Shares digital

Women are being given free reign on how to run the world in a new reality TV show recently commissioned to independent producer and distributor DCD Media (DCD:AIM) from Channel 4.

The company’s September Films subsidiary has won the deal which is valued at around £2.5 million, making it September’s largest ever commission. The show is a UK version of the US entertainment format When Women Rule the World and comprises eight 60-minute episodes which will be broadcast in peak-time slots.

The reality show is set in a purpose built Caribbean village location and involves eight women taking solo charge of ten men and challenges the women to build their perfect female crafted community. Whatever the women instruct, the men must carry out, with the only absolute law on the island being that ‘women rule, men obey’.

The show will be presented by T4’s Welshman Steve Jones, but no further details have been disclosed. September Films was acquired by DCD last July and has a presence in both the UK (London) and the US television markets (Los Angeles). The group produces the UK version of the US TV show Beauty and the Geek for Channel 4 and is also filming the sixth series of popular reality format Bridezillas.

DCD Media has also confirmed that it is carrying out acquisition discussions with several companies in the independent television production sector and has had preliminary discussions with Boomerang Plus, which may or may not lead to a transaction.

The shares in DCD have had a tough time over the past year, currently sitting around 37p, compared to 88.5p a year ago. But chief executive, Chris Hunt, remains confident about the company’s success. ‘The share price bears no visible relation to the performance of the group which continues to go from strength to strength. Macro forces have affected the entire small cap media sector and we are no exception. But I am confident that the market will reflect the achievements of the group in due course.’

Regarding future plans, he says the group is interested in growth both internally and through acquisitions. ‘Any company that joins the DCD group must add value to us rather than simply bolt onto the existing operation,’ he adds.

Shares says: The continued focus on expansion holds great promise for the long-term investor.