National Geographic Channels Worldwide Secures Global Rights to Hit Wildlife Programming

National Geographic Channels Worldwide, the dedicated documentary network with channels in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Finland, and Australia, announced that it has contracted long-term licensing agreements with HIT Entertainment, giving NGCW hundreds of hours of programming from HIT’s natural history catalog in a multiterritorial deal.

In making the announcement, Sandy McGovern, president of National Geographic Channels Worldwide, remarked, “This represents the first major licensing agreement for NGCW since it was launched last year. We were attracted to HIT Entertainment, because it includes programming from some of the top independent natural history producers and production companies. HIT offers the level of quality programming we are seeking in both production and entertainment value.”

Charles Caminada, HIT director of sales, who negotiated the deal said, “We are delighted to be working with National Geographic and to have been able to contract so much quality wildlife programming in this excellent deal. This is great news for our producers and for HIT itself. National Geographic represents the very best in natural history programming and we look forward to growing our relationship with them, especially through HIT Wildlife, our natural history production division.”

According to the terms of the agreement, HIT Entertainment will supply National Geographic Channels Worldwide with programming, 50 percent of which is premiere, in territories around the world. Among the titles included in this arrangement are “A Passion for Angling,” “Okavango Magic,” “Australia’s Wild Secrets,” “Secrets of the Pharaohs,” “Seal Song,” and many other classic titles.

In a separate licensing agreement, HIT is also supplying National Geographic Channels Worldwide with programming from the classic Partridge Films collection. This material includes such acclaimed titles as “Cheetahs: Blood Brothers,” “Secrets of the Snow Geese,” and “Monkeys in the Mist.”

HIT Entertainment is one of Europe’s leading distributors and producers of family-oriented programming. The company expanded its activities to include natural history in 1995. In addition to the large natural history program catalogue, the company has produced over 170 half hours and currently has over 130 half hours and 4 full hours in development or in production through HIT Wildlife, the natural history production division. This division is run by Carl Hall, director of factual programming.

National Geographic Channels Worldwide launched September 1, 1997, in the UK, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland, and later that month in Scandinavia and Finland, representing National Geographic’s first branded television channels. In addition to the highly acclaimed National Geographic television product, the channels’ program schedule showcases high caliber documentaries from other distinguished filmmakers and production/distribution companies from around the world, focusing on such topics as natural history, adventure, science, exploration, and culture. National Geographic Channels Worldwide is a business enterprise formed by NBC and NGT.