DRG cooks up Roast Beef pact

International distributor Digital Rights Group (DRG) has signed a first-look and development agreement with UK factual indie Roast Beef Productions.

The deal will see DRG feeding back from the international market to Roast Beef, which will then create new shows based on that information. DRG will in turn hold the international distribution rights for the shows.

The pact follows a partnership between the two companies that began in 2008. DRG now distributes Roast Beef programmes such as Afghan Star, which has sold into 55 territories including the US and France, and Vote Afghanistan, about the fight for the presidency in the war-torn state.

Roast Beef was set up in 2007 by executive team Ian Wright, Martin Herring and Mike Lerner and has since produced documentary and factual fare for broadcasters such as Channel 4 in the UK, and US networks Travel Channel and Discovery.