Blue Ant Media Sells Majority Stake in NHNZ

Dame Julie Christie has acquired a majority share of the factual production company NHNZ, now rebranded as NHNZ Worldwide, with a minority stake still held by Blue Ant Media.

The production company will continue to be based in Dunedin, New Zealand. Blue Ant Media will continue to own NHNZ’s existing catalog of award-winning series and documentaries and a significant minority stake in NHNZ Worldwide.

Sam Sniderman, co-president of global content production at Blue Ant Media, has joined NHNZ Worldwide’s board of directors.

Dame Julie Christie was the founder and creative force behind New Zealand’s Touchdown Productions, an international TV production company that sold unscripted formats to 30 countries, including The Chair, Miss Popularity and Treasure Island. The company was sold to Eyeworks in 2006, after which she became CEO of Eyeworks New Zealand & Australia. Christie has also executive produced three feature films: The Tattooist, LoveBirds and Mr. Pip. She has served in numerous governance roles in media, sport and economic development.

“NHNZ has achieved a great deal of success and is celebrated as one of the most respected natural history and factual production houses in the world. I’m very excited to now be a part of this company, having acquired a majority stake in NHNZ Worldwide,” said Christie, CEO of NHNZ Worldwide. “I love the documentary and natural history genres, and while they will continue to be the backbone of our production business, I am excited to build a slate of projects in other categories, as we expand into other production hubs around the world.”

“Dame Julie is not only an internationally successful, unscripted television producer but also an established and influential leader in New Zealand in both the public and private spheres,” said Sniderman. “Her expertise and business acumen will serve NHNZ Worldwide well as she builds upon the production company’s 40-year legacy and paves the way to future growth.”