Documentary
GRB Media Ranch closes licensing deal with Foxtel Group
Mumbai: GRB Media Ranch co-principals, Gary R. Benz and Sophie Ferron announced that they closed a licensing deal for one of its top selling true-crime series, On the Case with Foxtel Group in Australia. The deal was brokered by GRB Media Ranch APAC sales rep Torquil Macneal.
Foxtel Group acquired Season 11 of On the Case which has aired all 10 previous seasons since 2012. The long-standing series has been distributed into 185 territories. Season 11 is set to air in the first quarter of 2024.
On the Case explores intriguing real-life murder mysteries through in-depth interviews with those closest to the case and examines the forensic evidence that helped unravel the mystery. First-person accounts from witnesses and suspects reveal the raw emotions left behind from personal tragedies and the motives of the perpetrators. (Produced for Discovery Networks.)
CEO Gary R. Benz stated: “GRB Media Ranch is thrilled to bring another season of our top investigative series On the Case to Foxtel who have taken multiple seasons, receiving great audience feedback. On the Case has proven extremely successful around the world, being licensed into so many territories, and this latest season has even more exciting cases to present.”
Foxtel Group GM factual Jim Buchan said, “Foxtel Group viewers have been enthralled by several seasons of On the Case and we are pleased to bring yet another fantastic season to them. The series keeps getting better and the fans are craving more of this premium series.”
Documentary
Netflix and Warner Music ink landmark documentary deal
The streaming giant has just unlocked one of the richest vaults in music history. Its rivals should be worried
CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK: Netflix and Warner Music Group have signed an exclusive multi-year deal to produce documentary series and films drawn from the label’s storied artist roster, the companies announced on Friday — a move that hands the streaming platform access to one of the most formidable catalogues in music history.
Warner Music Group represents legends including David Bowie, Cher, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin and Joni Mitchell, alongside contemporary superstars such as Charli XCX, Coldplay and Bruno Mars. That is a staggering breadth of material for a platform hungry for prestige content and subscriber growth to match.
Under the agreement, Warner Music will work with Unigram, the production company aligned with the label, which will serve as the studio for its long-form projects. Each title will be developed in collaboration with the artists themselves or their estates, ensuring the kind of intimate access that turns a documentary into an event.
The deal reflects an intensifying race between music-rights owners and streaming platforms eager to turn deep catalogues into premium visual content. Music documentaries have become a vehicle for fan-driven, culturally resonant programming — a trend underscored by Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” film, which grossed over $260 million globally and reminded every platform chief just how lucrative the genre can be.
Netflix already boasts formidable credentials in music storytelling, with “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” and “Quincy” among its highest-profile releases. The Warner deal sharpens that edge considerably. Rival platforms have not been idle: Disney+ has released “The Beach Boys”, while Max has drawn attention with “Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.” Apple Music, meanwhile, has pushed into original content through its Apple Music Live series, producing documentaries and livestreamed concerts featuring Harry Styles and Billie Eilish.
The battle for music’s visual soul, then, is well and truly on. Netflix has just made its boldest move yet.
