Aussie indie WTFN promotes Michael McDermott to head of development

Australia’s WTFN has promoted Michael McDermott to the newly created role of head of development, as the prodco looks to build its pipeline of concepts internationally for traditional television and the multi-platform content market.

Michael McDermott

The promotion comes as Nine commissions a new WTFN factual series called Police Australia, which was developed and cast by McDermott.

McDermott joined WTFN in 2020 as a development researcher, following the completion of a PhD in media and diversity studies, and has since risen through the company’s development team.

He has helped develop projects spanning true crime, lifestyle, factual entertainment and observational documentary and produced on WTFN titles including The Hunters and Healthy, Wealthy & Wise.

In his new role, McDermott will lead development at WTFN and will also work closely with businesses across the wider WTFN Group, including digital content company Radar, to explore how ideas and IP can be developed for different platforms and audiences.

Steve Oemcke, co-founder and chief creative officer at WTFN, says: “Michael is a hugely impressive creative and we’re delighted to promote him into this pivotal new role. He watches more television than anyone I’ve ever met, has a genuine fascination with audience behaviour and combines that with a razor-sharp analytical mind that makes him look at ideas from a different angle.”

McDermott said: “The way audiences discover and consume content is changing rapidly, and that creates a real opportunity for us creatively. I want us to be ambitious about the ideas we develop, but also forensic about who they are for, why they will connect and where they can live.”