23 Feb 2022
Leading Nations factual producer Tern Television, part of Zinc Media Group, has confirmed a total of 187 hours of global sales for its returning series, signalling the continued appeal of its returning series worldwide.
Harry Bell, Managing Director, Tern Television, says: “Tern is known for its incredible access to human stories. Our work with organisations such as the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, the UK’s Air Ambulance service and Edinburgh Zoo have brought the most engaging stories to the screen and created an extremely popular range of returning series, popular with broadcasters around the world. These global sales demonstrate that returnable factual series can strike a chord in all corners of the world. We are proud to be an example of what indies from the Nations are able to achieve on an international scale.”
The range of deals, delivered by distribution partner TVF, come from right across the globe with sales to territories including Western Europe, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, China, Korea, South East Asia, North America, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.
Series One of Tern’s heartwarming series which goes behind the scenes at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Hospital (8 x 30 min), picked up sales in: Belgium (SBS Belgium); Poland (Idea Ventures); New Zealand (Sky Network Television); Africa and the Middle East (Discovery Networks); USA (Digital Health Networks) Canada (Quebec TVA); Finland (Alfa TV); Brunei (RTB); Australia (Network Ten); Thailand (True Visions Media Corp) and Worldwide rights to DOKBOX.
Series Two of The Children’s Hospital (8 x 30 min) also picked up sales in: Belgium (SBS Belgium); Poland (Idea Ventures); New Zealand (Sky Network Television): Africa and the Middle East (Discovery Networks); USA (Digital Health Networks); Canada (Quebec TVA); Finland (Alfa TV); Brunei (Nadsmedia Entertainment SDN BHD); Australia (Network Ten); Thailand (True Visions Media Corp) and Worldwide rights to DOKBOX.
Series One of Inside the Zoo (8 x 60 min) - the eight-part series which goes behind-the-scenes to show the challenges, joys and complex logistics, staff face, in the caring for over 3,000 animal residents at Edinburgh Zoo and its sister site, Highland Wildlife Park - notched up sales in: Greece and the Middle East (Tanweer Alliances); Great Britain (GoMedia); Thailand (True Visions Media Corp); China (iQiyi); Belgium (VRT); South Korea (Channel A) and Croatia (HRT, Croatian Radio Television). Series Two (8 x 60 min) of the programme made sales to: Belgium (VRT); Thailand (True Visions Media Corp) and Estonia (Telia Eesti AS).
Both series 4 and series 5 of Emergency Helicopter Medics (10 x 60 min) - this ‘access all areas’ documentary series telling the incredible stories of the men and women who save lives daily as they take A&E surgery to roads and hillsides across the UK - sold to Denmark (TV2 Denmark).
Also popular was the single documentary A Year to Save My Life: George McGavin and Melanoma (1 x 60 min) - which follows biologist Dr George McGavin, who, after being diagnosed with a rare and deadly form of malignant melanoma embarks on a journey across the world to understand what the future holds for cancer treatment - sold to: Canada, South Africa, USA (Digital Health Networks); Hong Kong (RTHK); Estonia (Telia Eesti AS); Israel (DocMovies); Thailand (True Visions Media Corp); Georgia (TRO Distribution); Spain (RTVE), Sweden, (UR - Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company); Finland (YLE); Inflight (Spafax Airline Network) and Worldwide rights to DOKBOX.
Will Stapley, Head of Acquisitions & Partnerships, TVF, added: “There is a relatable quality and warmth to Tern’s work that appeals to audiences across the globe, irrespective of language or location, making their programming a perfect fit for the TVF International unscripted catalogue. Their high end factual programmes are both entertaining and moving, making you laugh and cry, sometimes within the same scenes – and these shows have been welcome companions for millions of viewers around the world during the pandemic.”
Tern has established itself as the home of popular returning factual programming. With series across BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4 and BBC Scotland enjoying multiple series and now going-on to flourish overseas.
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