Monday, October 29, 2012

BREAKING. Another brand-new TV drama is coming to South Africa soon; oh, it's also going to be on Fox on TopTV exclusively.


Yet another brand-new, big-buzz, upcoming international TV drama will be coming to South African TV viewers and Fox International Channels (FIC) has secured the broadcasting rights of the new crime drama Jo for Fox on TopTV on South Africa.

No-one in South Africa will say it, but I will: By getting, exclusively, and for first-run showing (and continuing with seasons of) The Walking Dead, Falling Skies, Copper, The Listener, Archer and several other shows, FIC Africa and Fox International Channels has become the strongest, most distinct competition to M-Net within the pay-TV programming area that South Africa's TV industry has seen in over two decades.

Suddenly pay-TV viewers are no longer 100% guaranteed that the very best TV shows will all be available on just one pay-TV platform within South Africa. And from a consumer point of view that's actually a good thing.

With Fox' flagship channel Fox Entertainment and FX both only aviailable on TopTV, those two channels alone are already making TopTV's offering much more appealing. These two channels programmed by FIC are consistently delivering to TopTV subscribers quality TV dramas and comedies - and also incredibly fast after episodes are shown in America and elsewhere in the world. That makes both these channels not just strong content delivery conduits but also now strong and sought-after TV channels.

FIC has now also acquired the first-run pay-TV rights to Jo with Jean Jeno which will roll out the show in more than 120 territories including South Africa. Jo is produced by Atlantique Productions and sold by Red Arrow International. Production started in July.

The upcoming Jo is about a veteran detective in Paris' elite Criminal Brigade who stops at nothing to solve the most challenging murder cases.

''We are delighted to be partnering with Red Arrow International on this prestigious new series," says Jason Simms, the senior vice president of global acquisitions at FIC. "The combination of Jean Reno's irresistible presence, Rene Balcer's distinctive storytelling and the splendor of Paris will make this a must-watch addition to our schedules from Seoul to Santiago."

"The pick-up by Fox International Channels reflects the strong global appeal of the series," says Axel Bohm, the director of fiction acquisition at Red Arrow International. "Now viewers from Europe to Asia, Africa and South America can watch Jean Reno in his new role as elite cop Jo hunting down killers in Paris."