FremantleMedia launches spin-off production arm, Spring.

A who’s-who of TV executives gathered in Darlinghurst last night as FremantleMedia Australia CEO Ian Hogg launched a new production arm, to be known as Spring.

The new division will aim to produce “innovative and affordable content solutions” for broadcast and digital platforms.

While FremantleMedia remains focussed on high-end productions, Spring will produce content for the other end of the market, including multichannels.

Spring will have its own premises, staff and “attitude.”

So far Spring is keeping its programmes under wraps, but a discerning invite list last night drew big names in the biz: Nine’s Jeffrey Brown, Michael Healy and Andrew Backwell, TEN’s David Mott and Beverley McGarvey, Seven’s Tim Worner and Brad Lyons, ABC1’s Brendan Dahill and Foxtel’s Brian Walsh.

Also in attendance were ad agency execs plus LifeStyle Channel’s Nicole Sheffield, XYZ Networks’ Bruce Mann and media from The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Media Week and TV Tonight.

In a million-dollar penthouse, rival execs happily rubbed shoulders and exchanged industry stories. If a plane had hit the 38th floor, it would have taken out the country’s top programmers.

Spring is tipped to have branded content, several genres and may also produce new daytime television.

“Our view is that the big brands will only get bigger and more expensive. But that money has to come from somewhere,” Hogg told the crowd.

Understandably, that prompted some cynical laughter from TV execs.

“The smaller shows will become more efficient and the middle ground will fragment up and down to cater for that demand,” he continued.

“Spring has been created to look after that lower portion of the market. Effectively it’s a Jetstar to our Qantas.”

TEN hinted it may announce the first Spring production very soon.