C21 Media
July 13th , 2007
Fremantle sets up own download service
FremantleMedia is following yesterday's tie-up with Google on the launch of the internet giant's video store in Europe with the creation of its own download service offering hundreds of hours of comedy.
The company's enterprises division, which houses international distribution and worldwide licensing, has spearheaded the initiative, partnering with digital specialist Art Alliance Media.
Fremantle has licensed 200 hours of classic comedies from its TalkbackThames subsidiary, including Men Behaving Badly, Goodnight Sweetheart and Tommy Cooper.
Art Alliance will distribute the programmes through its existing online partners, LoveFilm and AOL. A dedicated consumer-facing website will also launch later this summer, although Fremantle is currently keeping the brand under wraps.
"This deal represents a central part of our new media strategy, which involves us engaging with the consumer across a number of new platforms that are being opened up at present," said FremantleMedia Enterprises chief executive David Ellender.
The company is among a number of UK production companies poised to launch such services now, after the terms of trade between broadcasters and independents around new media rights were recently clarified.
Jonathan Webdale
13 Jul 2006
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