Flurry of Asian Sales for NGTI

LONDON: Asian broadcasters have picked up more than 120 hours from National Geographic Television International (NGTI), following discussions from MIPTV.

In China, Leland International picked up a package of some 30 hours of programming for various regional channels. Titles included are National Geographic-produced shows such as Herod’s Lost Tomb and History’s Secrets 3, as well as Moment of Death and Dangerous Encounters. Also included are Animals are Amazing, a three-parter from BBC Motion Gallery; Cassowaries from BK Films; Honeybadgers: Raising Hell from Peartree Films and Chameleon Beach from Loke Film.

PBS in Thailand went for 70 hours. Among them Perfect Child Mummies, Secrets of Shangri-La: Quest for Sacred Caves and Underneath Easter Island. Science titles include Reconstructing T.Rex, Eco-Engineering and World’s Toughest Fixes. Wildlife acquisitions include Mystery Fish of the Congo and Darwin’s Lost Voyage. PBS also took two shows from 360 Degree Films, Tibet: Murder in the Snow and Eye for Architecture, along with Death of the Megabeasts from Prospero Productions.

In Malaysia, RTM signed up for a programming package that includes wildlife titles Superpride, Croc Chronicles, Crittercam Chronicles, Sea Stories and Totally Wild. The deal is rounded out by adventure fare like Mission Rescue and Into the Volcano, plus nature and environment series Tales from Belize.

Metro TV in Indonesia acquired the new science series Master of Disaster, History’s Secrets: The Hunt for Hitler and Illicit: The Dark Trade.

Joanna Rowley, NGTI’s sales manager for Asia, commented: “NGTI’s catalogue continues to resonate with buyers of premium factual content in Asia and all of our recent HD programme launches—from history titles such as Herod’s Lost Tomb to science series World’s Toughest Fixes—have been particularly well received in the region. I have every confidence that the strength of the National Geographic brand and the quality and range of programming that we represent, will continue to make us a key distribution partner for Asian broadcasters, despite the general economic downturn.”