New Digital Media Initiative for FremantleMedia

LONDON: FremantleMedia is setting up a new division, talkbackTHAMES Digital, which will look to develop multiplatform extensions to talkbackTHAMES and third-party productions.

Billing itself as a "U.K. center for excellence in digital media," the division aims to enhance viewer engagement with the company’s brands, producing original online content and maximizing commercial opportunities in the new-media space. The new segment of FremantleMedia’s business promises to bring digital media and traditional production closer together for more "integrated multiplatform content production."

At the helm of talkbackTHAMES Digital is Robert Marsh, who was previously VP of interactive and telephony at FME. He is responsible for driving the British strategy for the extension of broadcast properties onto digital platforms, as well as across digital licensing, telephony and online commissions. He will also continue to focus on extending on- and off-air opportunities with new and existing commercial partners and broadcasters. Marsh will report into Rupert Brankin-Frisby, commercial director at talkbackTHAMES, and Dominic Burns, the senior VP of U.K. licensing at FME.

Marsh commented, “Joining traditional and digital media production means that we’ll be making content that not only complements the television viewing experience, but reaches audiences in new ways and gives them innovative and compelling opportunities to engage with their favourite TV shows.”

FremantleMedia’s digital success stories include the BAFTA-nominated website for The X Factor, which has had more than 45 million page views, 8 million-plus visits and shown over 14.5 million video clips.