories from passionate wildlife experts on the subject of courtship and reproduction among the animal kingdom in Australia – where the truth really is stranger than fiction.

  • FremantleMedia secures international deals for Martha Stewart’s new show

    FremantleMedia secures international deals for Martha Stewart’s new show

    CANNES: The distribution arm of global production outfit FremantleMedia, Fremantle International Distribution (FID) managing director David Ellender announced at MipTV that it has secured a raft of global sales for Martha.

    Martha (180 x 1 hour), the latest series from American lifestyle guru Martha Stewart and reality television producer Mark Burnett, has now been sold into 10 territories worldwide, with more on the cards.

    Ellender said, “We are delighted to have acquired such a high profile and keenly-awaited daytime series from the cream of US television talent. These strong initial sales for Martha further confirm our reputation and standing as the leading independent distributor of US originated reality and lifestyle programming.”

    FID’s sales team has brokered a number of deals which has seen the informative and educational new daytime chat show licensed to IBC Channel 2, Iceland; Good Life Channel, Israel; KTN Baraza, Kenya as well as TV4 and TV4 plus, Sweden, SIC Mulher, Portugal and Canal Plus, Poland.

    The Martha momentum is building, with the popular series also going to New Zealand free-to-air channel Television New Zealand (TVNZ) and pay TV’s The Living Channel. ABS-CBN in the Philippines; Kablevision, Indonesia and ONIMedia, Korea have also picked up Martha.

    A new recipe for daytime success, Martha shows Martha Stewart as we know and love her – and as we’ve never seen her before. The daily one-hour programme offers a new and different format for daytime TV. Combining Martha’s signature sense of humour with her love of people and projects, the show presents inspiring ideas from cooking and entertaining, to decorating, and home renovating, states an official release.

    Launched in September 2005 in the US on NBC, Martha is shot in front of a live studio audience and features a variety of celebrity guests joining Martha, fast becoming the doyenne of daytime, in her culinary and domestic activities.

    FID also holds the worldwide distribution rights to Martha excluding North America (US and Canada), Japan, Australia, and the Arabic-speaking Middle East. As part of the deal, the company has also acquired the Martha Stewart Living Television back catalogue for international distribution.

  • Distraction’s spoof ‘Sins Of Love’ sold to FremantleMedia France

    Distraction’s spoof ‘Sins Of Love’ sold to FremantleMedia France

    MUMBAI: Distraction has announced the sale of the spoof Sins of Love to Fremantle in France. The latter is currently negotiating with a number of French networks. With pre-production already under way, Distraction hopes the show will start airing as early as next fall.

    FremantleMedia France president Bibiane Godefroy said, “The unusual humour of this format struck me from the moment I saw it first at Mipcom. Set in a vibrant city, Sins of Love sends up the ‘soaps’ with a completely whacky universe of love triangles, family dramas and conspiracies that pay gloriously uproarious tribute to the genre’s every cliché. I think this new genre of scripted format will be attractive to French broadcasters.”

    “We are very excited to be working with Fremantle on this project. Not only are we assured of the quality of their adaptation, but we are also confident that it will become a cult series,” said Distraction president and CEO Michel Rodrigue.

    As the development of interactive content from such formats is already proving an asset on properties such as Love Bugs, Distraction has already begun work on a strategy for Sins of Love with Interactive Rights Management (IRM). The services will range from fixed line telephony brand extensions to MMS comic strips and mobile video downloads for the show, states an official release.