“How Did They Build That?”
TCB Media Rights, recently acquired by Beyond Entertainment Ltd, reported a record post-MIPTV period, with a total of 431 hours sold to broadcasters around the world. Enjoying particularly strong sales were two TCB Original titles – “How Did They Build That?” and “Massive Engineering Mistakes,” pointing to the growing global demand for premium science and engineering content that informs and explains as well as entertains.
“How Did They Build That?” has been picked up Smithsonian Channel for North America and the UK, and RTL for the Netherlands. The Curve Media-produced TCB Original, which introduces viewers to engineering of mind-boggling scale and complexity, has already been licensed by BBC International Channels for Scandinavia, CEEMEA and Asia, and by Welt for Germany.
Also headed for the Netherlands is “Massive Engineering Mistakes,” which has now added National Geographic Channel to its global roster of broadcasters. Produced by Argonon-owned BriteSpark Films in association with TCB, the series examines construction calamities from around the world, uncovering the epic fails and near misses that engineers would rather forget.
Other sales to have been closed in the wake of MIPTV Online+ earlier this month include a 60-hour package deal with FTV Prima. The deal will see several of TCB’s top-selling titles, including “World’s Greatest Palaces,” “Shipwreck Secrets” and “World’s Most Scenic Railways,” air on the leading Czech Republic commercial broadcaster. Another 50 hours of TCB content, meanwhile, is headed for South Africa on the back of deals with Ignition TV and The Home Channel for shows including “Driving Mum & Dad Crazy,” “Ultimate Rides,” “Money For Nothing,” and “The Great Australian Cookbook”.
TCB’s crime brands also continue to perform well for Japan’s Nippon TV, which has acquired the seventh season of “Murder Made Me Famous”. Finally, France’s RMC Story has picked up the last three series of CJZ’s enduring popular "Border Patrol," now in its 11th season.
“It’s fantastic to see so many hours of great television travelling around the world in spite of the many challenges that our industry is facing. We have addressed our clients’ priorities promptly and helped fill those scheduling gaps that everyone is so keen to plug with fresh ready-made content,” said Simona Argenti, Head of Sales at TCB Media Rights.