NGTI SECURES RAFT OF NEW DEALS DOWN UNDER

Published: 22 June 2009

National Geographic Television International (NGTI) has recently agreed deals for a range of its factual content with three Australian broadcasters.

ABC has acquired four hours including HEROD’S LOST TOMB (1 X 52) – a fascinating history title, exploring the fact that one of the major villains of the Bible was also one of the most talented architects of the ancient world. PERFECT CHILD MUMMIES (1 X 52) investigates the final hours of three perfectly preserved Inca children and uncovers the motivations of the ancient society that led them to their deaths, while EXTREME ICE (1 X 52), is a new milestone environmental programme, produced by NGT for NOVA. The show follows James Balog as he captures melting ice in numerous global locations, using time-lapse photography to give an unprecedented look at the alarming scale at which the planet’s ice is disappearing. It is a film that’s part detective story, part science and part adventure, requiring a research team with professional-grade skills in dealing with extreme environments. The final title in this new package is DIVING WITH ALIENS (1 X 52) – an intriguing look at cephalopods in waters around the globe. We enter the strange world of creatures such as the squid and the octopus and see close up the colour, the complexity and sometimes the cunning of these amazing and rarely seen creatures.

CHACHAPOYA: SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF A LOST CIVILISATION (1 X 52) has been acquired by SBS. This new programme sets out to solve the demise of the Chachapoya – or Cloud Warriors of Peru – which lived high in the Andes from 800 to the mid 1500s. National Geographic archaeologists find 16,000 buried bones in their ancient stronghold and 80 bodies piled at one end. An extensive investigation sets out to reveal how these last citizens died – whether by disease, sacrifice, war or conquest by the Inca or the Spanish.

Finally, the Weather Channel in Australia has acquired series one and two of WHEN WEATHER CHANGED HISTORY (24 X 47). Produced by Towers Productions, each When Weather Changed History episode takes a fascinating and often iconic moment in history and looks at the impact the weather had on how this event played out. Topics in series two, recently acquired by NGTI, include the D-Day Landings, the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the 1930s Dust Bowl in the US and Chicago’s deadly heatwave in 1995.

Marena Manzoufas, head of programming at the ABC comments: “NGTI has been a long-standing provider of great factual programming to ABC so I am pleased that this relationship continues to flourish. Strong history, wildlife and science titles - with excellent stories and new discoveries - are always popular with our viewers and NGTI’s catalogue never disappoints.”

Jo Rowley, sales manager at NGTI concluded all three deals. She comments: “At a time when some broadcasters are cutting back and more cautious about what they buy, it is great to see that quality still matters in Australia and that our high-end documentaries remain very much in demand. It is also particularly pleasing to see a range of our new history titles – from traditional ancient civilisations to more contemporary topics – are so popular in the territory.”