FME Launches Digital Content Initiative Surrounding Australia Zoo

LONDON: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has set up a new digital content initiative, entitled Steve Irwin’s Croc Bites, as part of its partnership with the Australia Zoo.

The initiative, Steve Irwin’s Croc Bites, is being done in conjunction with Spring, FremantleMedia Australia’s brand funded and digital content division. FME will digitize and distribute content from the Australia Zoo’s back catalogue for multiple online platforms. The first part of the initiative will be an Australia Zoo YouTube channel, launching later this year. The content will be a combination of existing content, including The Croc Hunter and Bindi: The Jungle Girl, as well as original programming produced specifically for the new channel. Other elements include Facebook content and additional online material to be rolled out later this year and into 2013.

Jon Penn, FME’s CEO for the Asia Pacific, said: "FME has been working with YouTube for many years in many different ways, from The X Factor performance clips here in Australia to The Pet Collective pet channel in the U.S.

"The Steve Irwin’s Croc Bites digital content initiative is a natural extension to our existing partnership with Australia Zoo, and something we are very pleased to be able to bring to life through our local production partner Spring, a FremantleMedia Australia company."

Zara Curtis, the general manager of Spring, added: "YouTube is a key distribution partner for many of Spring’s content plans and partner conversations going forward. Steve Irwin’s Croc Bites covers all of our models in one, existing, new, commercial and mash-up content under the one new umbrella brand."