Factual


Networks explore factual with GRB

GRB Entertainment has made wildlife and extreme nature programme sales to broadcasters in Japan, China, France and Poland. Nippon Television Japan and Hubu Media China both picked up When Fish Attack, an in depth, analytical look at unexpected underwater attacks. Hubu also acquired When Animals Bite Back, which features real-life encounters with captive and wild […]

UK factual indie hires BBC exec for kids TV

Scotland-based indie Maramedia is blending its natural history programming roots with children’s television for the first time. The company has brought in former head of children’s production for BBC Scotland Simon Parsons to lead a new Marakids children’s brand. Last week, BBC Children’s announced a new Maramedia-produced drama and factual entertainment format titled Gudrun the […]

Smithsonian leads Terranoa doc deals

The US’s Smithsonian Network is getting a 45-minute version of Terranoa-sold factual show Tokyo Phoenix. The network has acquired the doc from the French distributor following its premiere screening at MIPDoc in April. Discovery Networks Asia and VRT in Belgium are also on board the doc, which looks at how Japan’s ultra-modern capital has twice […]

Raw targets US docs with Norman promotion

UK-based prodco Raw has promoted executive producer Louise Norman in a bid to secure more US documentary commissions. Norman has been named head of US documentaries and senior VP of special projects, reporting to company founder Dimitri Doganis and CEO Joely Fether. The All3Media-owned firm is targeting growth in high-end documentaries following the commission of […]

Ex-Darlow Smithson, Atlantic execs join UK prodco

Former Darlow Smithson Productions (DSP) senior exec Ulla Streib Atlantic Productions’ Ruth Roberts are joining at UK-based producer Talesmith. Streib has been named COO, having joined the factual-focused prodco in a consulting capacity in January 2016. She previously spent 16 years as Endemol Shine Group-owned DSP as part of its senior management team. More recently, […]

A+E adds ex-Fox exec to run History Japan

A+E Networks has appointed former Fox and Liberty Media exec John Flanagan as general manager of The History Channel Japan Corp (THCJ). Flanagan replaces Asia Ireton, who has held the role since 2013. Flanagan comes from London-based gift card retailer Blackhawk Networks, where he was president and representative director of Japan and South Korea. However, […]

Mediawan moves to buy Apocalypse prodco

Emerging French content group Mediawan has entered into exclusive acquisition talks with the prodco behind the Apocalypse documentaries. Having closed a deal for French channels operator and producer Groupe AB in March, Mediawan has now moved for Clarke Costelle & Co (CC&C). Mediawan has ambitious plans to become “the leading premium content platform in Europe” […]

Leftfield names new co-presidents

A pair of Leftfield Pictures producers has been upped to co-presidents at the ITV America (ITVA)-owned company. Gretchen Palek (right) and Shawn Witt (below left) have been handed the roles, and will report to ITVA president David George, the former CEO of Leftfield Entertainment. Palek was previously senior VP of talent and casting at Alone […]

CEE nets gobble up All3 factual

Hungary’s TV2 has become the new local home of Gordon Ramsay series The F Word, as buyers in Central and Eastern Europe snap up All3Media International programming. TV2 has bought long-running UK series The F Word, which was for Channel 4 and from Optomen Television, along with other Ramsay-fronted programmes. These are two 1x90mins specials […]

ZDF buys into UK indie World Media Rights

ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE) has made its first investment in the UK production market, taking a 32.5% stake in factual-focused World Media Rights (WMR). Adjacent to the deal is a board restructure at Blacks Ops producer WMR, with David McNab (above right) and ZDFE VP of corporate and portfolio strategy Tanja Meier-Sieden joining existing members. Veteran […]