9 Jul 2009 07:00
Embargoed: 0700hrs, 9 July 2009
DCD Media plc
("DCD" or the "Group")
DCD Rights Secures International Distribution Rights to Third Party Programmes
DCD Media's international distributor, DCD Rights, has today secured valuable distribution rights to third party television programming, through its private equity backed rights acquisition fund (the "Fund"). Following the Fund's investment in five productions DCD Rights will handle worldwide distribution of the programmes from which it will earn distribution commission.
DCD Rights recently announced the appointment of Pilar Perez as Senior Vice President of Acquisitions who is responsible for sourcing projects which require additional funding through DCD Rights' acquisition fund, in return for the international distribution rights.
David Green, Chief Creative Officer and Acting CEO, DCD Media, said:
"We expect to become increasingly active in the acquisition of quality programmes through the Fund, not only those produced by our own companies, but by third parties, for distribution by DCD Rights. Access to a rolling £10 million fund is potentially very valuable and we intend to capitalise on it."
The five new programmes to be distributed by DCD Rights are:
Land Girls (5 x 45'), a day time series produced by the BBC for broadcast on BBC1, follows the lives, loves, highs and lows of four 'Land Girls' set during WWII.
Breaking The Mould (1 x 90'), also produced by the BBC for broadcast on BBC Four, tells the gripping story of invention, ingenuity and tragedy whilst revealing the story behind the discovery of penicillin and the forgotten people involved. Dominic West stars as the groundbreaking scientist Doctor Florey in this dramatic period piece set against the backdrop of war with themes of love, discovery and ultimately triumph.
A Model Daughter (1 x 90'), produced by Screentime PTY for Network 10 Australia, tells the true story of Caroline Byrne. Beautiful 24 year old model Caroline Byrne was pushed to her death off 'The Gap' by her boyfriend Gordon Wood. This is the gripping story of the events that led to her death and the story of a father's quest to find the truth.
Half Ton Teen (3 x 60'), produced by Megalomedia for TLC in the US and Channel 4 in the UK, tells the emotional story of 19 year-old Billy Robbins who at 800lbs is the world's heaviest teenager. This film investigates the complex and disturbing relationship between Billy and his mother, feeder and victim, and attempts to understand the dangers of a parent's all-consuming love whilst following Billy as he attempts to lose an incredible amount of weight, regaining his mobility and ultimately his independence.
CollegeHumor (6 x 30'), produced by MTV Networks and broadcast on MTV in the US, is an adult entertainment series about what happens when young people have too much freedom. CollegeHumor is an offbeat comedy based in the workplace.
Enquiries:
David Green
Chief Creative Officer and Acting CEO DCD Media plc
Tel. 020 7297 8000
Ben SimonsM: CommunicationsTel. 020 7153 1540
Tom Price or Jeremy Ellis
Evolution Securities
Tel. 020 7071 4300
About DCD Media:
DCD Media plc is one of the UK's 'super-indies', a large group of production and distribution companies specialising in factual, entertainment, drama, music and arts programming for TV, DVD and new media markets. DCD Media comprises a number of high profile content producers - Box TV, a drama specialist; music and staged event specialist Done and Dusted; factual and lifestyle producer Prospect Pictures; primetime factual entertainment, reality, formats and documentaries producer September Films; documentary specialist West Park Pictures, recently established Scottish production company, Matchlight, a joint venture with some of Scotland's leading programme makers; and West Park West, a new Dublin-based producer and developer of documentaries and factual programming.
The group also comprises international distributor DCD Rights, the international video download site and DVD label Digital Classics; and publishing and merchandising division DCD Publishing. For further details see www.dcdmedia.co.uk