FME Signs DVD Rep for Australia, NZ

LONDON, January 13: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has appointed Roadshow Entertainment as the exclusive DVD distributor for Australia and New Zealand to manage its non-music back catalogue as well as new-release TV programs and films.

The four-year deal sees Roadshow distributing a variety of FME programming on DVD, including classic properties such as Benny Hill, Rumpole of the Bailey, Goodnight Sweetheart, Pie in The Sky, George & Mildred, Bless This House and Love Thy Neighbour. Also included are current titles such as Grand Designs, Project Runway and The IT Crowd, as well as the new series Merlin.

Daryl O’Connor, the senior VP of home entertainment for FremantleMedia Enterprises, commented, "This is a great fit. Roadshow’s retail distribution clout, coupled with their sales and marketing expertise will ensure that our ever-expanding slate of high-quality programming will be able to cut through to the end consumer with great effect."

Chris Chard, the managing director of Roadshow Entertainment, added, "We are thrilled that FME has selected Roadshow as their partner for these territories. There is an obvious strategic fit for the FME catalogue with our core strengths as a distributor, and the long-awaited alignment of their exciting new portfolio of TV series with their valuable archive, signals the arrival of a major brand for the DVD retail category. We are proud to be associated with a high-caliber entertainment company such as FremantleMedia."

—By Kristin Brzoznowski