Paul Heaney


TCB takes on food shows as SBS exits sales

UK-based distributor TCB Media Rights has taken on the food programming catalogue of Australian pubcaster SBS, which is moving to an outsourced distribution model. TCB has taken on rights to shows including Destination Flavour, Poh & Co and This is Brazil in all markets outside of Australia. SBS decided to move away from in-house distribution earlier […]

A+E commissions Combat Ships in UK

A+E Networks UK has commissioned a documentary series from indie Woodcut Media, Combat Ships. The 10x60mins series will debut on A+E pay TV channel H2 in early 2017. Shot on location across Scandinavia, Europe, America and the UK, the series provides perspective in the military, political and domestic issues surrounding ships of various eras. Combat […]

TV’s Big Questions: has the wave of M&A been positive for the industry?

Industry consolidation continued apace in 2015. The biggest deal, announced last year and effective from early 2016, was the merger of Banijay Group and Zodiak Media, and the news French media giant Vivendi was buying a 26% chunk of the new entity in a €290 million (US$314 million) deal. Canal+ owner Vivendi is set to […]

TV’s Big Questions: has the wave of M&A been positive for the industry?

Industry consolidation continued apace in 2015. The biggest deal, announced last year and effective from early 2016, was the merger of Banijay Group and Zodiak Media, and the news French media giant Vivendi was buying a 26% chunk of the new entity in a €290 million (US$314 million) deal. Canal+ owner Vivendi is set to […]

TV’s Big Questions: are the main markets still relevant?

Distribution is changing. The Frank brothers have created a digital rights trading platform, TRX, which sits alongside others from the likes of Screen Hits. With these, online screening rooms, Skype and other new ways to connect, the folk running TV markets must be concerned. Outgoing NATPE boss Rod Perth (left) offers a robust defence of […]

TV’s Big Questions: which digital platform made the most impact in 2015?

“I am in no doubt that Netflix in particular has completely changed the way we watch and think about television,” says S4C boss Ian Jones, summing up what most in the industry think. “A whole new generation is growing up in a world where an entire series can be watched in one sitting. People don’t […]

Sky’s Pick orders Monkey Life

Sky has commissioned a new series of Monkey Life and bought two earlier seasons of the wildlife doc series for its free-to-air channel Pick. Pick (fka Sky 3) has acquired 20x30mins of the finished Monkey Life series from independent distributor TCB Media Rights. It has also ordered a new, eighth, season of the show, which […]

Smithsonian aims for Survival in the Skies

US cable network Smithsonian Channel has commissioned three-part factual series Survival in the Skies, with UK indie Arrow Media attached to produce. The 3x60mins series will follow incredible breakthroughs in man’s quest to conquer the skies through the invention of the space suit, the ejector seat and the parachute. Smithsonian plans to air the show […]

Heaney’s TCB poaches Cineflix exec

TCB Media Rights chief Paul Heaney has recruited a managing director from his former company, Cineflix Media. Katy Llewellyn-Jones becomes UK-based distributor TCB’s first MD, having been at Canada-based Cineflix since its creation in 2003. The move represents Heaney’s biggest hire since creating TCB in late 2012 after leaving his CEO post at Cineflix’s distribution […]

TCB’s immigration format travels

Free-to-air broadcaster SBS Belgium has bought a local version of buzzy immigration format Go Back to Where You Came From. SBS channel Vier will air the Belgian version of the show, which will be made by local prodco Woestijnvis. The format was created by Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder and distributed by TCB Media Rights, which represents […]