Cashing in

Andrew Preece and Richard Simmonds sell their equity in APP Broadcast

Leading UK television producer and distributor Tinopolis has acquired the entire issued share capital of sailing and adventure specialist production company APP Broadcast owned jointly by Andrew Preece and Richard Simmonds. The company will sit alongside Tinopolis’ existing sports division Sunset+Vine.

Sunset+Vine produces and distributes over 2000 hours of television programming a year, has won over 40 awards for sports television coverage including awards for revolutionising the television coverage of cricket. The company also produces the weekly sports magazine show Gillette World of Sport that is broadcast in over 200 countries.

APP Broadcast has a global reputation for taking the coverage of sailing to an international audience. The company has been responsible for the television production and distribution of Ellen MacArthur’s record breaking voyages, has provided host broadcaster services for major international events and has delivered television news and programming worldwide. APP Broadcast has a long-standing relationship with the BBC and BBC Sport’s coverage of sailing and in particular Olympic sailing. APP has also provided television services to the British Olympic sailing team and British America’s Cup challenges.

APP Broadcast has recently completed a 12-part Channel 4 series (Ocean!) on terrestrial television in the UK and distributes programming to over 140 countries every month. APP Broadcast also has long term and successful broadcast partnerships with leading international brands including Omega, Allianz and Volvo.

Jeff Foulser, Chairman of Sunset+Vine says: "APP’s sports production and distribution expertise and excellent relationships with global brands make it a perfect fit with Sunset+Vine, which has just won a second contract to produce and distribute coverage of the 2008 Volvo Ocean Race. APP’s ability to secure major corporate client broadcast packages that deliver outstanding returns both in television news and programming distribution also complements our existing advertiser-funded programming strategy."

APP Joint Managing Director Richard Simmonds says "Joining Sunset+Vine will enable us to take our business strategy to a new level - to develop the sailing and adventure business and expand our news division. Scale, new global distribution opportunities, an innovative and bold approach to production and a commitment to quality are all factors that will enable us to improve the service and output to our existing clients as well as developing new areas of business.  A major factor in the success of our business has been our passion for what we do. We see the same passion in the team at Sunset+Vine which has been underlined by the number of awards the company has won for innovation and production excellence."

APP Joint Managing Director Andrew Preece says: "Technological advances are changing how and where viewers can watch what we produce. Joining the Tinopolis group with its 50-strong new media division, Mentorn’s flagship production of BBC 1’s Question Time, and with Sunset+Vine’s proven track record of developing creative new technology applications, will provide a unique resource for APP where we are already delivering live images from adventurers in some of the most remote places in the world."

The Tinopolis Group is one of the United Kingdom’s leading independent television production companies, with more than 2500 hours of programming broadcast each year. Established in 1989 and based in Llanelli, the Group has production centres in London, Oxford, Glasgow and Cardiff. Its production brands include Mentorn, Sunset+Vine, Folio, Fiction Factory, Pop 1, Dave Edwards Entertainment Media and Tinopolis. Tinopolis is also one of Britain’s leading new media producers. The company produces a range of interactive, training and education materials for clients including the Ministry of Defence, the University for Industry, the WDA, Scottish Enterprise, the BBC and ACCAC in addition to other government and public authorities in the UK and corporate organisations worldwide. In May 2007, the company acquired the Video Arts Group. One of the UK’s leading producers and distributors of training video