David Haslingden buys NHNZ and starts building factual super indie

David Haslingden, the former boss of Fox’s Networks division, has bought Kiwi natural history producer NHNZ and its associate Beach House Pictures from Fox and has also bought Australian producer Northern Pictures as he starts to build a factual-based super-indie.

Haslingden’s departure as president and COO of Fox’s channels division was announced last September following a restructure at Fox Networks Group. He left at end-2012 and is now based in Sydney.

It transpires that he acquired NHNZ from Fox in October, for an undisclosed sum, although the deal was not widely publicised.

He has now added factual producer Northern Pictures to the new group, which does not yet have an umbrella brand.

Sydney-based Northern Pictures has made shows including Food Investigators for SBS and Chopper Rescue for ABC and Discovery Europe. It is currently making shows including Kakadu, about the Kakadu National Park in Australia. It is making the show with Beach House for public broadcaster ABC.

Northern Pictures’ managing director Sue Clothier said: “I have been an admirer of NHNZ and BHP for many years and have always felt there were obvious synergies between our companies and people. Australia, New Zealand and Singapore locales give us distinct Southern Hemisphere advantages.”