Harbour Rights partners with Curiosity Stream to bring streamer’s docs to Asia
Ancient Engineering, part of the package of documentaries bought by Harbour Rights
An “overflow” of travel, food and lifestyle content in Asia is driving demand for high-end factual content, according to Teremoana Seguin, MD at Hong Kong-based distributor Harbour Rights, which has picked up a raft of programming from US-based factual streamer Curiosity Stream.
Seguin said Harbour Rights’ partnership with Curiosity Stream comes as the media landscape in Asia continues to change and the documentary market shows “renewed interest in high quality factual content to differentiate from the overflow of travel, food and lifestyle content.”
The strategic alliance with Curiosity Stream, launched by Discovery founder John Hendricks in 2015, is set to bring the streamer’s content to a broader audience across platforms, including TV and video-on-demand, in multiple territories across Asia.
“It’s an enrichment and diversification of Harbour Rights programme offering, which typically includes European and Asian TV documentaries. As many players in Asia are focusing on local production, the high value productions brought by Curiosity Stream are an easy pick for buyers who want to keep an edge,” said Seguin.
The Curiosity Stream slate covers a wide range of genres, including science, technology, history, nature, home, food, and culture.
The content has been produced by production companies such as Appian Way, Arrow Media, Big Media, Bigger Bang, Blink Films, Flight 33, Impossible Factual, Off the Fence, Ouragan Films, Roller Coaster Road Productions, Stephen David Entertainment, Terra Mater Factual Studios, WMR and ZED.
Titles include Ancient Engineering (20×60′), Besieged Fortresses: Battles of Legend (4×52′), Beyond the Spotlight (6×52′), Celts: The Untold Story (3×50′), Cracking the Code (8×50′), Deep Time History (3×50′), Engineering the Future (12×52′) and Living with Lions (1×60′).
Other titles include Planet Insect (3×52′), Royals: Keeping the Crown (6×52′), Sea Hunters (6×20′), Secrets of the Universe (8×52′), Speed (4×52′), The History of Food (5×30′), The History of Home: Narrated by Nick Offerman (3×60′), The Secrets to Civilization (3×52′), The Year That Rocked the World (5×52′), Underworld (5×60′) and Unearthed: Ancient Murder Mysteries (6×52′).
Ludo Dufour, VP of licensing at Curiosity Stream, said: “This partnership will allow our evergreen, globally appealing, and high-quality productions to connect with new audiences in Asia, advancing our mission to enlighten, entertain, and inspire viewers worldwide.”
Harbour Rights, part of French media group Ampersand, was established in Hong Kong in 2010. The company currently distributes catalogues from European and Asian producers with a focus on documentaries and factual content, with over 3,000 hours of programmes.
The company also serves as a point of access in Asia for broadcasters and media groups looking to explore the potential of the market through its local and regional connections.
