Janson Media Acquires 500 Hours of Content from Australian Producer Switch International

Today at MIPCOM 2013, in Cannes, France, Janson Media announced the closing of its acquisition of over 500 hours of content from Australian production and distribution company Switch International. The rights acquired by Janson Media primarily encompass digital rights in North America. Among the 54 television series covered by the agreement are Switch International's successful titles in the lifestyle, science and technology, fashion, sports, war history and aviation genres.

The agreement also includes physical DVD distribution rights in the United States and Canada to the Switch collection Unauthorized Stories, which includes biographies of such celebrities as Elvis Presley, Madonna, Nelson Mandela, Clint Eastwood, Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Richard Branson, Heath Ledger, and Tiger Woods. Rock and roll band documentary portraits in the deal include Rolling Stones: Rock of Ages, The Beatles: Parting Ways, and U2: A Rock Crusade.

The deal was negotiated by Jesse Janson of Janson Media and Sophie Miller of Switch International.

&'We have been familiar with Switch International for the many years they were building their library under the name Worldwide Entertainment,&' said Jesse Janson, Director of Acquisitions and Digital Media at Janson Media. &'We have been looking for a large library to feed our digital pipeline, and are very happy to have finalized an agreement with Switch after about six months of discussions.'

&'We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with Janson Media and are thrilled to have finalized our first agreement. We know our content fits extremely well into the rapidly expanding digital market,&' said Sophie Miller, International Business Manager handling Switch International's North American markets.

Janson plans to roll out the series content onto digital platforms in the United States starting in the fourth quarter of this year. DVD releases will commence in the 1st quarter of 2014.

ABOUT JANSON MEDIA Established in 1989, Janson Media is an independent media company based in the United States, specializing in film, television and video production and distribution. The company has licensed content to virtually every country in the world, and its clients include nearly every major broadcaster or media company, and a wide range of home-entertainment labels, distributors and new media platforms. Janson Media"s Rights Portfolio features over 1,500 hours of exclusive programming available for licensing worldwide. The company"s DVD & Digital Catalog publishes and manufactures DVDs and digital media, distributing directly through its global network of wholesalers, sub-distributors, and direct mail accounts, into a marketplace that ultimately includes 15,000+ public libraries, and 25,000+ retailers. The company is a content partner with such major digital platforms as YouTube, iTunes, HULU, Amazon, and VUDU. As a development company, Janson Media is focused on the creation of original documentary programming for broadcasters worldwide. The company has produced or executive-produced over 30 television specials or series, working with such broadcasters as PBS, National Geographic, Discovery, Bravo, Lifetime, TNT, and A&E.ABOUT SWITCH INTERNATIONAL Switch International is a leading force in global distribution of factual programming for both traditional and new media platforms including broadcast, web, in-flight, IPTV, VOD, mobile, DVD, digital signage and educational. Based in Geelong, Australia, the Switch team of fun, genuine, dedicated individuals offers outstanding client service, which has become a hallmark of the company. The firm's extensive catalogue coves a wide range of genres and formats. Company representatives attend such international markets as MIPTV, MIPCOM, DISCOP, NAPTE, ATF, WAEA, Teleshow, and the World Content Market.