Cineflix Rights has partnered with Australian producer McAvoy Media to launch an Inside Taronga Zoo YouTube channel, combining existing TV episodes with new digital originals.
The channel will carry existing and future seasons of the factual series, alongside clips and compilations. McAvoy Media will also produce a slate of original content exclusively for YouTube.
The series follows keepers and vets caring for more than 5,000 animals at Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo, covering animal care and conservation work across the two sites.
The channel is available internationally, including in Australia, the US, the UK and Europe. Cineflix Rights also plans to develop localised language versions for Latin America and other territories.
Mike Gould, SVP, digital, Cineflix Rights, said: “Inside Taronga Zoo has been a hit for traditional TV audiences, and we saw the potential to develop the brand into the digital space. As well as offering the existing long-form series, the YouTube channel will offer clips and compilations of some of the most heartwarming stories over the years. Most excitingly, we’ll be working with McAvoy Media to create exclusive original content that global fans will love. Launching this channel is the latest step in a key area of our business strategy to partner with producers and creators to develop the best digital-first content strategy for their IP across a range of social, VOD, and FAST platforms.”
The launch forms part of Cineflix Rights’ expansion in direct-to-consumer distribution. Its digital business includes 26 YouTube channels, spanning owned brands such as Mayday: Air Disaster and Homicide: Hours to Kill, alongside producer partner channels including Château DIY and A New Life in the Sun. The distributor plans to double its YouTube channel portfolio over the next two years.
Cineflix Rights also operates more than 10 FAST channels across the US, Canada and the UK, including a Property Brothers channel. It is expanding its non-English-language offering and has established a Digital Originals production unit to supply existing and new YouTube and FAST channels.
John McAvoy, CEO of McAvoy Media, said: “Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo are much-loved Australian icons, and truly magical places that capture hearts around the world. Together with our distribution partner Cineflix Rights, we’re thrilled now to share more of their remarkable conservation stories with an even wider global audience through a dedicated YouTube channel.”
Read more about Cineflix Rights in this feature.
