17.04.02
BBC
Worldwide and Mediatrade - Mediaset Group sign major new agreement
BBC
Worldwide and Italian media company Mediatrade - Mediaset Group
have concluded a major new agreement that is a first of its kind
for BBC Worldwide.
Under
the terms of the agreement, Mediatrade - Mediaset Group will acquire
all associated rights to the factual programming it licenses from
BBC Worldwide for the Italian market. The deal will enable Mediatrade
- Mediaset Group to develop the brands and programmes it licenses
across all media including TV, publishing, video, DVD, interactive
and other brand extensions. The properties will benefit from Mediatrade
- Mediaset Group's strong cross-media presence in the Italian market.
The
deal covers BBC's Factual output, including current and future titles
from the Science, Natural History, Specialist Factual and History
departments.
Mediatrade
- Mediaset Group owns several TV channels, including Retequattro
with well established factual magazine 'La Macchina del Tempo',
as well as distribution company Mediatrade (video's, DVD's) and
the publishing house R.T.I.
The
'Walking With Dinosaurs' sequel 'Walking With Beasts', which starts
airing on Retequattro on April 18th, is the first project under
the agreement - with Mediatrade distributing the videos and DVD's
and R.T.I publishing the associated book.
Alison
Homewood, Sales Director Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA),
BBC Worldwide, commenting on the deal said: "This alliance
demonstrates our strategy to develop the relationships with our
customers into strong partnerships. Mediatrade - Mediaset Group,
with its successful presence across all media, is an ideal partner
for us in the very important Italian market and we are delighted
to be working with them.
Andrea
Broglia, Head of Documentary Department Mediatrade, said: "This
is a very important step in the new strategy of Mediatrade and the
Mediaset Group to strengthen its position in the market for documentaries
through international partnerships and the production of high quality
content, thereby developing multimedia opportunities for the Italian
market and providing audiences with new, high quality programmes.
Any such strategy couldn't have been complete without a far reaching
agreement with the major European company in the field of documentaries
and this is why we are really proud to announce this partnership
with BBC Worldwide."
Note
to editors:
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm, and a wholly owned
subsidiary, of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company
was formed in 1994 to develop a co-ordinated approach to the BBC's
commercial activities including television, publishing, product
licensing, Internet and interactive. BBC Worldwide is Europe's largest
exporter of television programmes. The company exists to maximise
the value of the BBC's programme and publishing assets for the benefit
of the licence payer, and re-invest in public service programming.
Mediaset
Group is the leading commercial television group in Italy and one
of Europe's leading media companies. The activities of Mediaset
are operationally and economically fully integrated: three national
television channels (Canale 5, Italia 1 and Retequattro), Italy's
largest advertising company, television production facilities, and
a wholly owned national signal distribution. Thanks to Mediaset's
experience in commercial television, the Group is well placed to
take advantage of new opportunities deriving from technological
developments: from themed channels and the Internet, to digital
programme production and convergence with the world of telecommunications.
Mediaset
has been listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since July 1996 and
is one of the most profitable listed companies. It is also one of
the most profitable European broadcasters.
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