Australia’s ABC Commercial Scores Sales

SYDNEY: ABC Commercial secured a number of program sales in 2011, both in the local and international marketplace, including a format option with Comedy Central in the U.S.

The year’s deals featured the first-ever ABC Commercial program—the rugby documentary Cup Of Dreams—to air on Universal Sports Network in the U.S., where it screened in prime time during October in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup Final. In addition, the format option for the ABC comedy series Review with Myles Barlow was sold to Comedy Central in the U.S., which is developing a pilot, Review with Forrest MacNeil.

Highlighted deals include BBC Four in the U.K. picking up the comedy series Lowdown and the drama series Rake was sold to Sparrowhawk International Channels Limited, to be broadcast on the Universal Channel in Australia. The Four Corners’ title Wikileaks: The Forgotten Man sold to seven countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia, and the factual program Rare Chicken Rescue sold to Channel 4 in the U.K. A selection of more than one hundred episodes of Australian Story sold to FOXTEL’S Bio Channel, while Poh’s Kitchen season two sold to Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific.

Also, the internationally successful children’s animation series The Wotwots sold to HBO Family Latin America for pay-TV and VOD rights. Chris Lilley’s Angry Boys sold to FOXTEL’s Comedy Channel in Australia, while Viacom’s Comedy Central took premiere rights for New Zealand. The animated Bananas In Pyjamas series was picked up by Disney Junior and five free-to-air broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region.

“It’s a brilliant effort by everyone and we’re looking to repeat these results next year,” said Natalie Lawley, ABC Commercial’s manager of content sales. “We have some excellent content coming through in 2012 and look forward to launching this at the markets.”

Lynley Marshall, the director of ABC Commercial, added, “It is clear that overseas broadcasters are looking to ABC in Australia more and more for top quality entertainment and information-based programming. With another strong ABC Television slate promised for 2012 we will be looking to capitalize on our performance and the interest shown in ABC programming from around the world.”