WTFN Group, one of Australia’s leading independent media companies, announces the launch of Radar Studios – a new, future-facing business that fully integrates its rapidly growing digital outfit Radar and traditional television distributor Fred Media. As a result, both names will make way for the new Radar Studios when it makes its official debut at MIPCOM next month.
Radar Studios has been developed in response to both the opportunities and pressures of a rapidly evolving market. Content will be front and centre, not only maximising legacy IP but also prioritising the creation of a new pipeline of Originals.
Structured as a fully integrated studio business from the outset, Radar Studios has three core divisions.
- Network – managing a range of owned and operated FAST and digital channels across all key platforms, some with major partners. Examples include Bondi Vet, Real Emergency and Love Nature, a partnership with Blue Ant Media
- Distribution – representing a wide range of owned and third-party content in the international marketplace
- Content – acquiring third-party content, as well as funding, developing and creating new originals for the Channels and Distribution teams
Radar Studios will be led by Chief Operating Officer Derek Dyson. As part of the merger and re-brand, some of the existing senior team will take on new roles and responsibilities, including Jamie I, who joined Fred Media earlier this year as APAC Sales Manager, who will become APAC Sales & Acquisitions Lead at Radar Studios. In addition, longtime consultant Kate Llewellyn-Jones will continue her remit to find, create and fund innovative new content and partnerships that deliver across the new Studios business.
Chief Commercial Officer Derek Dyson says: “Content supply is one of the major challenges in our business today, so we’ve developed Radar Studios to reduce potential risk and help provide a pipeline for a more sustainable model. We will continue to maximise the enviable legacy IP that we have in the business – most fully-owned by WTFN – and have also recently established a new fund to invest in and acquire high-quality third-party content.
“But I am most excited about our new Originals strategy and the chance to work closely with WTFN’s recently appointed Head of Development, Michael McDermott, and highly respected Chief Creative Officer, Steve Oemcke. Together, we will use data, trends and market intel that we gather to create new content for a range of global channels and platforms. And we’re thrilled that we already have some game-changing concepts in development.”
Derek Dyson concludes: “For a while, we have successfully operated with a Total Distribution strategy, aligning the Radar and Fred Media teams to ensure no rights were left on the shelf. However, creating Radar Studios brings full integration and simplifies that message to the market, removing any ambiguity over entry points to our business. We cannot wait to introduce Radar Studios to our existing and potential new partners in Cannes next month and are excited that this re-brand and re-structure puts the building blocks in place to help turbo-charge and support our ambitions for growth.”
New partnership with acclaimed broadcaster and popular historian kicks off Radar Studios’ Originals strategy with dedicated YouTube channel, new TV series and multi-platform content.
Radar Studios has partnered with Sir Tony Robinson for its first major original content venture, launching a new history brand designed from the outset to reach audiences across YouTube, television and other digital platforms.
Tony Robinson Rewrites History will launch with a dedicated YouTube channel later this year, featuring an initial 12 x 30-minute episodes, alongside a 6 x 60-minute television series that Radar Studios will introduce to international buyers at MIPCOM next/this month.
The partnership is the first major demonstration of Radar Studios’ new business model following the merger of WTFN Group’s digital business Radar and international distributor Fred Media. Bringing content creation, channel management and international distribution together under one roof, Radar Studios is developing original IP that can be created, curated and exploited across multiple platforms.
In Tony Robinson Rewrites History, Robinson will revisit some of the defining events of the past, from ancient history through to the modern era, uncovering the people, politics, rivalries, accidents and extraordinary moments of chance that shaped the world we live in today.
But there is a twist.
Each story will also identify a pivotal moment when history could easily have taken a very different course – and explore what might have happened next. The series will cover a range of time periods and revisit some of the most important events that shaped the world; from the sinking of the Titanic to the assignation of Abraham Lincoln. Combining Robinson’s trademark curiosity, wit and ability to make history accessible with expert insight and imaginative storytelling, the series will examine not only what happened, but what very nearly happened instead.
The project extends a relationship between Robinson and the WTFN Group spanning more than 15 years and numerous television series, including Tony Robinson’s Time Walks and Tony Robinson’s Tour of Duty. Radar Studios also operates Time Travels, a dedicated history channel on YouTube with more than 40,000 subscribers and content that includes legacy programming featuring Robinson. The new partnership will build on that established digital audience while creating a new pipeline of original content around the broadcaster.
Sir Tony Robinson says: “I’ve known the team at WTFN for more than 15 years and we’ve made some terrific television together, so the opportunity to do something genuinely new with Radar Studios was irresistible.
“History is full of extraordinary turning points – moments when a tiny change could have sent events in a completely different direction. Tony Robinson Rewrites History gives us the chance not only to tell some brilliant stories about what really happened, but to ask that tantalising question: what if?
“And the great thing about this partnership is that we’re no longer thinking about history as something that has to fit into one particular television slot. We can tell stories in different ways, for different audiences and across different platforms. There is an enormous amount to explore and I’m hoping these first 12 hours are just the beginning.”
Radar Studios Chief Commercial Officer Derek Dyson says: “There could hardly be a better partner than Tony to kick-start our Originals strategy. He is one of the most recognisable and trusted faces in popular history, with an extraordinary ability to make the past entertaining, accessible and relevant to audiences around the world.
“Significantly, Tony Robinson Rewrites History demonstrates exactly why we created Radar Studios. Instead of making a series and then deciding where it might live, we are developing IP from the outset with multiple audiences, platforms and distribution opportunities in mind. We are creating original content for a dedicated, managed YouTube channel; developing additional digital opportunities around that content; and producing a standalone six-part television series for international buyers.
“One creative partnership and one piece of IP can therefore generate a whole ecosystem of content and commercial opportunities. By bringing content creation, channel management and international distribution together within Radar Studios, we can manage that entire journey ourselves.”
Police
Police takes viewers inside Western Australia Police with close, sustained access to the officers protecting one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities. Embedded with Perth Station and specialist units across the force, the series follows real incidents as they unfold and reveals the judgement, pressure and humanity behind every decision. From the producers of Paramedics, it brings the same character-led approach to frontline policing, placing the audience beside officers when routine shifts change in an instant.
Each episode interweaves several stories across a single day or night. General Duties provides the emotional spine, while the Regional Operations Group, Drug and Firearm Squad, Canine Unit, Mounted Police, Air Wing and police command centres expand the scale of the world. The series moves from pursuits, drug warrants and public-order operations to welfare checks, domestic incidents and quieter moments of care. A major protest may connect officers on the street with Mounted Police, ROG and the command room, while a State Crime operation unfolds elsewhere across the city.
The access puts viewers inside the operation. In-car cameras, body-worn footage, helicopter vision, dispatch audio and CCTV sit alongside observational filming, giving each story immediacy and a clear sense of how decisions travel through the policing system. Briefings establish the plan; live radio and unfolding events reveal how quickly it must change; debriefs and interviews allow the officers to explain what was at stake and why they acted as they did.
The officers are the heart of Police. The cast spans rookies and veterans, General Duties and specialist teams, men and women, and officers who have come to Western Australia from different parts of the world. We meet young constables still learning to trust their instincts, experienced detectives planning complex warrants, dog handlers whose working partners are part of the family, and tactical officers who balance high-risk work with parenthood, friendship and humour. Their personalities emerge naturally in patrol cars, briefing rooms, station downtime and community events.
The tone combines urgency with warmth. High-stakes incidents deliver tension and jeopardy, but the series also captures restraint, compassion, banter and the unexpected turns that make police work so unpredictable. A pursuit can draw in Air Wing, a warrant can develop into a much larger investigation, and a welfare call can demand patience rather than force. The result is a contemporary portrait of policing that shows what the public rarely sees: the teamwork behind the response and the people behind the uniform.
Across six episodes, On The Front Line builds a returning ensemble the audience can invest in while delivering a new mix of major operations, frontline calls and human stories each week. It is an immersive account of what it takes to police Western Australia today, told through the officers who confront its risks, responsibilities and rewards every shift.
Police broadcasts on Nine in 2027 and is available for international licensing via Radar Studios.
Across 14 one-hour episodes, viewers dive into the best of food, home, travel, health, finance, motoring, pets, and tech, all delivered through a mix of live and packaged segments. The show features a dynamic lineup of presenters including Melissa Leong, Chyka Keebaugh, Rachel Cole, Aimee Stanton, Adam Morris, and Dr Michael Mrozinski, bringing specialist knowledge and relatable energy to every episode.
Legendary investigative crime journalist, Adam Shand, and ‘The Human Lie Detector’ Steve van Aperen join forces to crack famous crimes wide open. Using unique skills honed razor sharp across decades of experience, they uncover astonishing new leads and evidence, leaving police no choice but to re-open cases.
Steve is a former cop who has worked on over 80 murder investigations. He is a world-renowned human behaviour and deception expert in high demand from police forces around the globe. Adam has more scoops than any other Australian crime reporter. His trusted sources reach deep into both the criminal underworld and police departments. Together, they are a super-sleuth dream team.
Each episode examines a different high-profile case. The series is jam-packed with ground-breaking revelations, as Adam and Steve revisit crime scenes for a vivid hands-on recounting of each crime. With exclusive access to original detectives, eyewitnesses, survivors and crime experts they paint a visceral picture of murders, kidnappings, horrific attacks, and underworld assassinations.
First broadcast 22 July 2024.
WTFN to launch Shoppable TV ‘global first’ with Virtual Store in new series of Space Invaders
WTFN, the makers of hit TV series including Bondi Vet and The Living Room, are partnering with Drawbridge Labs to launch a Virtual Store, full of shoppable 3D products, as part of primetime broadcasting in February.
Promoted during the fourth series of decluttering and home renovation program Space Invaders, which returns to Nine this Saturday, audiences will be able to scan QR codes during the episodes to enter and explore the Virtual Store, guided by host Peter Walsh.
WTFN, the makers of hit TV series including Bondi Vet and The Living Room, are partnering with Drawbridge Labs to launch a Virtual Store, full of shoppable 3D products, as part of primetime broadcasting in February.
Promoted during the fourth series of decluttering and home renovation program Space Invaders, which returns to Nine this Saturday, audiences will be able to scan QR codes during the episodes to enter and explore the Virtual Store, guided by host Peter Walsh.
Using their mobile devices, viewers can walk around the interactive 3D home to touch, explore and purchase the products they are watching on television from sponsors including Kmart, Taubmans, Flooring Xtra, Daikin and Interflora. And these impulse purchases are simple for the viewer as products from any company are paid for and delivered through one channel.
“This is the next frontier of shoppable content in television broadcasting,” said Derek Dyson, Chief Commercial Officer at WTFN Entertainment.
“Brands are always looking for new and innovative ways to demonstrate ROI from television sponsorships and to be able to connect with engaged audiences. The Space Invaders Virtual Store is the latest step to making that happen,” he added.
The Space Invaders Virtual Store was developed by Drawbridge Labs, a new Sydney-based business but one with a team that has a long track-record of developing interactive TV experiences in the international market, from The Oscars and Logies to Big Brother and Test Cricket broadcasting, for clients including ESPN, Disney, Fox, NBC, McDonalds, Toyota and Vodafone.
Drawbridge Labs CEO Gavin Douglas said, “We’re excited to be working with the WTFN team and Space Invaders on Nine. They are tuned into the fact that their viewers are passionate about the show and keen to use their smartphone to engage with the story on TV.
“We’re giving Brands, Agencies and TV Networks the power to engage with their audience and ‘shop the moment’ on their phone, inside 3D immersive experiences. What’s even better is delivering performance-based attribution for the brands on television, with viewers shopping second by second”, he added.
Flooring Xtra is one of the brands participating in this new initiative.
“Television sponsorship has always been a key part of our marketing mix. Sponsoring and featuring in shows like Space Invaders is a compelling way to bring our brand to life,” said Michelle Dow, Marketing Manager at Flooring Xtra.
“When we were given the chance to participate in the Space Invaders Virtual Store it was an exciting opportunity for us. It allows us to not only drive brand awareness and consideration but also creates a pathway to conversion direct from the television screen. It’s going to be a real step towards the future for our business,” she added.
Space Invaders returns to Nine at 7.30pm on Saturday 3rd February 2024. When the series launches, the Space Invaders Virtual Store will open at: spaceinvaders.store.
Bondi Vet partners with Blue Ant Media on Love Pets FAST channel
Radar MCN has partnered with Canadian broadcaster Blue Ant Media to bring its hit series Bondi Vet to wider global audiences.
The Love Pets FAST channel was launched in March 2023 and will feature a number of popular pet series including the long-running Sydney-based show. After debuting on Sling Freestream, Love Pets is now carried by Vizio, Freeview, Samsung EU, LG and MBC Shahid with more set to be announced later in 2023.
“The deal has allowed us to build on our domestic FAST success with Bondi Vet and scale quickly with a fantastic brand in Love Pets,” said Derek Dyson, General Manager of Radar MCN.
“Blue Ant were a natural fit for us. We’ve already partnered on a number of programs over the years and they are hugely established and ambitious in the FAST space. We look forward to seeing the expansion of Love Pets,” he added.
Radar MCN owns and operates a standalone Bondi Vet FAST channel on Samsung TV Plus and has recently launched Life Down Under on the same platform.
Radar MCN launches Total Distribution
Six months after its global launch, Radar MCN has launched a new proposition aimed at supporting content owners maximise the potential of their content; Total Distribution.
The business has continued its rapid growth in 2023 with the launch of over twenty new channels and bringing in new partnerships including ReDriven and Never Too Small.
Under General Manager Derek Dyson, this new strategy means that Radar MCN will work more closely within the WTFN Group businesses – WTFN Entertainment (production), Fred Media (TV distribution) and Empire Talent (talent management) – to ensure that every right for any type of content is maximised across every available platform, leaving no value languishing on the shelf.
Bondi Vet is a prime example of Total Distribution thinking: having started as a TV series watched at home and then internationally, it is now a content universe that includes four million subscribers across the likes of YouTube and Instagram, in addition to branded AVoD and FAST channels managed by Radar and core content on Blue Ant’s recently launched and rapidly expanding FAST channel network, Love Pets.
Radar MCN will also be looking to offer Total Distribution solutions to an expanded third-party partner base and has recruited former Beyond Rights CEO Kate Llewellyn-Jones to help drive this ambition in a newly created role – Content Partnerships Lead. Joining as a consultant, and based with the Radar team in London, Kate will be looking to work with a range of production companies, content creators and other rights owners to help ensure their untapped rights can be successfully monetised.
Dyson comments: “Radar MCN is the engine driving Total Distribution within the WTFN Group, working end to end with the other business units to ensure every piece of content we represent works across the best mix of platforms – for maximum returns. The fact that we’ve grown out of a creative business makes us unique in this world. We have creativity in our DNA and understand what makes great content. When you combine this with our knowledge of digital opportunities and audiences – and our track record in revenue generation – it explains why content owners are increasingly turning to us for help.”
Life Down Under channel launches on Samsung TV Plus
Radar MCN has launched its second owned FAST channel bringing together a selection of its most well loved shows.
Life Down Under, which will initially be available on Samsung TV Plus in Australia and New Zealand, features hit series including Keeping Up With The Joneses, Lee Chan’s World Food Tour and Tony Robinson’s Time Walks.
“It’s always been an ambition of the business to bring together content from across our extensive library into one broadcast destination. We receive messages from fans every week asking how they catch watch certain series. Now they can do that,” said Radar MCN General Manager Derek Dyson.
“We’re not just anticipating this being an domestic success. We know through our distribution business Fred Media that appetite for Australian content has never been higher. We’re already in discussions with international partners about taking Life Down Under to the world,” he added.
Radar MCN hit the headlines with its recent announcement of its Total Distribution service; working with content owners to monetise their IP across every available channel worldwide.
“We’re practicing what we preach with Life Down Under. It’s us doing Total Distribution on ourselves; shows that having been sitting on the shelves for some time are now back out there, driving a return,” Dyson added.
Radar MCN secures ReDriven partnership
Radar MCN is pleased to announce a new partnership with one of Australia’s leading auto channels, ReDriven.
The YouTube Channel, which was founded by Adam Morris and Sam Rawlings, focussed on the used car market and has build huge traction for its professional and entertainment reviews. It is currently approaching 150,000 subscribers on the platform.
“Teaming up with the Re-Driven team was a no-brainer for us. They have done a fabulous job getting the channel to where it is today and we love the vision of a used car channel, particularly in an economic climate where this market is ever more important,” said Radar MCN Genera Manager, Derek Dyson.
“Key for us too is that is a global channel. The content is evergreen and transcends into other markets. Plus the Facebook opportunity is virtually untapped so we can make a big difference there as well,” he added.
Radar MCN will take over the day-to-day running of the channels to optimise for growth and maximum revenue returns and will launch and relaunch channels on Facebook and Snapchat.