FME has completed a huge number of sales throughout Asia across a range of genres from both FremantleMedia production teams and third party producers around the world. The deals were brokered by Haryaty Rahman, FME’s Director of Sales for Asia, who was appointed nine months ago to maximise sales of the global catalogue in key Asian regions. Filipino broadcasters were especially keen on FME titles acquiring more than 500 hours of programming. Solar Entertainment Group bought 100 hours of The Price is Right, the longest running game show in television history, and Creative Programs Inc took 140 hours of lifestyle staple The Martha Stewart Show. Newer FME titles were also a win, with sales of the new US reality show Work of Art: The Next Great Artist (10 x 1 hr) co-produced by Magical Elves and Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as Kell on Earth (8 x 1 hour), Is She Really Going Out With Him? (18 x 30 mins) and American Idol (40 hours). In Singapore, FME closed a major deal with MediaCorp who took almost 400 hours of programming for their family of channels including The Martha Stewart Show (Ch5), The Price is Right (Ch5), the recently launched epic factual title from UK prodco Wide Eyed Entertainment March of the Dinosaurs (1 x 2 hours, Okto), American Idol (Ch 5), Work of Art (Okto), and China’s Got Talent (12 hours, Channel U). Indonesian broadcasters took more than 200 hours of programming including March of the Dinosaurs, American Idol and global drama hit Merlin, which FME co-funds with UK broadcaster BBC One and producer Shine TV. The Martha Stewart Show also proved attractive to Brunei broadcaster RTB who acquired 90 hours and Malaysian media group Media Prima took a package of US entertainment titles including 44 hours of America’s Got Talent, 40 hours of American Idol and seven hours of She’s Got The Look. Media Prima also bought FME’s first kids title My Babysitter is a Vampire (13 x 30 mins) including the 1 x 1.5 hr made for TV movie of the same name, as well as Australian food titles Four Ingredients (6 x 30 mins) and Bill’s Holiday (7 x 30 mins). Thai broadcaster Cineplex bought a 284 hour package including the recently launched Oliver Stone documentary The Untold History of the United States (12 x 1 hour), March of the Dinosaurs (1 x 2 hour), Spike TV titles Deadliest Warrior (23 x 1 hour) and DEA (9 x 1 hour), and entertainment titles America’s Got Talent (44 hours), She’s Got The Look (7 x 1 hour), and The Apprentice (US) (13 x 1 hour). Taiwan’s Smart Channel took more than 50 hours of programming including 1,000 Ways To Die (12 x 30 mins), Pitchmen: From Gadgets to Glory (13 x 1 hour) and Cut In Half (2 x 1 hour) all produced by Original Productions, a part of the FremantleMedia Group. Broadcaster PTS bought Merlin (13 x 1 hour) as well as a pair of Nigel Marven titles, Panda Adventure with Nigel Marven (5 x 1 hour) and Penguin Adventure with Nigel Marven (1 x 1 hour). Finally, audiences in Vietnam will be entertained by Project Runway as broadcaster HTV bought 28 hours of the show. Rahman commented, “The FME catalogue has such a broad range of programmes from all over the world across factual, entertainment, comedy and drama, and there is truly something there for everyone. We have a lot of hours of returning series and franchises, which broadcasters like, as well as internationally known personalities and brands. The quality of our shows means that broadcasters can be confident in audience numbers.” Ganesh Rajaram, SVP Distribution & Home Entertainment Asia added, “There is a lot of opportunity in the Asian market and earlier this year we restructured our sales division to better take advantage of those opportunities. It’s been a very fruitful change for us and we’re looking forward to continuing and growing our relationship with Asian broadcasters.”