NGTI Makes Deals for Essential Programs

LONDON,
November 27: National Geographic Television International has announced a raft
of new deals for some of its recently acquired programming from U.K. independent
producer Essential Television and Film.

France 5 has
acquired seven of Essential’s Tribal Odyssey hours including Pigs, Planes and The Price of
Brides, Path To
Manhood, and The
Himba From Namibia.
Odisea in Spain has acquired Tribal Odyssey: The Zoe from the Amazon. And Greek terrestrial broadcaster Skai
has acquired all 17 Tribal Odyssey hours, plus the series Tribal Rites.

TV Fakta in
Finland/Sweden and Skai have acquired Twisted City Tales an Essential series looking at the dark
sides of London, Boston and Berlin.

In addition,
current affairs documentary Cocaine Triangle has been acquired by Skai, Channel 5 Saint
Petersburg, Russia, and Metro TV in Indonesia. History series Quest for Gold has been acquired by the Cyprus
Broadcasting Corporation.

Essential’s
other history shows include Mummified Egypt which has been licensed to BTV in Bulgaria and
Skai; Modern Mummies,
which looks at the mummification process undertaken to preserve Lenin in
Russia, and has been acquired by Skai; and Zulu Wars, also acquired by Skai and CBC in
Cyprus.

In another
announcement, NGTI said that it has acquired two programs from Canadian
producer Summerhill Television: Escape Tech, which looks at the science and technology of
escaping death, while Riddle of the Polar Sky is a scientific quest into the Aurora Borealis.

“Essential
Television & Film has a unique catalogue of programs, particularly in the
field of ethnography and history, and they provide a wonderful compliment to
our existing catalogue,” says Edwina Thring, NGTI’s head of acquisitions and
co-productions. “We are pleased to have concluded so many deals so early in our
relationship with them and look forward to converting further interest over the
coming months.”