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Beyond International

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Beyond International
Company typePrivate
ASX: BYI (1987–2023)
IndustryTelevision and film production and distribution
Predecessors
  • Magna Vision/Pacific/Home Entertainment (1985–2011)
  • TCB Media Rights (2017–2020)
Founded1984; 40 years ago (1984)
Founders
  • Carmel Travers
  • Iain Finlay
  • Chris Ardill-Guinness
  • Phil Gerlach
  • Mikael Borglund
Headquarters
Artarmon, New South Wales
,
Australia
Key people
Mikael Borglund (CEO and MD)
RevenueA$101 million (2016)
A$5.6 million (2016)
Total assetsA$45 million (2016)
Total equityA$35 million (2016)
OwnerBYI Holdings Pty Limited (2024)
Divisions
  • Beyond Action
  • Beyond Entertainment
  • Beyond Home Entertainment
  • Beyond Media Rights
  • Beyond Productions
  • Beyond TNC
  • Beyond West
Websitebeyond.com.au
Footnotes / references
[1]

Beyond International Limited is an international television and film production company with operations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. The company is involved in the creation and international distribution of television, feature films and ancillary products. The company has an extensive television program catalogue of over 5,000 hours and covers all genres including drama, feature films, comedy, children's, reality, and documentary programs.[2]

The company was formed in 1984 to produce the science and technology magazine program Beyond 2000, a commercial reworking of the program Towards 2000 which aired on the Australian public broadcaster ABC. Beyond 2000 was later rebooted in 2005 as Beyond Tomorrow.

Other notable programming produced and/or distributed by Beyond include MythBusters, Deadly Women, Beat Bugs and Highway Thru Hell (most of which is now owned by Banijay).

History

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The company was founded by producers Carmel Travers, Iain Finlay and Chris Ardill-Guinness, as well as consultant Phil Gerlach and accountant Mikael Borglund, briefly titled CIC Productions, initially with the intention of making only one program, Beyond 2000 after which the company took its name.[3] The company took responsibility for distributing the series, finding success in selling the program overseas, including to Discovery Channel in America and an American adaptation for FOX.[3]

Early programs produced by Beyond include Just For the Record and Jack Thompson Down Under for Network Ten and Chances for the Nine Network.[3] Beyond's relationship with Discovery Channel saw the company commissioned to produce a number of the channel's early programs, including a nine-season run of Invention and eventually the company's most successful program Mythbusters.[3]

In 2009, Beyond acquired distribution company Magna Pacific from receivership.[4]

In 2013, Beyond formed a joint venture with Seven West Media called 7Beyond to produce programs in North America.[5] 7Beyond shows include My Lottery Dream Home and My Kitchen Rules. In July 2020, Beyond International purchased Seven West Media's shareholding.[6][7]

In 2020, Beyond acquired TCB Media Rights from receivership, following the collapse of Kew Media Group, valuing TCB at around $2.5 million. TCB Media Rights invests and distributes factual series including Abandoned Engineering and Extreme Ice Machines.[8]

In October 2022, it was announced that Banijay would acquire Beyond.[9] The acquisition was completed on December 30, 2022 and Beyond was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange on January 3, 2023.[10] At the end of February 2023, most of the company's employees at the company's distribution and sales arm (Beyond Rights) were let go. Beyond Rights was eventually folded into Banijay's own distribution and sales arm, Banijay Rights. The former company's site was moved to the latter company on August 24, 2023.[11]

On 11 January 2024, it was announced that Mikael Borglund had purchased back Beyond Productions from both companies, including all content produced by them under Banijay ownership. Banijay retained all of Beyond's pre-2022 back catalog, and secured a five-year first-look distribution deal for all new Beyond productions.[12]

Ownership

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The company was listed on the ASX from 1987 until 2023.[13] In 2008, FremantleMedia purchased just under 20% of shares in the company, making it the largest shareholder.[14]

Television series

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Beyond's pre-2022 catalogue is now owned by Banijay.

References

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  1. ^ "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Beyond International Limited. 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Beyond International Limited". Ausfilm. 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Manning, James (27 October 2015). "Beyond International Celebrates 30 years". Mediaweek. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  4. ^ Stafford, Patrick (25 February 2009). "Beyond International snaps up a bargain from Destra rubble". Smart Company. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  5. ^ Knox, David (21 October 2013). "Seven partners with Beyond for North American push". TV Tonight. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Beyond International expands media production to UK and acquires 100% of US based 7Beyond joint venture" (PDF). Beyond International. 9 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Seven has sold Seven Studios UK and 7Beyond". AdNews. 10 July 2020.
  8. ^ Kanter, Jake (2 April 2020). "UK Distributor TCB Media Rights Acquired By Australia's Beyond International After Kew Media Collapse". Deadline.
  9. ^ Bell, BreAnna (5 October 2022). "Banijay Set to Acquire 'MythBusters' Firm Beyond International". Variety.
  10. ^ Middleton, Richard (3 January 2023). "Banijay takes full control of Beyond International after completing acquisition". Television Business International.
  11. ^ Middleton, Richard (17 February 2023). "Beyond Rights team to disband following Banijay takeover".
  12. ^ "Borglund buys back MythBusters producer Beyond from Banijay". C21Media.
  13. ^ "BYI Share Price and Information". ASX. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  14. ^ "FremantleMedia buys Beyond stake". Variety. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Introducing Summer and Fall Programming for Facebook Watch Originals". The Futon Critic. 12 June 2019.
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