Burbank, CA (June 16, 2014) – FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) today announced they have become the official licensing agent for the multiple Emmy Award-winning show, Deadliest Catch.  Created by Original Productions and airing on Discovery Channel, Deadliest Catch kicked off its landmark 10th season on April 22.  The premiere captured over 3.8 million total viewers, making it the highest rated show of the day on cable.
With the new season proving to be a momentous one, drama on the Bering Sea will continue as FMNA looks to build a licensing program for Deadliest Catch across all categories.  FMNA will be at the Licensing International Expo 2014 in Las Vegas looking to secure partners in multiple areas including themed restaurants, lottery, slots machines, gaming and sporting goods.
“Now in its 10th season of high-sea adventures, Deadliest Catch is as popular as ever,” said Andrea Brent, vice president of licensing, FremantleMedia North America.  “The brand has proven to have great longevity and will undoubtedly be a superb addition to FMNA’s diverse brand portfolio.”
“I’m so proud of our fearless production team and their tireless dedication to our landmark series. They continue to set the standard for non-fiction storytelling,” said Philip D. Segal, CEO and EP, Original Productions.
Deadliest Catch is a documentary series chronicling the real-life, high-sea adventures of the Alaskan crab fisherman whose profession is known to be the deadliest in the world.  The show has garnered a total of 10 Emmy awards, along with 30 nominations.  With a decade of programming on board, the stakes have never been as high on Deadliest Catch, which airs on Discovery Channel Tuesdays at 9:00 PM.  Week after week, it remains one of the cable network’s highest rated series.
Deadliest Catch was created by Original Productions, a company founded by current FMNA CEO, Thom Beers, in 1997.  Beers served as the company’s chief executive officer and executive producer until selling a majority stake to FMNA in 2009.  Beers remains founder and chairman of Original Productions.
For more information on the great licensing opportunities surrounding Deadliest Catch, visit FremantleMedia at Licensing International Expo 2014 at Stand No. S181, June 17-19, 2014. 

###

About FremantleMedia North America
FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. arm of global media giant FremantleMedia, which includes a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division and a kids & family entertainment business.  As the world’s largest independent studio, FremantleMedia’s comprehensive global network has operations in 25 countries, creating over 9100 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 400 individual titles. FMNA and its portfolio of companies produce entertaining and innovative scripted and alternative programs for network, cable, syndicated and online platforms. Their slate includes a diverse range of both critically-acclaimed and award-winning successes including “American Idol” (FOX), “America’s Got Talent” (NBC), “Family Feud” (SYN), “Let’s Make A Deal” (CBS), “The Price Is Right” (CBS), “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” (ABC), “The Tomorrow People” (The CW), “Deadliest Catch” (Discovery), “Married to Medicine” (Bravo),  “Ice Road Truckers” (HISTORY), “Storage Wars” (A&E), “The Pet Collective”, and the upcoming “Celebrity Name Game” (SYN), among others.
About Original Productions
Original Productions (OP), a FremantleMedia Company, is a world-wide culture-changing force in unscripted reality television. With titles such as Deadliest Catch and Bering Sea Gold on Discovery; IceRoad Truckers and Ax Men for History; and Storage Wars and Appalachian Outlaws on A&E, more than 180 countries world-wide are watching Original Productions’ shows. The OP Team lead by CEO & EP Philip D. Segal produced more than 200 amazing episodes of new programming in 2013.  For more information, please visit www.originalproductions.com.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer reaching 2.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 220 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through more than 190 worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Investigation Discovery, as well as U.S. joint venture networks OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and the Hub Network. Across the Nordic region, Discovery owns and operates SBS Discovery Media, a top-three portfolio of television brands that feature leading nonfiction content, as well as locally produced entertainment programs, sports and the best scripted series and movies from major studios. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
Press Contacts:
Kristina Kirk
Executive Director, Communications
FremantleMedia North America
818-748-2521
Kristina.Kirk@fremantlemedia.com