Hearst Media Production Group Inks Deal with Australia's National Indigenous Television to Bring Series Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward Down Under

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearst Media Production Group today announced a licensing agreement for Season 1 and Season 2 episodes of the Emmy^® nominated series Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward with Australia's National Indigenous Television (NITV). The deal provides access to the program for all Australians through broadcast on NITV, and leading Australian streaming destination, SBS On Demand. HMPG produces the show in an exclusive partnership with Herschend Entertainment Studios.

The series will form part of NITV's curated programming acquired from global partners sharing inspiring and compelling stories with Australian audiences, alongside NITV's locally made and award-winning news, current affairs, documentaries, drama, entertainment, sports and children's content exploring, celebrating and elevating Indigenous storytelling and perspectives. 

In the U.S., the weekly series recently launched its third season on NBC's "The More You Know" educational/informational (E/I) programming block; Season 2 of Harlem Globetrotters: Ganando Con La Comunidad currently airs on Telemundo (times may vary; check local listings). Since 1951, the Harlem Globetrotters have been recognized by the U.S. State Department as "ambassadors of extraordinary good will." The series honors and highlights people and community organizations supporting extraordinary causes including education, health and wellness, and community empowerment. 

"Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward is an excellent fit for NITV and its viewers. The Globetrotters are an iconic, globally recognizable brand, with broad appeal across demographics," said Andrew Tew, HMPG senior vice president, global licensing & distribution. 

Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward averages 1.3 million total weekly U.S. viewers across all platforms and has experienced solid growth in multiple demographics including a 17% increase of viewership in the coveted P25-54 demo for its current season. The series has earned two Daytime Emmy^® nominations, five Cynopsis Awards and 25 national Telly Awards. Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward is also available on NBC.com and NBC VOD.

Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward is part of HMPG's current program portfolio comprised of more than 30 weekly series and hundreds of hours of content annually on leading broadcast networks and station groups and on connected TV and streaming platforms. It has a library of more than 5,000 hours of programming and its content can be found in 97 countries.

About National Indigenous Television (NITV) 
National Indigenous Television (NITV) is Australia's leading platform for First Nations storytelling. Established in 2007, and available to all Australians as part of public broadcaster, SBS, since 2012, today NITV reaches more Australians than ever before across a growing multiplatform offering including news and current affairs, documentaries, drama, entertainment, sport and children's programming made by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, alongside curated programming from global partners connecting Australians with inspiring and compelling stories. NITV is available on free-to-air television, and content can be enjoyed any time through Australia's most distinctive streaming service, SBS On Demand.

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.

About the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters™ / Herschend Entertainment Studios
The Harlem Globetrotters™ are THE originators of basketball style; captured by their dynamic athleticism, unique skill and historical influence on the modern game of basketball. Since 1926, the Globetrotters, proud members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, have used their legendary global tour to showcase their iconic brand of basketball to tens of millions in over 124 countries and territories across six continents. They have expanded the brand by coming back to network television for the first time in 40 years with their Emmy nominated NBC series "Harlem Globetrotters: Play it Forward" which also airs on Telemundo as "Harlem Globetrotters: Ganando Con La Comunidad." Content partners include Hidden Pictures, Atmosphere TV, and Hearts Media Production Group; consumer partnerships include, Sprayground, Undercrwn, Macys, Hybrid; and additional partnerships include our official tour partner Jersey Mikes, official ball partner, Spalding, Viral Nation, Hoopculture, and Citi. Coined by the U.S. State Department in 1951 as Ambassadors of Goodwill, the team leverages their moniker to drive its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts around their strategic pillars of Health & Wellness, Education, and Community Empowerment. These efforts have yielded partnership with the likes of Microsoft, U.S. State Department Sports Diplomacy, The National Archives, 'Great Assist' in partnership with Jersey Mike's Subs, Campus Multimedia Court of Creativity, and Comic Relief Red Nose Day. For more information about the Harlem Globetrotters™ and the Tour, visit the Globetrotters' official website: www.harlemglobetrotters.com. The Harlem Globetrotters™ is a subsidiary of Herschend, the largest family-owned themed attractions company.

SOURCE Hearst Media Production Group, LLC