Global producer and distributor Big Media has expanded its ongoing partnership with RTL Deutschland by signing a multi-year output deal for its free-to-air news channel NTV. The deal includes an initial 14 hours of content that will be exclusive to NTV in Germany. The announcement was made by Martin Kaše, co-founder of Big Media and Global Head of Production, along with Christian Hensgens, Channel Manager at NTV.
Kicking off the agreement, NTV has acquired the rights to two new series currently in production at Big Media: "Has#tag Homicide" and "Breaking News/Decoded." Both of these series will make their broadcast debut on NTV later this year."Has#tag Homicide" (8x60’) explores the dark intersection of social media and true crime, where the virtual world becomes the stage for murder, investigation, and justice. The series begins with the first clue—a like, post, tweet, or comment—unveiling the chain of events that led to a tragic crime. The second act dives into the investigation, following detectives and online sleuths as they decode digital footprints and piece together the puzzle. In the final act, justice unfolds as social media evidence brings the perpetrators to light. Blending drama and real-life intrigue, "Has#tag Homicide" reveals how the digital age is reshaping the pursuit of truth.
"Breaking News/Decoded" (6x60’) is a timely documentary series that expands upon the investigative elements employed in Big Media’s popular "Decoded" series franchises, "Destruction Decoded" and "Danger Decoded." Each episode will focus on a specific category of news events, offering an in-depth exploration of the most poignant incidents. By recounting the most impactful stories of each category, this fast-paced series will give viewers a one-stop overview of worldwide news events of the recent past. The series aims to be relevant and adaptable to breaking news situations, while remaining evergreen due to the relevancy of the subject matter over time. For example, the series will look at everything from mass shootings and terrorist attacks to assassinations and natural disasters that shocked the world. Using high-quality archival footage and GFX, each episode will uncover what happened, how it happened, the number of casualties and people affected, and the lasting impact on society.
Martin Kaše of Big Media referred to the agreement: ‘‘We developed 'Has#tag Homicide' and 'Breaking News' with news channels like NTV in mind. Germany is a highly competitive television market, especially with the big global streamers vying for their share of audience attention there. Partners like NTV are able to secure high-quality series that viewers can find only on NTV," highlighted.
Finally, Christian Hensgens of RTL praised their partners: "Big Media has been a trusted partner for some time and we are excited to extend our output deal with them. These series go behind the headlines and short blurbs that we see on social media and in newsletters that crowd our inboxes. We often get the who, what, when, where of what happened, but not the critical why or how. In 'Breaking News/Decoded' we will give viewers insights into pivotal, life-changing events that they may never have had otherwise," commented.
"Has#tag Homicide" and "Breaking News/Decoded" will be delivered by Q3 2025 and are available for global pre-buys now.
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