News round-up: Be-Entertainment recruits ITVS exec; ‘Great Songwriters’ sales; History Channel Iberia buys museum doc

Martijn Plaizier

Be-Entertainment recruits ITVS exec Martijn Plaizier

Belgian format distributor Be-Entertainment has hired ITV Studios Global Entertainment exec Martijn Plaizier

He will work as an international sales manager on non-scripted formats as well as scripted sales, with a focus on the Eastern European territories.

Be-Entertainment MD Gepke Nederlof said: “We are very happy to welcome Martijn to the team and we’re confident that the enthusiasm and expertise of Martijn will help us to further grow our business and cater to more markets and customers.”

The Great Songwriters

‘Great Songwriters’ sales

UK distributor DCD Rights has added a fourth season of music docuseries The Great Songwriters to its catalogue and struck deals for the first three seasons.

Produced by JolyGood TV for Sky Arts in the UK, the 6 x 60-minute fourth season sees musicians and songwriters, Kenny Loggins, Steve Earle, Mike Scott, Linda Perry, Ian McCulloch and Tom Odell, discuss their creative processes and the inspirations behind their work.

Seasons 1 – 3, which showcase artists Barry Gibb, Carly Simon, Paul Heaton, Emeli Sandé, Noel Gallagher, Seal and Bill Withers amongst others, have sold to more than 150 territories including Sky Network TV New Zealand, Ovation TV (US), Music Air (Japan), Czech TV, DirecTV Latin America, Globosat (Brazil) and Spacewow (Italy), along with Proximus Pickx + (Belgium) who have acquired all 4 series.

The Hidden Secrets of The Museums

History Channel Iberia buys museum doc

History Channel Iberia has pre-bought the broadcast rights for Spain and Portugal to the documentary series The Hidden Secrets Of The Museums, from Zona Mixta.

The 6 x 52-minute series is being filmed in 20 museums in several European countries, and will tell stories hidden behind more than 40 pieces of art exhibited in Museums in London, Paris, Berlin and Madrid.

Produced and directed by Robert Fonollosa, the documentary series will be distributed by the British company BossaNova.