Paul Heaney taking care of business with new distribution outfit

Paul Heaney has launched his own distribution firm TCB Media Rights. Heaney was president and MD of Cineflix Rights until end-May when he left the company.

Paul Heaney

The new company is understood to have inked its first deals with production partners and the first of these will be revealed next week.

Heaney said he has been working on the business plan for the new business for a year. “I took the temperature of the new market, speaking to my peers in distribution to broadcasters, buyers and producers,” he told TBI.

TCB will attempt to break into the market by working with partners to help create IP at a very early stage as well as offering presales and distribution services. Initially the focus will be factual and fact-ent programming with plans to move into scripted later.

“We will be nimble enough to co-finance and presell content and we can do that and co-create the IP as well, working closely with a broadcaster or production partner.”

Heaney is looking for a COO to run the business and speaking to finding partners with a deal expected this year or in early 2012. “Scale is important, slow organic growth doesn’t work in this area, so there will be investment in TCB. For it to be a success there also needs to be someone to run it. I want someone with experience of running a distribution from top to bottom, running all aspects of the business.”

TCB and Heaney will be in Cannes for MIPCOM.