CANNES: The distribution arm of global production outfit FremantleMedia, Fremantle International Distribution (FID) managing director David Ellender announced at MipTV that it has secured a raft of global sales for Martha.
Martha (180 x 1 hour), the latest series from American lifestyle guru Martha Stewart and reality television producer Mark Burnett, has now been sold into 10 territories worldwide, with more on the cards.
Ellender said, "We are delighted to have acquired such a high profile and keenly-awaited daytime series from the cream of US television talent. These strong initial sales for Martha further confirm our reputation and standing as the leading independent distributor of US originated reality and lifestyle programming."
FID's sales team has brokered a number of deals which has seen the informative and educational new daytime chat show licensed to IBC Channel 2, Iceland; Good Life Channel, Israel; KTN Baraza, Kenya as well as TV4 and TV4 plus, Sweden, SIC Mulher, Portugal and Canal Plus, Poland.
The Martha momentum is building, with the popular series also going to New Zealand free-to-air channel Television New Zealand (TVNZ) and pay TV's The Living Channel. ABS-CBN in the Philippines; Kablevision, Indonesia and ONIMedia, Korea have also picked up Martha.
A new recipe for daytime success, Martha shows Martha Stewart as we know and love her - and as we've never seen her before. The daily one-hour programme offers a new and different format for daytime TV. Combining Martha's signature sense of humour with her love of people and projects, the show presents inspiring ideas from cooking and entertaining, to decorating, and home renovating, states an official release.
Launched in September 2005 in the US on NBC, Martha is shot in front of a live studio audience and features a variety of celebrity guests joining Martha, fast becoming the doyenne of daytime, in her culinary and domestic activities.
FID also holds the worldwide distribution rights to Martha excluding North America (US and Canada), Japan, Australia, and the Arabic-speaking Middle East. As part of the deal, the company has also acquired the Martha Stewart Living Television back catalogue for international distribution.
