IMG Media, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, has signed a three-year deal with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to distribute programming of the organisation’s coveted award ceremonies.
The deal, which begins in June 2014, will see IMG Media sell coverage of BAFTA’s four main events, led by the prestigious British Academy Film Awards. The other events are the British Academy Television Awards, the British Academy Games Awards and the British Academy Children’s Awards.
IMG Media will also distribute other BAFTA productions from its vast catalogue of programming. This includes a wide range of exclusive career interviews and lectures from the world’s leading creative practitioners such as Woody Allen, Oliver Stone, David Lynch, Ang Lee, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Martin Scorsese, Ralph Fiennes, Charlize Theron, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dustin Hoffman and Sir Ben Kingsley.
Mark Young, SVP, Head of Entertainment Sales and Acquisitions Worldwide, IMG Media, said: “BAFTA has an outstanding reputation around the world and our role will be to expand the global reach and increase awareness of the different award programmes as well as helping to develop original content ideas that can help build BAFTA’s audience reach.
“We are the biggest player in the world in terms of distributing live sporting events, and we are growing our entertainment business and the BAFTA events are a welcome addition to this part of our portfolio.”
Kevin Price, Chief Operating Officer at BAFTA, said: “Our new partnership with IMG Media provides an important addition to the ways in which we share our programming with international audiences. Growing the international awareness of our brand, and what we do as a charity, has become an important focus for us; BAFTA represents excellence in film, television and games, celebrating the highest achievement at our annual awards ceremonies. I’m absolutely delighted that IMG Media is on board to promote that message by distributing our programming, and to help us build on our successes in the future.”
BAFTA is an independent charity that supports, promotes and develops the art forms of the moving image – film, television and games – by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round, international programme of learning events and initiatives that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York.
