Washington, D.C. October 5, 1998

Following last April’s announcement of a joint venture production and distribution agreement, Carlton Television and National Geographic Television (NGT) have announced the first series in development in their slate of several hundred hours of factual programming for National Geographic Channels Worldwide. The new programming will also be available for international distribution.

The announcement was made by the joint venture’s Editorial Board, co-chairs Paul Cleary, Head of Documentaries at Carlton Television, and Keenan Smart, Head of the Natural History Unit at NGT.

Among the projects currently in development are:

* THE ELEPHANT THAT THINKS IT’S A BUFFALO: This heartwarming one-hour special explores the unusual relationship between an orphaned elephant and the buffalo family that adopted her. Following the animals’ daily routine, viewers will be amazed by the unpredictable changes in each animal’s natural behavior. Produced by Green Umbrella.

* WILDSEX: A new series of four one-hours that reveals what animals are really looking for in the tense negotiations better known as courtship, mating, and bringing up babies. We meet organisms from slime molds to slimeballs of our own species to discover that males and females, parents and offspring, all have our own agendas. Produced by Rubin Tarrant Productions.

* CALL OF THE WILD: A series of four one-hour films that will reveal the world of animal communication. Exploring each of the senses audiences will eavesdrop on the hidden lives of creatures, some familiar , some strange to discover what’s worth talking about. Produced by Rubin Tarrant Productions.

* BACK TO THE WILD: Profiling the very personal stories of captive animals being rehabilitated or re-introduced to the wild, the 12 one-hour episodes of the series also explore the wider conservation and humanitarian issues that arise from release programs. Produced by Andrea Florence Productions.

* WILDLIFE RESCUE INTERNATIONAL: This 12 one-hour episode series chronicles the stories of individual animals and the people working to save them. Each episode follows the real-life events of the rescue, where wild animals and their rescuers find themselves in dramatic and captivating one-on-one situations. Produced by Imago Productions.

* WORKING DOGS: Exploring the unique relationship between humans and canines, this 13 half-hour episode series travels the world to tell the tales of working dogs and their owners. Produced by Bernadette Boss and Goldhawk Media Productions.

“These programs are not only unique in their stories and the telling of them, but represent the combined efforts of the world’s most respected documentary production company, National Geographic Television, and the leading commercial broadcaster in the UK,” said Paul Cleary. “That sets a fairly high standard for production, a standard these programs not only meet, but surpass.”

Keenan Smart of NGT added: “Collaborating with Carlton and the incredibly talented individuals that are producing these programs has been a very rewarding experience for us. We are very excited about these initial projects in our joint venture, and look forward to moving into production on these and other compelling stories and anticipating great results as we continue to grow in our relationship.”

Financed by a joint program development fund, the distribution of the programs will be shared by Carlton Television and Explore International; and, the programs will air both terrestrially and on the National Geographic Channels.

Carlton International Media Ltd. is now the largest distributor of classic British films and the leading sales house for British television programs outside of the BBC. With a catalogue of over 9,000 hours of programming, including 1500 classic movies, it is the distributor for Carlton Television, ITN Productions, and Meridian Broadcasting, as well as for several leading UK independent producers.

Carlton Television is the largest commercial terrestrial broadcaster in the UK, reaching over 22 million people. The broadcaster invests U.S. $250 million per year in programming.

National Geographic Channels Worldwide in partnership with BSkyB launched the National Geographic Channel in September 1997 in the UK, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Scandinavia, and Finland. 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.

Building on its reputation for remarkably visual and compelling stories, National Geographic Television augments its award-winning documentary production with new children’s, prime-time drama, large-format and feature film programming, as well as international broadcast and video distribution. At present, NGT’s programming can be seen in the US on the NBC, TBS, and PBS networks as well as through syndication and home video, and through more than 100 different outlets in some 90 territories currently licensing NGT programming.

Contacts:

FOR NGT:
Kathie Teter/NGT
Tel: +1 202 857 7671

Jeff Pryor/Pryor & Associates
Tel: +1 818 382 2233

FOR CARLTON:
Mark Gray/Carlton
+ 44 171 612 7351