FremantleMedia Takes Beyond Stake

LONDON/SYDNEY, September
10: FremantleMedia has picked up a 19.99-percent equity stake in the Australian
producer and distributor Beyond International for an undisclosed sum.

Beyond, led by managing director Mikael Borglund, has built up a
significant business in North America, with bases in San Francisco and
Bethesda, and is in the midst of opening an office in Los Angeles. Its most
successful offerings include Beyond Tomorrow, Mythbusters, Beyond 2000, Wildlife
with Olivia Newton John and the acclaimed mini-series Day of the Roses. It has also
been involved in the international success of feature films such as Strictly
Ballroom, A Good Woman, Chopper and Lantana.

Christian
Schneider-Sickert, the director of operations and strategy at FremantleMedia,
said: “The U.S. and Australia are of crucial importance for FremantleMedia, and
Beyond has great strengths in both markets. We announced last year that we were
looking to make a series of growth-oriented investments, and Beyond is part of
that strategy.”

—By Mansha Daswani