P4M Launches British Sales Operation for U.S. Independents

LONDON,
September 27: Program acquisitions and distribution company Programs4Media
(P4M) has launched a sales organization dedicated to licensing American
independent films into the U.K. and Ireland, with former Hallmark Entertainment
and Power executive Erik Pack on board as a consultant.

P4M
has already signed agreements with American World Pictures and Dream
Entertainment, becoming the exclusive representative for new productions and
catalogue titles from both companies. P4M will have responsibility for all
areas of sales including theatrical, home video, free and pay TV and new-media
opportunities. As a sales consultant, Pack will work alongside current director
Paul Egginton on the new venture.

Michael
Schlagman, the managing director of P4M, commented: “We have frequently been
asked by our suppliers why we have not been exploiting our position in this
vital and dynamic market. Up until now we have been concentrating on selling
our own extensive catalogue of feature films and series in Central Europe and
on our representation of the Twentieth Century Fox portfolio in Africa. We now
feel the time is right to expand our activities and fully utilise the knowledge
and experience we have in the U.K.”

Launched
almost six years ago principally as a program barter company, P4M has built up
a strong business in emerging markets, particularly in Central Europe and
Africa. Its business now incorporates acquisition services for independent
broadcasters, as well as ownership of 3,000-plus hours of feature films and TV
series. In November 2005, P4M launched a subsidiary, Programs4Africa, to
exclusively represent Twentieth Century Fox’s feature films and television
series in English-speaking sub Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa).