Artisan Home Entertainment has signed a four-year contract with Discovery Networks to distribute on video in the U.S. all of the company’s branded programming.
Deal bolsters Artisan’s library, which already includes more than 6,300 titles comprising Vestron, Republic Pictures, Hallmark and the extensive Live Entertainment library.
Artisan will have access to 250 titles culled from such Discovery Network channels as the Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel and Animal Planet. Among the titles Artisan will distribute are TLC’s “War and Civilization,” the Discovery Channel’s “Cleopatra’s Palace” and the Animal Planet’s “Crocodile Hunter.”
Said Artisan prexy Amir Malin: “This deal with Discovery continues two central points of our business plan: to build up our library and to establish brands in the marketplace. It’s one more brand we are able to sell in the marketplace, one more niche.”
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Michela English, prexy of Discovery Enterprises Worldwide, said: “We’ve been impressed with Artisan’s marketing creativity and extensive retail distribution channels. We look forward to working with Artisan to expand our presence significantly in the U.S. market.”
Steve Beeks, prexy of Artisan Home Entertainment, and Glenn Ross, executive veep, negotiated Artisan’s deal; Paul Payette, director of domestic licensing for Discovery Channel Video, handled Discovery’s end of the pact.