STV Group PLC STV PRODUCTIONS AND PRIMAL MEDIA AGREE PARTNERSHIP

TIDMSTVG

STV Group PLC

05 February 2019

   PRESS RELEASE                 PRESS RELEASE                 PRESS RELEASE 

STV PRODUCTIONS AND PRIMAL MEDIA AGREE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO PRODUCE SHOWS IN SCOTLAND

5 February 2019

STV Productions and Primal Media have announced a two year strategic co-production deal, which will see the two companies working together to pitch large-scale entertainment formats as production partners. The partners will develop formats to target UK and international networks, with the aim that production of the shows is based in Scotland.

The creative production partnership forms part of STV's ambitious plans to grow STV Productions into a world-class production company, focusing on developing returning series for terrestrial and digital players and serving the growing demand for quality programming from the nations and regions.

Innovative content producer Primal Media, which is majority owned by Lionsgate, was founded in 2016 by Mat Steiner and Adam Wood, and is behind a range of big entertainment shows including Carnage for Sky One, Rose D'Or winning Bigheads for ITV and RTS Award winning Release The Hounds for ITV2.

Primal Media is a joint venture with Lionsgate, who will be first in line to distribute any new formats that emerge from the partnership.

David Mortimer, Managing Director of STV Productions, said: "I'm so excited that we are teaming up with Primal Media. Adam and Mat are two of the most talented entertainment producers in the business, so I know we will do great things together."

Gary Chippington, Head of Entertainment at STV Productions, said: "We're delighted to be partnering with one of the most creative companies in the business."

Adam Wood, Managing Director of Primal Media, said: "Every ambitious indie these days must have the option to produce in Scotland - if not, too many precious format slots will be out of reach. STV, with their scale, entrepreneurial leadership and deep-rooted Scottish production expertise, feel like the perfect partners, and we look forward to sharing ideas with David, Gary and their team."

Last week STV Productions announced that its drama team has secured television rights to two debut novels by Scottish authors. Best-seller Maggie & Me, by writer and columnist Damian Barr, and Fishnet, by award-winning journalist Kirsten Innes, have both been optioned and will be developed by Head of Drama Development, Claire Armspach and Head of Drama, Sarah Brown.

Ends

For further information, please contact the STV press office:

Anna Hendry

0141 300 3830

[e-mail]

Katie Martin

0141 3003109

[e-mail]

Notes to editors

STV Productions

STV Productions is one of the UK's leading content businesses with ambitious plans for domestic and international growth.

The company, led by award-winning executive David Mortimer, has a record of success across a range of genres, including drama, entertainment and factual, for a wide range of broadcasters. Eighteen series of ratings winner Antiques Road Trip have been produced for the BBC, along with eight series of sister programme Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.

In entertainment, the company has produced seven series of Catchphrase for ITV, game shows And They're Off...for Sport Relief for BBC One and Babushka for ITV Daytime, as well as The Dressing Room for UKTV's entertainment channel W.

STV Productions has a track record of producing quality drama, with four part thriller The Victim - starring Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah - transmitting later this year on BBC One. STV Productions has also confirmed a second BBC drama commission - Elizabeth is Missing, adapted from Emma Healey's novel. Previous drama productions include Taggart and Rebus for ITV.

Highlights among Factual series and specials include Britain's Polar Bear Cub for Channel 4, two series of Prison: First & Last 24 Hours for Sky1, Ross Kemp Behind Bars - Inside Barlinnie for ITV, Scotland and the Battle for Britain presented by Andrew Marr for BBC Two, Fire in the Night, an award winning feature documentary to mark the 25(th) anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster, Tutankhamun: The Truth Uncovered for BBC1, Smithsonian Channel and Discovery Canada, as well as documentary series Yes/No - Inside The Indyref and Inside Central Station for the soon-to-be-launched BBC Scotland channel.

STV Productions works with a number of leading international sales agents that distribute its programmes and formats outside the UK. The company's partnership with Sky Vision covers international distribution of STV Productions' unscripted catalogue as well as a global distribution deal for forthcoming BBC drama, The Victim.

About Primal Media

Primal Media was founded in 2016 by Adam Wood and Mat Steiner, in partnership with Lionsgate. Original commissions include Carnage for Sky One, Rose D'Or winning Bigheads for ITV, RTS award winning Release The Hounds for ITV2, The Code for BBC1 and The Wave for W.

Before setting up Primal, Adam and Mat founded and ran Gogglebox Entertainment, and held senior positions at companies including Lion Television, Endemol and Planet 24. They are two of the UK's most prolific and innovative format creators, responsible for award-winning shows including Cash Cab (over 5000 episodes worldwide), Who's Who? (over 4,000 episodes), Playing It Straight (Channel 4), Move Like Michael Jackson (BBC3), Man v Fly (GSN), The Exit List (ITV), Singing In The Rainforest (W), Gerry's Big Decision (Channel 4) and To Catch A Thief (BBC1).

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

END

NRASSSFEIFUSEDE

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 05, 2019 07:31 ET (12:31 GMT)