NGCI Acquires NGTI Sales, Distribution Operation

WASHINGTON, D.C.: National Geographic Channels International has acquired National Geographic Television International’s (NGTI) sales and distribution operations and content library, amounting to more than 1,000 hours of programming.

The move allows NGCI to have greater control over the windowing strategies for Nat Geo content worldwide. NGCI now has the global TV and select digital rights to the NGTI portfolio. NGCI will also control broadcast, VOD, SVOD and related digital rights for all present inventory and future National Geographic Channel produced programming. National Geographic Ventures (NGV) will continue to retain home entertainment, theatrical rights, short-form video and other affiliated digital rights.

“Secondary windows of National Geographic programming on other platforms have been an important concern for our channel partners,” said Hernan Lopez, the president and CEO of Fox International Channels and National Geographic Channels International. “NGCI can now offer our operators full assurance of exclusivity while at the same time expanding our resources to increase the overall programming budget—significant milestones as the network continues to evolve, approaching 15 years of continued success in the pay-TV sphere.”

Ted Prince, Jr., COO of National Geographic Global Media and the president of NGV, added. “National Geographic Channels’ success as a major player in the nonfiction TV programming and distribution arena is driving us to take a strategic view of our global broadcast distribution business. By putting broadcast distribution and sales under the same worldwide umbrella, we’re creating a distribution synergy that will optimize global initiatives, and allow NGV to continue to expand worldwide home entertainment and digital streaming businesses.”

In this transition period, NGCI and NGTI will share the National Geographic booth at MIPCOM.