Factual

Fred Media, Australia’s  independent distributor, is heading to MIPTV with a slate, of new and returning series from popular genres, including factual, reality, lifestyle, food and travel. In total, Fred Media will launch almost 130 hours at the market, making this its largest-ever MIPTV slate.

Recently acquired from The Africa Channel, African Royale (6 x 30) leads the new reality titles. The series follows Her Imperial Highness Abimbola “Bim” Fernandez, a wealthy heiress with Nigerian royal lineage, as she flees New York for Los Angeles, where she encounters toxic beauty standards, an unfamiliar dating scene and the culture of today’s Black America – all while attempting to honour her family’s legacy. Snow Crew (10 x 30), produced by Stripe Media, follows the lives of the people who work on the ski slopes in Queenstown, New Zealand’s most iconic winter playground. The final new reality title is East Coast Rising (4 x 30), produced by Pango Productions, and follows a rugby team in a small, isolated community in New Zealand that hasn’t won a single game in eight years. Can a new coach, ex All Black Hosea Gear, turn the team’s fortunes around and make the locals proud?

First on Scene (20 x 30), produced by WTFN Entertainment, leads the new factual titles. It uses expert commentary and clever storytelling to unpack heart-stopping and raw moments caught on film by video journalists in Los Angeles – news reporters who were the first on scene at anything from highway chases and plane crashes to massive blazes and animals on the loose. Planet Shapers (6 x 30), produced by Meridian Green, follows presenters Laura Wells and Jo Taranto as they travel across Australia to discover fascinating sustainability stories about people who are innovating, adapting, and changing the way we live and work.

New food titles include 4 Ingredients: The Easiest Cooking Show Ever (6 x 30) from Wild Bunch Media, where the focus is on simple and delicious home-cooked family meals created by best-selling cookery book author Kim McCosker; Big Appetite (5 x 30), acquired from Tastemade, which follows streetwear icon and food festival pioneer Ben Hundreds as he searches for restaurants creating one-of-a-kind experiences by curating unique concepts through their food and design; and The Curious Chef (5 x 30), also from Tastemade, which follows Stephanie Izard as she finds new inspiration from visiting fellow chefs in their kitchens.

The two new lifestyle titles are Weekend Refresh (6x30) from Tastemade, which sees Tia Mowry help homeowners transform sad spaces into rooms they will love - all over the course of one weekend and Carlos’ Reno Rescue (8 x 30), produced by Pango Productions, which tracks renowned All Blacks Rugby star Carlos Spencer as he undertakes renovation projects for deserving New Zealanders.

The final new title is travel show Piri’s Tiki Tour (63 x 30), also produced by Pango Productions. It follows former professional rugby player and All Blacks star Piri Weepu as he indulges in his new-found passions – diving, hunting and fishing - in incredible locations around Aotearoa.

Finally, returning series new for MIPTV are Space Invaders S3 (10 x 60), Code 1: Minute By Minute S2 (7 x 60 & 1 x 90), Emergency S3 (10 x 60), Paramedics S4 (10 x 60) and Bondi Vet S12 (10 x 60 – all produced by WTFN. There is also a third season series of The Circus (10 x 30) from Stripe Media and a second season of Never Too Small (12 x 30), produced by New Mac.

Courtney Hicks, Fred Media’s acquisitions manager, comments: “As an independent and boutique distributor, we know that size isn’t everything – however, we are certainly proud to be delivering both quality and quantity for this year’s MIPTV slate. Our new programming, from parent company WTFN Entertainment, existing partners such as Stripe Media, Tastemade and The Africa Channel, plus new production partners such as Pango Productions, Wild Bunch Media or Meridian Green, ensures we can offer content buyers a greater choice than ever before, especially in those genres for which we are best known, such as reality, factual, lifestyle and food.”