Photo: Disney/ABC’s series Missing sold to 80 territories at MIPCOM
Concerns about the global economy didn’t disrupt deal-making at MIPCOM 2011. The US majors generated significant business around both completed shows and formats. Disney sold new drama Missing to 80 territories; buyers including Fox Channels Italy, AXN Spain and Portugal, Digiturk Turkey and a slew of Scandinavian networks. Fittingly, given the Russian focus at MIPCOM, Fox signed deals with TNT, CTC and TV3 for Russian versions of four shows including Malcolm In The Middle.
ZDF Enterprises had a strong market with drama The Killing, sold to the BBC, Channel One Russia and Kino/Canal+ Poland. ITV Global racked up 30 sales for Prime Suspect US in markets like New Zealand, Asia and Scandinavia. Nine Network Australia bought the series, and also secured BBC Worldwide drama Parade’s End.
One of the market’s most interesting properties was M6’s TV version of the Transporter film franchise. The English-language series sold briskly at MIPCOM with EuropaCorp closing deals in Australia, Russia, Spain, Japan, Poland and Korea. Another sign of French interest in the English-language market was the launch of Gaumont International Television, based in Los Angeles.
The changing face of drama finance was evident when eOne and Viasat Broadcasting entered a co-venture for upcoming drama series The Firm, based on John Grisham’s novel. The deal marks Viasat Broadcasting’s first foray into distribution financing and sees it pick up broadcast rights in multiple territories for its networks.
A+E Networks racked up 450 hours of sales to broadcasters including Seven Network Australia and W9 in France for shows like Pawn Stars. Other factual-based distribution saw FME (FremantleMedia Entertprises) secure volume deals around Jamie Oliver titles in the Netherlands and Germany; All3Media International sell its history slate to DR2 Denmark; and Rive Gauche licence reality series My Strange Addiction to networks such as Yes Israel and Fox Crime/True Corp. Thailand. Thematic channels were busy; Sky Italia acquired 100 hours from Electric Sky and Fine Living Network (ex-US) secured 500 hours from various sources.
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