People

Fred Media, Australia’s leading independent content distributor, announced major changes to its team. Longstanding sales manager Jimmy Elkington has been promoted to the new position of Head of Sales. At the same time, former General Manager Roger Vanderspikken takes the reins of the company’s ‘Total Distribution’ strategy, widening his remit as the newly appointed Head of Operations and Acquisitions across both Fred Media and its rapidly growing WTFN Group sister company Radar MCN.

Elkington, with the business since 2018, will now oversee and drive the program sales strategy for Fred Media, retaining responsibility for selling directly into Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Israel and the Inflight market.

Vanderspikken, who has been with Fred Media for over a decade in various leadership roles, will now use his international network, operational skills, and wide-ranging rights exploitation expertise to double down on a major third-party acquisition drive. For producers and other IP holders, the company’s ‘Total Distribution’ solution ensures every right for any content is maximised across every available platform, with no value left languishing on the shelf. Significantly, with Roger now sitting across Fred Media and digital business Radar, the company can provide more streamlined, end-to-end content management for its partners.

Derek Dyson, Chief Commercial Officer at Fred Media’s parent company, WTFN, comments: “Both Jimmy and Roger have made significant contributions to the evolving Fred Media and broader WTFN Group businesses, so I am excited that these new roles will see them both driving us forward at a time of great change in the industry.”

Jimmy Elkington says: “I am honoured to be Fred’s first Head of Sales and look forward to growing our business further by working more closely with the Fred Media team and, through Roger, with digital business Radar. Our new roles will help us better cross-capitalise on opportunities, ensuring that the content we represent is seen on the right platforms and by as many people as possible, all the while maximising returns to those local and international IP holders who trust us with their creative output.”

Roger Vanderspikken adds: “Having seen the impact of Total Distribution on our own WTFN brands such as Bondi Vet – which Fred sells to numerous international broadcasters and Radar has introduced to millions of people across various AVOD, FAST and other digital channels, including YouTube, I am excited to now take this exciting proposition – and its obvious benefits – to third-party producers and IP holders around the globe.”

Fred Media is also pleased to announce a raft of new factual program deals with international broadcasters:

Close to home, Foxtel in Australia has picked up S12 of Bondi Vet (10 x 60) and S4 of Paramedics (10 x 60) for its Real Life channel, while TVNZ has acquired S4 and S5 of Emergency (20 x 60) and S5 of Paramedics (13 x 60).

In Europe, More4 in the UK adds S2 and S5 of Emergency (20 x 60) – renamed by the channel as The Emergency Ward - for a complete set of the dramatic ob-doc title set in one of Australia’s busiest hospitals, The Royal Melbourne, while StudioMed TV in Poland has acquired Emergency S2, Bondi Vet S10 and Lee Chan’s World Food Tour (13 x 30). Meanwhile, the hard-hitting prison series Australia Behind Bars (8 x 60) has been licensed by Viasat World for Scandinavia, CIS, CEE and the Baltics.

In Canada, Blue Ant has acquired S1 of the lifestyle show Space Invaders (10 x 60) for its Cottage Life channel, while Quebecor Content has licensed S2 of Code 1: Minute By Minute (7 x 60).

Finally, in Asia, Thailand’s True Corp has acquired Emergency S4 (10 x 60), Paramedics S5 (13 x 60), Bondi Vet S13 (10 x 60) and S2 of Code 1: Minute By Minute (7 x 60).

Jimmy Elkington concludes: “Fred Media’s impressive factual titles, many produced by sister company WTFN, continue to be in demand from broadcasters around the globe looking for engaging content with incredible access, big characters and powerful stories. We are proud to represent several well-established global factual brands and are always delighted to see so many of our clients return to acquire the latest seasons of our big hitters such as Bondi Vet, Paramedics and Emergency.”