Tern Television lands self-brokered PBS deal

Award-winning Scottish indie Tern Television are celebrating a self-brokered international sales deal with US broadcaster PBS (WNET New York) for 'Gutted', Tern’s award-winning 1x60 minute BBC documentary capturing the lives of Fraserburgh fishing families as their entire way of life is destroyed by EU-led dismantling of the UK white fish fleet.
This unique deal was made with PBS Director of News and Current Affairs Stephen Segaller, and will mark Tern’s first international sale to PBS. The film is to be broadcast on PBS on August 23 as part of the network’s ‘Wide Angle’ strand – America’s premiere documentary strand.
Gutted filmmaker, Tern TV’s David Peat, is lined up to front the post programme ‘on air’ debate on the decline of the global fishing economy.
Executive Producer Harry Bell who negotiated the deal with PBS, said: “Gutted is one of those very rare films, a true landmark documentary. The film’s power has helped steer fishing policy in Europe and change attitudes where it really matters. To premiere on a US Network like PBS is an amazing achievement especially as ‘Wide Angle’ is probably the most coveted documentary strand in the world. This sale shows that we are making programmes with an international appeal and it represents a fantastic opportunity to develop our other successful Tern brands in the biggest market in the world.”
Gutted won Tern TV the award for Best Factual Documentary at the 26th International Celtic Film & Television Festival 2005 earlier this year, and a BAFTA Scotland award for Best Documentary for its filmmaker David Peat in 2004.
Peat lived and worked in Fraserburgh for over a year to tell the stories of this community in crisis as the UK fishing industry teeters on the brink of collapse. Gutted is their personal, and incredibly poignant, call to arms. Principally funded by BBC Scotland with additional backing from Scottish Screen Lottery, the film also stands as a long-term exhibition at the Maritime Museum in Aberdeen.
(GB)