UNI to Co-Finance Australian Drama with Nine Network

LONDON: Universal Networks International (UNI) has unveiled its next original project, the one-off drama Panic at Rock Island, which it is co-financing with Nine Network Australia.

UNI will retain the worldwide pay-TV rights, excluding Australia, for the drama, and plans to air Panic at Rock Island on Syfy Universal, as well as other channels in its global portfolio, later this year. Panic at Rock Island was filmed in Sydney and stars Grant Bowler, of HBO’s True Blood and ABC’s Ugly Betty, and Vince Colosimo from The Secret Life of Us.

Martin Irusta, the senior VP of global programming and acquisitions at Universal Networks International, commented, “Our strategy of partnering with top producers and broadcasters to deliver high-quality, first-run programming continues. We’re delighted to be working with Nine Network and Goalpost Pictures in Australia who have pulled together a fantastic array of acting, production and writing talent for this project. Panic at Rock Island has the high production values and strong story-telling that our channels’ viewers have come to expect from our ever-expanding portfolio of original content.”

In other news from UNI, Hallmark Channel in the U.K. is to be rebranded as Universal Channel, as part of the overall global revitalization of the brands. The channel will launch with its new look on October 18 with the U.K. premiere of Shattered, an original series produced in partnership with eOne Entertainment. The new channel will also host the British premiere of Rookie Blue, a global acquisition that has already launched with success int he U.S. and U.K., and Facing Kate, a co-production between Universal Cable Productions and Universal Networks International.

"The Hallmark Channel has a loyal audience in the pay-TV market and already offers a strong lineup of great content including the Law & Order franchise of shows," said Laurence Dawkin-Jones, the U.K. managing director for Universal Networks International.

Dawkin-Jones added: "This rebrand will allow us to enhance the channel by adding fresh, new content—including our global acquisition Rookie Blue and our own co-productions such as Shattered and Facing Kate to the best of the existing lineup of series under a channel name that is instantly recognizable, has an exceptional global heritage and feels very contemporary.

"We know it will appeal to both our existing fan base and a whole new audience who may not have previously been familiar with the Hallmark Channel brand," he concluded.