First Series from VOOM HD Networks and Mega Media (Singapore) Co-Production Pact Draws International Sales
Cannes, France – April 5, 2006 – Building on the momentum of Rainbow Media's global expansion initiative, iD Distribution has concluded negotiations to license Style Me, its signature series premiering on WE: Women's Entertainment, to the U.K.'s LivingTV. The announcement comes on the heels of news released Monday that WE content has now been sold by iD Distribution into Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Turkey, Finland, Korea, the Middle East and New Zealand.
Style Me was co-produced by Singapore's Mega Media PTE LTD and ULTRA-HD, one of the 15 VOOM HD Networks owned by Rainbow Media ("Rainbow"), as part of a three-year, $20 million production pact between production company Mega Media, the Media Development Authority of Singapore and VOOM HD Networks signed at MIPCOM last October. The series premiered on WE in January to strong reviews and will air on ULTRA-HD later this year.
The sale was announced for Rainbow by Glenn Oakley, Senior Vice President, Business Development, and for Mega Media PTE LTD, by Managing Director Jonathan Foo.
LivingTV has acquired completed episodes of the reality-based show that seeks to create the next top celebrity stylist for series host Rachel Hunter. Twelve contestants vie for the top spot and the chance to win $10,000 in cash plus a one-year contract with a talent agency and the opportunity to style Hunter for an A-list, red carpet event. LivingTV has also optioned the format to the series and is exploring the possibility of creating a local U.K. version of the series.
Currently seen in over 58 million U.S. homes, WE: Women's Entertainment is the only cable network dedicated to helping women connect to one another and the world around them. WE's original programming-under the direction of Executive Vice President/General Manager Kim Martin-has garnered record ratings for the Network, with the '05/'06 season pacing to be the best in WE history for primetime delivery of core demographic households. WE is continuing its commitment to original programming throughout 2006 with a strong lineup of series and specials, including John Edward Cross Country, Two Funny: Cotter & Louise, Skating's Next Star and a third season of the Network's hit series Bridezillas.
"More and more broadcasters worldwide are looking to reach new viewers by supplementing their lineups with proven niche content," said Oakley. "Rainbow's content, whether produced for the VOOM HD Networks or WE, is innovative and unique, and we believe that LivingTV's U.K. viewers will appreciate and enjoy the universal sensibilities conveyed in these programs."
"We are gratified to have sold our largest co-production project with VOOM to date into such an influential market as the U.K.," said Foo. "It validates the quality of the work we intend to co-produce with our North American partners at VOOM and other Rainbow Networks." The series is represented for sale to Asian markets by Mega's distribution arm, 6-6-8.
Added iD Distribution Managing Director Sally Miles, "We are very excited to be representing ULTRA-HD and WE: Women's Entertainment original programming to the international market and instantly recognized the synergy this programming has with platforms like LivingTV. We're also encouraged by LivingTV's interest in optioning the format for Style Me and look forward to the possibility of a local U.K. version of this dynamic show."
About LivingTV
LivingTV is a general entertainment channel, offering a unique blend of original programs and award-winning US comedies and dramas alongside the best celebrity gossip, talk shows, real life documentaries, movies and all round family entertainment. Reaching over half of all women 16-44 (3.4 million), LivingTV attracts, on average, 11.6 million viewers each month.
LivingTV is part of Flextech Television, the content division of Telewest Broadband, a broadband communications and media group. Its core business is the supply of entertainment, information and interactive content and services to the UK multi-channel television and online markets. Flextech's branded content, coupled with Telewest's broadband network, allows the combined group to capture the expanding market for broadband products, including voice, video and interactive services, across multiple platforms.
About iD Distribution
iD Distribution is a dynamic company launched in 2004 with the investment backing of Ingenious Media. Working with some of the top UK and US production companies, representing a new and exciting catalogue of programs and formats in the entertainment, factual, reality and lifestyle genres, iD Distribution is committed to providing the best service to production companies and broadcasters.
About Mega Media PTE LTD
Mega Media is one of Singapore's leading long-form media content producers. Mega Media has produced a wide range of projects ranging from award-winning feature films to international documentaries and drama series. Today, Mega Media boasts one of Asia's most complete High Definition production and post-production facilities, which includes Singapore's only Dolby certified mixing sound stage and Southeast Asia's premiere Digital Cinema encoding facility.
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in the entertainment industry, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Rainbow creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic programming with linear networks including national networks – AMC, fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; its regional programming service – Rainbow Sports Networks; on-demand networks including Mag Rack and sportskool; and the largest suite of high definition channels available anywhere – the VOOM HD Networks. Rainbow's other businesses include its film distribution, production and exhibition division – IFC Entertainment; in addition to its advertising sales division – Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation – and its full service network programming origination and distribution company – Rainbow Network Communications.