FME Signs Ups North American Home-Video Distributor

LONDON, November 5: Acorn
Media Group has been appointed to handle the home-video distribution of more
than 30 British mystery and drama titles from FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME)
throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The seven-year deal covers
many titles that have never been released on DVD or digital download in North
America before. Titles include Callan, an espionage drama; Paradise Postponed, a Masterpiece Theatre series; Pie in the Sky, a detective drama; Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, set in the
Victorian era; and Road from Coorain,
an adaptation of Jill Ker Conway's memoir. Acorn Media plans to start releasing
the first titles from the deal on DVD in spring 2009.

Jeff
Siegel, FME's VP of home entertainment for the Americas, said, "For years,
Acorn Media has proved itself a leader in distributing the best of British
television as home entertainment. We are thrilled they'll be bringing so many
of our classic mysteries and dramas to market over the next several
years."

Don
Klees, the VP of programming for Acorn Media U.S., added, "FremantleMedia
Enterprises has an incredible library of both current and classic British
programming, and we are excited to be working with them to bring some of the
touchstones of British television to North American home video for the first
time. We are also happy to be expanding our partnership with FME after the
success of Fingersmith (starring
Sally Hawkins) and the recent release
of Fanny Hill."

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski