NGTI Sells Wildlife, Eco Programming to RTE

LONDON, May 1: National
Geographic Television International (NGTI) has licensed a range of shows to
Ireland’s state broadcaster RTE, including a host of wildlife fare.

The package includes a
number of new programs that were launched at MIPTV, such as Lake of a
Thousand Caiman, Quest for the
Megafish of the Amazon and The
Valley of the Wolves, all produced
by National Geographic Television. RTE also picked up Eden at the End of the
World, which tells the story of
the diverse wildlife in Patagonia and the conservation project designed to
protect it.

Six Degrees Could
Change the World, a 52-minute
environmental special, is also part of the package. Additional titles include Crocodiles
Under the Skin, Ultimate Viper, What Killed the Mammoths and World’s Deadliest Animals.

From NGTI’s portfolio of
independent producers, RTE has taken on Australia: Land of Parrots from ABC Productions and the blue-chip special Humpbacks:
From Fire to Ice and Secrets of
the Great Barrier Reef from YNR
Marketing/Ocean Planet Images.

NGTI’s sales manager,
Joanna Rowley, commented: “RTE remains a key buyer of NGTI’s programming across
all genres, but especially wildlife, and we are delighted that so many of our
new titles have proved so popular.”

“Our wildlife strand
continues to go from strength to strength, so finding excellent, entertaining
wildlife is a key part of my role,” said Brian Walsh, the deputy head of
acquisitions and scheduler of acquired documentaries at RTE. “NGTI continues to
be a perfect partner for us as it constantly brings great programs to our
attention—both from NGT and independent producers. This time around we
were also really pleased to see another program voiced by Jeremy Irons. We
licensed three shows narrated by him from NGTI last year and not only did he
appeal to our viewers but it also saved us dubbing the program with local voice
talent!”

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski