FME Shores Up CEE Deals

LONDON: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has signed a slew of deals for its dramatic, factual and entertainment content with networks across Central and Eastern Europe, including the sale of The Sinking of the Laconia to HBO Central & Eastern Europe.

The World War II drama has also been licensed to Pro TV (Romania), Pop TV (Slovenia), TV Barrandov (Czech Republic) and HRT (Croatia). Also in the drama arena, Kidnap & Ransom went to TV Barrandov (Czech Republic), HRT (Croatia), and TVP (Poland), and the Australian hit Winners & Losers was picked up by Pop TV in Slovenia and Fox International Channels for Poland. Paul Abbott’s Exile has been picked up by Ceska Televize (Czech Republic), while The Reckoning is headed to Czech Republic on TV Barrandov, and to Croatia on HRT. In a pan-Eastern European deal, SPI International picked up The Crimson Petal and The White, Exile and Kidnap & Ransom. A renewal was signed for Merlin in Romania (Pro TV), Slovenia (Pop TV) and Russia (TV3).

MTV Russia snapped up seasons 10, 11 and 12 of American Idol, together with season eight of Project Runway and seasons two and three of Is She Really Going Out With Him? Chello Media opted for 150 hours of entertainment and factual content, taking titles such as Work of Art, Project Runway, Models of the Runway, Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals, March of the Dinosaurs, Engineering the Impossible and others, for broadcast on Spektrum, TV Paprika and Club in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania.

On the factual front, Canal+ licensed almost 500 hours for its Kuchnia and Domo channels in Poland, encompassing Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals, Jamie’s Fish Suppers, Jamie’s Best Ever Christmas, The Martha Stewart Show, Martha Bakes, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Two Greedy Italians and Donna Hay: Fast, Fresh, Simple.

Maximilian Bolenius, VP of sales for German-speaking Europe and CEE, commented, “FME launched a slate of dramas earlier this year and we’re now seeing the fruits of that labor with some great sales. Our entertainment and factual catalogues include must-have hits and continue to attract viewers and buyers in the territory. We’re really pleased to bring these titles to audiences in Central & Eastern Europe and I’m looking forward to introducing even more great shows at MIPCOM later this year.”