Tinopolis Group Acquires Pioneer Productions

One of the UK's leading independent media producers, the Tinopolis Group, has announced that it has bought multi award-winning factual programming specialist Pioneer Productions.
The acquisition will mean that Pioneer will join Tinopolis' current portfolio of production companies, which includes other acclaimed UK production companies such as Mentorn Meida, Folio, Daybreak Pictures, Fiction Factory, POP 1 and Sunset + Vine - a leading supplier of sports programming to broadcasters around the world.
The addition of Pioneer's expertise in making award-winning factual programming for both domestic and international markets - especially for the US market - will significantly strengthen Tinopolis' factual output, and will enable it to become a market leader in factual content as part of a continuing growth strategy.
Key to the acquisition is Pioneer's worldwide reputation as a leading producer across science, history, drama-documentary, adventure and lifestyle programming. With a sharply growing annual output, Pioneer is counted as one of the top influential production companies working in non-fiction television across the globe.
The deal will mean that Pioneer, already a strong and successful indie in its own right, will now become part of Tinopolis' community of diverse production companies. Being a member of this community will allow Pioneer to build on its success, giving it the opportunity to grow and expand in the future.
Pioneer will retain its name and will continue to deliver on its core business. Stuart Carter will remain as MD, and the management of Pioneer will continue to run the company, with Jeremy Dear as Head of Development, Kirstie McLure as Head of Production and Peter Dunkerley as Head of Finance.
Pioneer's portfolio of programming includes the Emmy-award winning series How the Earth was Made (History US), Journey to the Edge of the Universe (NGC US/Discovery Canada) and Catastrophe (C4).
Pioneer recently announce the commission of The Bible - A History (C4), the follow-up to the high-rating landmark series Christianity: A History (C4), which was fronted by some of the UK's top cultural and political figures. These titles have built on the past success of shows such as the Banff 'science film' award-winning Animals In the Womb and Multiples in the Womb (both NGC US/Channel 4).
Arwel Rees, MD of Tinopolis Group, said: "We are delighted with the acquisition of such a successful and well-run business, with excellent creative leadership and talent. Pioneer's programmes attract enormous international recognition with most of their commissions coming from foreign broadcasters, key for any growing indie."
Stuart Carter, Managing Directir of Pioneer Productions, added: "This is an exciting opportunity for us, at the right time in the growth of our company, and we are looking forward to being part of the Tinopolis family.
"This deal proves that the TV sector - especially the UK market - is a vibrant one; large groups, encompassing a variety of indies, continue to prove themselves as a strong and successful business model."
John Willis, Chief Executive of Mentorn Media also added: "Pioneer is a blue chip company that perfectly complements Mentorn, Sunset and Vine and the other high quality companies in the Tinopolis Group. I am sure that Pioneer will be a huge creative asset to Tinopolis and their strong American focus will further help build the fast-growing Mentorn production business in the USA."
(KMcA/BMcC)