Australia’s Rex Hunt to Debut on American TV

Australian travel and fishing show Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures has cracked the American market after ten years and will debut on US television. The first series will be broadcast on The Water Channel on America’s Time Warner Cable and Dish networks from Friday, October 6 and will have a six-month run until May, 2007.

NEW YORK, NY (PRWEB) September 25, 2006 -- Australian travel and fishing show Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures has cracked the American market after ten years and will debut on US television.

The first series will be broadcast on The Water Channel on America’s Time Warner Cable and Dish networks from Friday, October 6 and will have a six-month run until May, 2007.

Thank you to the American people for the opportunity to share fishing and outdoor experiences through Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures.

The Water Channel is devoted exclusively to water lifestyle programming and is available in almost 20 million homes. That figure is expected to rise to 50 million by the end of 2007.

Australia’s greatest fisherman, Hunt has become a much loved and internationally-recognized personality in the 160 countries that have aired his Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures program.

But despite that international success, Hunt’s show had never broken through onto American TV. Until now.

The deal was successfully negotiated by Australian PR and TV distribution company Crocmedia, run by local Aussie journalists Craig Hutchison and James Swanwick.

Hunt and Hutchison had been television and radio colleagues for several years covering Australian Rules football, Hunt's other passion.

Hutchison said getting the show onto American television was a huge boost for Australian industry.

Australian companies will be offered advertising space within the program as part of a wider initiative to expose the Australian way to the United States.

“Rex is an icon and institution in many countries and it’s wonderful that the American public will finally get an opportunity to see him," Hutchison said.

“And this deal has carved a pathway for Australian companies to advertise their products in America.

“It creates a unique opportunity for Australian business to attach themselves to a partner that can create widespread exposure in all parts of America."

Hunt said: "I’m delighted to have been accepted into the USA with my fishing program after its success in Australia and throughout the UK, Europe and Asia.

“We intend to bring fun and family activities to the American market from Down Under where we believe we have some of the best fishing in the world and the best conservative approach to fishing through catch, kiss and release.

“Thank you to the American people for the opportunity to share fishing and outdoor experiences through Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures."

The Water Channel director of Programming and Operations, Howard Fried, said: “We are delighted to be the first channel to air Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures in America.

“The program has proven popular all over the world and we’re confident Americans will fall in love with Rex’s antics straight away and drive viewers to The Water Channel.”

Contact: Crocmedia
www.crocmedia.com

US
Nancy Panter + 1 310 951 1340
James Swanwick + 1 310 872 7770

Australia
Lisa Bond +61 (0) 408 830 829
Craig Hutchison + 61 (0) 409 233 477

ABOUT REX HUNT FISHING ADVENTURES
Rex Hunt is one of Australia’s greatest international icons who single-handedly turned the world of fishing into a TV-friendly sport with his outrageous adventures. Australia’s greatest fisherman, Hunt has become a much loved and internationally-recognized personality in the 160 countries that have aired his Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures program. Hunt kisses every fish he catches, from 2 inch bream to 5ft barramundi.

This loveable trademark, which viewers across the globe have been copying for years, has seen TV audiences propel him into one of the world’s most famous fishermen. And while cartoon characters Scooby Doo and The Flintstones had trademark cries of “Scooby Dooby Doo” and “Yabba Dabba Doo” respectively, Hunt has thrilled younger viewers with his own, “Yibbida Yibbida!” line. Put simply, Hunt’s “good, old Aussie bloke” antics helped slingshot fishing, the No. 1 participant sport in the world, back onto the television.

Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures is not presented as merely a fishing program. It is also packed with tips, comedy and holiday ideas and suggestions.

Each episode gives down to earth, practical guides to fishing in Australia and beyond with Hunt sharing stories of his adventures, as well as loads of practical advice on how to best fish that location.
Hunt provides a guide on how to get there, the best time of year to fish there, the type of fish to be caught there and the best gear to use.

The program also educates people to respect fish and the environment and the importance of catch and release. Hunt’s “kiss and release” campaign has lead to kids all over the world kissing fish and throwing them back for someone else to enjoy catching. It is this no-nonsense format that has helped Rex Hunt appeal to anglers everywhere.
The show has gone through a few name changes, from Angling Action back in 1981, Rex Hunt’s Fishing World in 1991, Rex Hunt’s Fishing Australia in 1992 and its final and current form of Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures in 1993.

Today, 25 years after Hunt first hit TV screens, the 300+ episodes of 12 series of 30 shows each continue to enjoy strong ratings on Discovery Europe, where it has been for the past 10 years, and Foxtel Australia for the past eight. The program also currently airs on Discovery Italy and France and World Fishing Network Canada. There is also a 13-part special series visiting international locations including Africa, Japan, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, Thailand and England.

The Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures series continues to thrive on international television and a whole new generation is kissing fish.

ABOUT CROCMEDIA
Crocmedia is an Australian-American PR and TV distribution company, established in 2005 with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Melbourne. With a combined 25 years of journalism experience, directors James Swanwick and Craig Hutchison have extensive contacts in the film, entertainment, fashion, sports and lifestyle sectors. Crocmedia has experience in the US, Australian, UK and Canadian markets and has a strong working relationship with Austrade.

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