TANDEM COMMUNICATIONS AND VMMA ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE OUTPUT DEAL
TANDEM names VMMA its 4th output deal following those with Spain’s Cuatro, Slovakia’s TV JOJ and Romania’s ProTV
Munich, Germany / Brussels, Belgium (October 28, 2009) - VMMa, the leading independent broadcaster in Dutch-speaking Belgium, has inked an exclusive Free TV output deal with Munich-based TANDEM COMMUNICATIONS. The announcement was made by Luc Janssens, VMMa’s Head of Acquisitions and Bernhard Schwab, TANDEM’s Sales Director.
The multi-year deal covers the complete distribution slate of television movies and series produced and distributed by TANDEM, starting with TANDEM’s new Patricia Cornwell Franchise, now in post production and the newly-announced Event movie The Lost Future, as well as all new programming to be made or distributed by TANDEM over the next four years.
The broadcaster had already made the commitment to purchase TANDEM’s ground breaking eight-hour TV Event series, The Pillars of the Earth, based on the worldwide bestseller written by author Ken Follett.
„For the past few years it has become more and more obvious that TANDEM and VMMA have a similar perception of quality drama for a wide audience. We are extremely pleased this has resulted in a long term agreement between both companies, covering all content becoming available in the Belgian territory in the years to come,” says Luc Janssens of VMMa.
“The Dutch–speaking Belgian market leader VMMa has given TANDEM its vote of confidence with this deal,” says Bernhard Schwab. “TANDEM has several projects coming up including the TV Event series The Pillars of the Earth, starring Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen and Donald Sutherland, as well as the new Patricia Cornwell Franchise – comprising two movies: The Front and At Risk starring Andie MacDowell, Daniel Sunjata and Oscar® nominee Diahaan Carroll. With its very successful ratings track record on the programs already broadcast by VMMa, TANDEM looks forward to continuing and enhancing the partnership between our two companies.”
VMMa
Vlaamse Media Maatschappij (VMMa) is the leading independent broadcaster in Dutch speaking Belgium. The media company houses four TV stations, two radio stations, and production company Studio A and Paratel, a company specialized in interactive services.
Amongst its TV stations, VTM is the biggest channel with a family-based, broad audience. 2BE is its second channel for people in their 20s and 30s, with a solid reputation on bringing the best of America’s TV and movie products to Belgium. JIMtv is the young and interactive channel for the teen generation. vtmKzoom is VMMa’s brand new kids channel for children between two and 12 years old.
TANDEM COMMUNICATIONS
TANDEM@10
Located in Munich, Germany, TANDEM COMMUNICATIONS was started in 1999 by Rola Bauer and Tim Halkin. In 2007 Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company and in 2009, Malisa Scott became a partner and Chief Operating Officer. From the beginning, their strategy was to build a vertically-integrated media company whose core business is International production and worldwide distribution. From the Emmy® Award-winning Dune to the Emmy® nominated Dragons' World to the Golden Globe® nominated The Company to the Nora Roberts Franchise, TANDEM continues to identify and develop high-quality projects in a wide range of event programming.
TANDEM produced the DIVA Award-winning Ring of the Nibelungs and recently saw its new event movie, Lost City Raiders, starring James Brolin, Ian Somerhalder, Ben Cross and Jamie Thomas King, garner excellent ratings on the SCI FI Channel in the U.S. as well as in several key international territories. Impact, starring David James Elliott, Natasha Henstridge, Steven Culp and James Cromwell is currently premiering successfully on television channels worldwide.
In 2009, TANDEM launched its new genre label: ACTION PACK(ed), guaranteeing Event programming packed with action, adventure and fantasy. The first titles announced for the new label are TV movies The Lost Future and Treasure Guards, both set for production in 2010.
In April 2008, TANDEM successfully optioned the rights to The Pillars of the Earth from world-renowned author Ken Follett. Twenty years after its first publication and considered by most to be Follett’s masterpiece, The Pillars of the Earth went into production in June 2009 as a groundbreaking event series. The eight-hour series will be ready for delivery worldwide in the 2nd quarter of 2010 and is produced by TANDEM COMMUNICATIONS, Muse Entertainment, in association with Ridley Scott and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Films.
