PBS tracks down Lion output

PBS Nova’s Emperor’s Ghost Army from Lion TV

MIPTV: US public television network PBS has struck an output deal with UK prodco Lion Television to feed its flagship documentary strand Nova.

The new deal, which expands on an existing coproduction relationship between the two, will see All3Media-owned Lion initially develop and produce three archaeology-based documentaries for the strand, with more projects in the pipeline.

The first two films are Building Secrets of the Forbidden City, about the restoration of the Imperial Palace in Beijing, coproduced with China’s CICC; and Secrets of the Chinese Chariots, which replicates and tests ancient Chinese chariots recently discovered by archaeologists.

Lion Television’s most recent films for PBS Nova include Emperor’s Ghost Army and Arctic Ghost Ship, the latter with Channel 4 and Arte onboard as coproduction partners.

PBS Nova features programming about science and engineering, medicine, ancient history and archaeology and seeks to explore big issues such as how our ancestors lived, whether parallel universes exist or how technology will transform our lives. Shows range from full-length documentaries to shortform digital and social media.

Lion Television MD Richard Bradley described Nova as one of broadcasting’s “most trusted and prestigious” documentary strands. “We’ve already built a great partnership and are looking forward to working together to bring more exciting and revelatory stories to a worldwide audience,” he said.

All programmes under the current agreement will be distributed by All3Media International.