Beyond International
Beyond International is an Australian television and film production and distribution company with operations in Australia and the United States.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Beyond International is an Australian television and film company whose activities span production, content distribution and specialist entertainment businesses. The company was established in 1984 by producers Carmel Travers, Iain Finlay and Chris Ardill-Guinness, consultant Phil Gerlach and accountant Mikael Borglund. Its original purpose was to create Beyond 2000, a commercially oriented science and technology magazine program developed from the Australian public broadcaster ABC program Towards 2000. The success of Beyond 2000 gave the company an early international sales platform, including distribution to the United States and an American adaptation for Fox. Beyond expanded from a single-program venture into a producer and distributor of television series, documentaries, factual entertainment, children’s programming, drama and feature documentaries. Early productions included Just For the Record, Jack Thompson Down Under and Chances. A significant part of the company’s growth came through its relationship with Discovery Channel, for which Beyond produced programs including the long-running Invention. That relationship ultimately contributed to the development of MythBusters, one of the company’s best-known international television properties. Other notable programs associated with Beyond include Deadly Women, Beat Bugs and Highway Thru Hell. The company also developed international partnerships and acquisitions. In 2001 it formed Beyond New Zealand with South Pacific Pictures as a production and distribution joint venture intended to connect New Zealand producers with international television markets. In 2009 Beyond acquired Magna Pacific from receivership, strengthening its distribution activities. In 2013 it created 7Beyond with Seven West Media to produce programs for the North American market. The venture was associated with titles such as My Lottery Dream Home and My Kitchen Rules; Beyond acquired Seven West Media’s interest in 2020. That year Beyond also acquired TCB Media Rights after the collapse of Kew Media Group, adding factual content investment and distribution capabilities. Ownership changed several times. Fremantle acquired just under 20 percent of Beyond in 2008 and became its largest shareholder, eventually owning the business before selling it to Banijay. Banijay completed its acquisition of Beyond on 30 December 2022, after which Beyond was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange. Banijay integrated much of the distribution business into Banijay Rights during 2023. In January 2024, Mikael Borglund reacquired Beyond Productions through BYI Holdings. Banijay retained Beyond’s pre-2022 catalogue and received a five-year first-look distribution arrangement for new Beyond productions. Beyond currently operates through Beyond Productions, Beyond Entertainment and Beyond Action. Beyond Productions is associated with the company’s core production activities. Beyond Entertainment focuses on scripted drama, unscripted documentaries and children’s content, with a particular emphasis on Australian subjects intended for international audiences. Beyond Action specializes in sports and other entertainment programming. More recent projects include the feature documentary The Angels: Kickin' Down the Door, released in 2022, and the announced or later-dated documentary Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story, concerning the Australian band Mental As Anything.
History
Beyond International began in 1984 as a production venture established by Carmel Travers, Iain Finlay, Chris Ardill-Guinness, Phil Gerlach and Mikael Borglund. The company was initially formed to produce Beyond 2000, a commercial reworking of the ABC science and technology program Towards 2000. Rather than remaining a one-off production vehicle, Beyond used the program’s international appeal to build a distribution business, selling the series abroad, including to Discovery Channel in the United States, and supporting an American version for Fox. During its early years Beyond produced a range of Australian television programs, including Just For the Record, Jack Thompson Down Under and Chances. The company’s relationship with Discovery Channel became especially important. Beyond supplied early Discovery programming such as Invention, which ran for nine seasons, and later became involved in the production of MythBusters. The latter became a major international factual-entertainment property and helped establish Beyond’s reputation as an exporter of unscripted television. Beyond broadened its international structure in 2001 through a joint venture with New Zealand’s South Pacific Pictures. Known as Beyond New Zealand, the venture was designed to operate as a production and distribution gateway for New Zealand producers seeking access to international television markets. Beyond subsequently expanded through acquisitions, including the purchase of Magna Pacific from receivership in 2009. In 2013 Beyond joined with Seven West Media to establish 7Beyond, a production venture focused on the North American market. Programs associated with the venture included My Lottery Dream Home and My Kitchen Rules. Beyond acquired Seven West Media’s shareholding in 2020, ending the joint-venture ownership arrangement. In the same year it acquired TCB Media Rights after the failure of Kew Media Group. TCB added factual series investment and sales activity, including programming such as Abandoned Engineering and Extreme Ice Machines. The ownership history of Beyond included public-market participation and corporate control. The company was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange from 1987 until 2023. Fremantle acquired slightly less than 20 percent of the company in 2008 and became its largest shareholder before ultimately owning the business. Banijay announced its intention to acquire Beyond in October 2022 and completed the transaction on 30 December 2022. Beyond was delisted shortly afterward. In 2023, Banijay consolidated Beyond Rights, the distribution and sales arm, into Banijay Rights; most employees in that unit were let go around the end of February. A further ownership change occurred in January 2024, when BYI Holdings, associated with founder and managing director Mikael Borglund, bought back Beyond Productions. The transaction covered the production company and content made under Banijay ownership. Banijay kept Beyond’s pre-2022 back catalogue and secured a five-year first-look distribution agreement for future Beyond productions. The current Beyond structure is organized around Beyond Productions, Beyond Entertainment and Beyond Action. Beyond Entertainment works across scripted drama, documentaries and children’s programming, with an emphasis on Australian stories developed for international audiences. Beyond Action focuses on sports and related entertainment. The company’s later documentary work includes The Angels: Kickin' Down the Door, about Australian rock band The Angels, and Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story, concerning Mental As Anything.
- 2024
Beyond Productions reacquired by BYI Holdings
[1]BYI Holdings reacquired Beyond Productions, while Banijay retained the earlier catalogue and received first-look distribution rights for new productions.
- 2023
Company delisted and distribution operations integrated
[1]Beyond left the ASX and its Beyond Rights distribution business was subsequently integrated into Banijay Rights.
- 2022
Banijay acquisition completed
[1]Banijay completed its acquisition of Beyond on 30 December.
- 2020
Beyond acquired Seven West Media’s 7Beyond interest
[1]Beyond purchased Seven West Media’s shareholding in the 7Beyond venture.
- 2020
TCB Media Rights acquired
[1]Beyond acquired TCB Media Rights after the collapse of Kew Media Group.
- 2013
7Beyond established
[1]Beyond and Seven West Media formed 7Beyond to produce programs for the North American market.
- 2009
Magna Pacific acquired
[1]Beyond acquired the distribution company Magna Pacific from receivership.
- 2008
Fremantle became the largest shareholder
[1]Fremantle acquired just under 20 percent of Beyond, becoming its largest shareholder.
- 2001
Beyond New Zealand joint venture formed
[1]Beyond partnered with South Pacific Pictures to create a New Zealand production and distribution joint venture.
- 1987
Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
[1]Beyond became a publicly listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Products and positioning
An Australian-originated international content company combining television and film production with factual, children’s, sports and entertainment distribution. Its catalogue and production strategy emphasize exportable factual programming and Australian stories for global audiences.
Science and technology television · 1984
Beyond 2000
The program that gave Beyond its name and initial international profile. It presented science, technology and innovation in a magazine format and was developed as a commercial counterpart to the ABC program Towards 2000. Beyond distributed the series internationally and supported an American adaptation.
Factual entertainment
MythBusters
A Discovery Channel factual-entertainment series associated with Beyond’s long relationship with the network. The program tested popular myths and claims through experiments, helping make Beyond one of Australia’s best-known exporters of unscripted television.
True crime documentary
Deadly Women
A documentary and factual series examining cases involving women convicted of serious crimes. It is among the recognizable factual titles associated with Beyond’s production and distribution catalogue.
Children’s television
Beat Bugs
A children’s animated series associated with Beyond’s work in internationally marketable family programming. The title forms part of the company’s broader catalogue beyond factual and documentary television.
Factual entertainment
Highway Thru Hell
A factual entertainment program centered on difficult highway recovery and heavy-towing work. It is one of the international programming properties distributed or produced through Beyond’s factual-content operations.
Feature documentary · 2022
The Angels: Kickin' Down the Door
A feature documentary about the Australian rock band The Angels. The film reflects Beyond Entertainment’s focus on Australian cultural subjects developed for audiences beyond Australia.
Feature documentary · 2026
Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story
A feature documentary about the Australian band Mental As Anything. It belongs to Beyond’s later group of music and Australian-subject documentary projects.
Brand decisions
2024
Reacquire Beyond Productions through BYI HoldingsM&ABackground
Following Banijay’s acquisition and integration of Beyond’s distribution activities, Mikael Borglund sought to re-establish an independently controlled production business.
Action taken
BYI Holdings purchased Beyond Productions and content produced under Banijay ownership.
Aftermath
Banijay retained Beyond’s pre-2022 catalogue and obtained a five-year first-look distribution agreement for new Beyond productions.
2022
Sell the company to BanijayM&ABackground
Beyond had developed through a combination of production, distribution and acquisitions, with Fremantle as its corporate owner before the transaction.
Action taken
Banijay agreed to acquire Beyond and completed the transaction on 30 December 2022.
Aftermath
Beyond was delisted in January 2023, and its distribution operations were later consolidated into Banijay Rights.
2020
Acquire TCB Media RightsM&ABackground
TCB Media Rights became available after the collapse of its parent, Kew Media Group.
Action taken
Beyond acquired TCB Media Rights from receivership to expand its factual-content investment and distribution activities.
Aftermath
TCB brought factual titles such as Abandoned Engineering and Extreme Ice Machines into the wider Beyond business.
2013
Create 7Beyond with Seven West MediaStrategyBackground
Beyond sought a stronger production presence in the North American market and partnered with Seven West Media.
Action taken
The companies formed 7Beyond to develop and produce programming for North American audiences.
Aftermath
The venture was associated with programs including My Lottery Dream Home and My Kitchen Rules. Beyond bought Seven West Media’s interest in 2020.
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