Hearst Media Production Group Acquires the Jack Hanna Library

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG), a leading producer and distributor of educational/informational programming, has acquired the library of TV series hosted by legendary wildlife ambassador Jack Hanna from Into The Wild, LLC.

HMPG has been the long-time distributor of the Hanna franchise.  In addition to its current ownership of Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures, HMPG has acquired nearly 400 episodes of the series Jack Hanna's Wild Countdown and Jack Hanna's Into the Wild for global distribution.

The announcement was made today by Frank Biancuzzo, HMPG president, and the Hanna family.  Terms of the transaction were not announced.

Jack Hanna's enthusiasm and hands-on approach to wildlife conservation have won him widespread acclaim as a conservationist, television personality, author and Director Emeritus of the famed Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio. For more than 50 years, Hanna built a wildlife programming franchise that has been viewed in more than 60 countries.   He has been nominated for 15 Emmy awards, winning five for his work on Into the Wild.   Hanna has also authored several books, won many awards, and received multiple honorary doctorates. 

"We're proud to deepen our decades-long partnership with the Hanna family and be entrusted to continue sharing this compelling, legacy wildlife programming worldwide," said Biancuzzo.

"HMPG is committed to the important work Jack started," said Suzi Hanna, wife of Jack Hanna.  "Their extensive knowledge of producing and distributing engaging wildlife programming ensures Jack's lifelong commitment to wildlife education and conservation will reach fans of all ages for years to come."

In 2021, HMPG launched The Jack Hanna Channel, a FAST channel showcasing hundreds of episodes of Hanna's adventures in the wild.  The channel is currently distributed across leading US platforms that include Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio WatchFree+, Freevee and Tubi. The channel is also available in Canada and India with ongoing discussions to expand globally into new territories.

"Jack's endearing personality and authentic love of conservation have created one of the most popular franchises in wildlife programming," said Andrew Tew, HMPG senior vice president, global licensing and distribution.  "Adding the full library of his iconic work enables us to serve his fans in new ways."

HMPG's leadership in the wildlife programming genre includes Wildlife Nation, hosted by Jeff Corwin; Earth Odyssey, hosted by Dylan Dreyer; Wild Child, hosted by Sheinelle Jones; Oh Baby!, hosted by Janai Norman; and the newly launched Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, hosted by Peter Gros and Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant.  Overall, HMPG's current program portfolio comprises more than 30 original series and hundreds of hours of original content annually on leading broadcast networks and station groups and on connected TV and streaming platforms.  It has a library of more than 4,000 hours of programming and its content can be found in 97 countries. HMPG was recently honored with 86 national Telly Awards and named Telly "Company of the Year," recognized as a standout for equity and inclusion programming.

About Hearst Media Production Group 
Hearst Media Production Group (HMPG), a business unit of Hearst Television, is an independent producer and distributor of original programming for TV stations, broadcast and cable networks and streaming services. HMPG produces hundreds of hours of programming annually across linear, streaming, digital and social media platforms for domestic and international distribution in nearly 100 countries.  Its popular shows include the Emmy® Award-winning educational/informational (E/I) programming blocks airing weekends nationwide including "Weekend Adventure," on ABC stations; "CBS WKND," on the CBS Network; "The More You Know," on the NBC Network; "One Magnificent Morning," on The CW Network; "Mi Telemundo" on the Telemundo Network and "Go Time" on independent stations. HMPG also produces and/or distributes a diverse slate of other programming and content including Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien, America's #1 nationally syndicated public affairs news magazine; Consumer Reports TV, and the company's dedicated FAST channels Xplore, The Jack Hanna Channel and Rovr Pets, available on some of the most popular smart TVs and streaming platforms.   HMPG has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Charlotte.  HMPG is represented by United Talent Agency.

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SOURCE Hearst Media Production Group, LLC