BBC Worldwide Showcases in Rio

Annual event sells programming to L. America

By MARCELO CAJUEIRO

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Beeb's international distrib arm BBC Worldwide announced programming sales to Hallmark, U.S.-Hispanic Galavision, Canal 11 from Mexico, Canal 11 from Honduras, Tele Doce from Uruguay and Teletica from Costa Rica during its fourth Showcase Latin America.

The event, held in a Copacabana Beach-front hotel in Rio Sept. 16-18, gathered about 200 buyers from the Latin American and U.S.-Hispanic TV sectors.

Hallmark Latin America bought a package of drama series, including "Robin Hood," "Bleak House," "Hannibal," "Crime & Punishment" and "David Copperfield."

Paybox Galavision bought 28 titles of natural history doc series including "Wild South America," "Wild India," "Great Natural Wonders of the World," "Shark Encounters," "Wild Africa" and "Tiger's Fortress."

Tele Doce, Teletica, Canal 11 in Mexico and Honduras bought "Planet Earth." The 11-episode doc series is BBC's best-selling natural history series in Latin America. Some eight local nets, including Brazil's TV Globo, have purchased the show's rights in the region since last year, according to BBCW.

Regional VP of BBC Latin America Jose Sanchez says BBC Showcase Latin America played a key role in boosting the company's business in the region. "We estimate the showcase was responsible for more than a half of our sales expansion last year. It is amazing how the event has grown."

He says the showcase is Latin America's only TV market hosted by a single distributor. The first event took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before moving to Rio.

Brazil's top nets TV Globo, TV Record, SBT and TV Bandeirantes, Argentina's Artear and Telefe and Mexico's Televisa and TV Azteca attended the event this year.