MTG World Takes WildBear Factual Titles

CANBERRA: Australian producer WildBear Entertainment has secured presales for four of its history and wildlife programs to MTG World for the factual channels Viasat History and Viasat Nature.

The newly acquired titles will air across Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS. The package deal totals 33 hours. Titles covered in the deal include the 6×52-minute series Animals that Changed History, which highlights the impact animals have had on human history. Episodes address how China controlled the silk trade for over 3,000 years because of the silk worm and how animals have been essential to testing medical breakthroughs, among other topics. The 101 Who Made the Twentieth Century, meanwhile, is an 8×52-minute series that uses archive materials and more to offer insight into famous figures that influenced history, including Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, Steve Jobs, Mohamed Ali and others.

The package agreement also includes The Price of Empire. The 13×52-minute series investigates the rise of the German and Japanese empires, the demise of the traditional oceanic empires of Great Britain, France and the Netherlands, and the emergence of the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. as superpowers. The fourth show included in the deal is the six-parter Killing Machines, which presents the history of weaponry, from spears and long bows to weapons of the future, exploring the potential of robotic soldiers and drones.

Michael Tear, the CEO of WildBear Entertainment, said: “Producing insightful history and wildlife programming has long been a mainstay of WildBear Entertainment and we are naturally delighted that these four new series have been pre-bought for the Viasat network[s]. Animals that Changed History is filmed from a unique viewpoint and covers relatively uncharted territory; The 101 Who Made the Twentieth Century is the definitive contemporary history countdown show; Killing Machines is a surprising look at weapon development against a backdrop of major historical events, while our thoughtful use of Movietone footage, coupled with new interviews and an innovative approach, means The Price of Empire will bring some new perspectives to the much-chronicled history of World War II.”

Seniha Tunaboylu, the head of content and acquisitions for factual at MTG World, remarked: “There is a great appetite for high-quality factual entertainment that is relevant to our European viewers across our network. WildBear’s new series are perfect for our curious audiences, who are constantly looking to be informed, have their minds challenged and be entertained by our factual output.”

The deal was negotiated for WildBear by Wild Thring Media.