In its commitment to representing the best dramas from around the world, Entertainment One announced it has acquired the international distribution rights to "The Newsreader", the highly anticipated one-hour drama series set to air on ABC TV in Australia. From multi-award-winning Werner Film Productions, the 6-part series is produced by Emmy-nominated Joanna Werner (Clickbait, Secret City) with creator Michael Lucas, and executive produced by Werner and Stuart Menzies (The Cry) and has recently commenced filming in Melbourne, Australia. The deal was brokered by Noel Hedges, eOne’s EVP, Acquisitions, International Distribution.
Bringing this compelling new series to life is a talented cast, led by multi-award-winning Anna Torv (Mindhunter, Fringe), Sam Reid (Prime Suspect 1973, Lambs of God), Robert Taylor (Longmire), Logie Award winner Stephen Peacocke (Five Bedrooms, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), Chai Hansen (The New Legends of Monkey) and Marg Downey (Fast Forward, Top of the Lake: China Girl). Set in the 1980s and centered around the frantic, busy heart of a commercial TV newsroom, The Newsreader follows the relationship between an ambitious young TV reporter and the star female news anchor. The series depicts the dramas and tensions of this high-octane workplace as well investigating the political and personal power struggles of the world, still very much relevant today. Torv plays Helen Norville, a glamourous and talented newsreader and, in the chauvinistic world of TV news, often overlooked. Helen finds herself partnered with junior reporter Dale Jennings (Reid) and their personal and private relationship will be set against the very public pressures of reporting some of the most iconic news stories of the era to the nation.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Joanna and ABC to bring Michael’s world-class new series to international audiences,” said Noel Hedges, EVP Acquisitions, eOne. “The Newsreader offers fiery drama, emotion and tension each week, populated by such beautifully written, nuanced characters and layered with sharp wit, warmth and complexity. It promises to be a stand-out show for next year”. Executive Producer and Producer Joanna Werner said “We are delighted to be partnering with Noel and his exceptional team at eOne to bring The Newsreader to the world. Anna and Sam head up a fabulous cast and Michael’s scripts have brilliantly delivered a complicated relationship journey set amongst iconic news stories that have defined our time - from The Challenger explosion, to Chernobyl, to the AIDS crisis. It’s a gripping deep dive into the internal mechanisations of the news world, and the radiant fashions of 1986.”
"The Newsreader" is produced by Werner Film Productions, for the ABC, with major investment from Screen Australia and the ABC and financed with support from Film Victoria. Created, written and produced by Michael Lucas (Offspring, Five Bedrooms), produced by Joanna Werner, the series is directed by Emma Freeman (Stateless), and executive producers are Joanna Werner and Stuart Menzies with ABC executive producers Sally Riley and Brett Sleigh.