NGTI BRINGS 100 HOURS TO MIPCOM

Published: 3 October 2005

As it gears up to celebrate its 10th anniversary at Mipcom 2005, National Geographic Television International is delighted to confirm that it will be bringing 100 hours of programming to this market.

Key new launches include Race Against the Killer Flu (1 x 52) an Electric Pictures/NGT&F co-production looking at the likely scenarios that could play out with an avian flu pandemic and The Great Quake (1 x 52 & 1 x 90), a show made by Cream Productions for NGT&F that looks at the 1906 San Francisco earthquake in the run up to its centenary. Continuing the natural disaster theme, NGT&F’s The Day the Big East Drowned (1 x 52), a science show looking at the causes and impact of Hurricane Katrina, will also launch at Mipcom. Additional science programming includes Is it Real (10 x 48) a series that explores a range of mysterious phenomena such as Crop Circles and Spontaneous Human Combustion and Deadly Design (1 x 52), an investigation into why some major buildings have collapsed.

New Specials include Tornado Intercept (1 x 52) and Sky Monsters (1 x 52 & 1 x 90), a look at pterosaurs – the giant flying dinosaurs.

As you would expect from NGTI, natural history also figures prominently in the Mipcom slate with Wall of Death (1 x 52) a programming following the giant ibex, Perilous Edens (1 x 52) looking at wildlife on the harsh Namibian coast and Murder, Mayhem and Meerkats (1 x 52). NGTI will, for the first time, also be representing the entire Nature Conservation Films catalogue at a market – featuring wildlife classics such as African King (1 x 52) and Savage Paradise (1 x 52).

Within the society genre, the key new shows being launched are: Reign of Terror (3 x 52), a series produced by ITN Factual for NGCI, looking at modern terrorism and The New Mafia (1 x 52), a detailed, undercover investigation in to the Mara Salvatrucha gang.

History shows are also a key focus with new programmes such as Last Days of the Maya (1 x 52), Pyramids of Death (1 x 52) and Nightmare in Jamestown (1 x 52). Both Last Days of the Maya and Pyramids of Death investigate mysterious ancient civilisations in Central America.

Ian Jones, president of NGTI comments: “As is fitting in our 10th anniversary year, we are attending this market with one of the biggest ever new catalogues. We have some wonderful new programming from National Geographic Television & Film and I am delighted that we are also representing shows from a range of other producers including Nature Conservation Films and those such as ITN Factual, brought to us by National Geographic Channels International.

“We continue to cater to a range of buyer needs with programmes across a broad spread of factual genres and I am particularly pleased that we are in a position to offer so much science programming as this is particularly in vogue at the moment.”