Northern Pictures
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn Australian television production company developing and producing unscripted, factual, children's and scripted programming for domestic and international broadcasters and platforms.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Northern Pictures is an Australian television production company founded in 2010 by producer Sue Clothier. The company develops and produces unscripted and factual programs, with additional activity in children's and scripted television. Its work has been commissioned or distributed by Australian broadcasters including the ABC, SBS and Nine, as well as international partners such as PBS, Discovery Channel and Netflix. The company became part of a broader international production group during a period of consolidation in the factual-television sector. In 2013, Clothier sold Northern Pictures to media executive David Haslingden. The acquisition took place alongside Haslingden's acquisition of New Zealand factual producer NHNZ through his Racat Group. That year Northern Pictures also entered a joint venture with Keshet International to establish and operate Keshet Australia, connecting the Australian business with an international format and production network. In 2017, Haslingden sold his production-company holdings, including Northern Pictures, to Canadian media company Blue Ant Media. The transaction placed Northern Pictures within a larger group focused on factual, entertainment and international content production and distribution. In 2018, Australian Geographic's publication business was sold to Northern Pictures, broadening the company's relationship with the Australian Geographic brand and its factual-content audience. Northern Pictures' catalogue includes social-impact documentaries, factual series, reality and relationship formats, children's programming and scripted productions. Notable titles include Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta, Life on the Reef, Employable Me, Hardball, Love on the Spectrum, Better Date than Never and Austin. Love on the Spectrum in particular became an internationally visible format, with the Australian series associated with the ABC and Netflix and a United States version released through Netflix. The company operates primarily from Australia while producing content for audiences beyond the country. Publicly identified personnel have included Managing Director Peter Anderson, Head of Factual Karina Holden, Head of Kids & Scripted Catherine Nebauer, and factual series producer and director Tosca Looby. Northern Pictures' positioning is based on producer-led development, factual storytelling and programs that combine accessible entertainment with social, cultural or human-interest themes.
History
Northern Pictures was established in Australia in 2010 by television producer Sue Clothier. From its beginning, the company concentrated on developing and producing unscripted and factual television for Australian broadcasters and international partners. Its production model has covered documentary series, factual entertainment, social-impact programming and, later, children's and scripted projects. A significant ownership change occurred in 2013, when Clothier sold the company to media executive David Haslingden. The acquisition was made through Haslingden's Racat Group and took place during a broader expansion involving New Zealand factual producer NHNZ. Northern Pictures also formed a joint venture with Keshet International in 2013 to operate Keshet Australia. This relationship gave the company a connection to Keshet's international format, development and production activities. During the following years Northern Pictures built a catalogue across Australian public-service and commercial television. Programs included Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta for SBS, Kakadu for the ABC, Changing Minds, Ice Wars, Luke Warm Sex, Life on the Reef and Saltwater Heroes. The company also developed programming with international reach, including Outback for PBS and Nine. Its projects frequently combined observational storytelling with subjects involving community, identity, environment, work and social participation. In 2017, Haslingden sold his production-company holdings to Blue Ant Media, a Canadian media company. Northern Pictures became part of Blue Ant's international production and content business. The change in ownership preserved the company's Australian production identity while placing it within a larger corporate group with international distribution and development capabilities. In 2018, Northern Pictures acquired the Australian Geographic publication business. This expanded the company's activities beyond television production and aligned it with a recognised Australian factual and natural-history publishing brand. The acquisition also complemented Northern Pictures' existing emphasis on factual content and documentary audiences. Northern Pictures continued to work across genres and platforms. Its children's and scripted activity included Hardball, which began on the ABC in 2019, while factual and relationship programming included Love on the Spectrum. The Australian version of Love on the Spectrum was broadcast by the ABC and later associated with Netflix distribution. A United States version reached Netflix in 2022, giving the format a wider international profile. Other later productions included Better Date than Never and Austin for the ABC. Publicly identified Northern Pictures personnel have included Managing Director Peter Anderson, Head of Factual Karina Holden, Head of Kids & Scripted Catherine Nebauer, and factual series producer and director Tosca Looby. The available reference material does not establish a complete corporate leadership chronology or provide a current standalone website, revenue figures or stock-market listing. Northern Pictures is described as an active Australian production company operating within Blue Ant Media's broader group.
- 2024
Austin begins on the ABC
[1]Austin is listed among Northern Pictures productions beginning an ABC run in 2024.
- 2022
U.S. Love on the Spectrum version is released
[1]The U.S. version of Love on the Spectrum is released through Netflix.
- 2019
Hardball begins on the ABC
[1]Northern Pictures' children's scripted series Hardball begins its ABC run.
- 2018
Australian Geographic publication business is acquired
[1]Northern Pictures acquires the Australian Geographic publication business.
- 2017
Blue Ant Media acquires the company
[1]Blue Ant Media buys Haslingden's production holdings, including Northern Pictures.
- 2013
Ownership passes to David Haslingden
[1]David Haslingden acquires Northern Pictures through the Racat Group.
- 2013
Keshet Australia joint venture is formed
[1]Northern Pictures and Keshet International establish a joint venture to operate Keshet Australia.
- 2010
Northern Pictures is founded
[1]Sue Clothier establishes Northern Pictures in Australia as a television production company.
Products and positioning
An Australian independent production company focused on factual, unscripted, children's and scripted television, with a portfolio spanning public-service broadcasting, commercial networks and international streaming platforms.
Factual relationship series · 2019
Love on the Spectrum
A factual relationship series following autistic people as they explore dating and intimate relationships. Northern Pictures produced the Australian version for the ABC, with the series later associated with Netflix distribution. A United States version was released through Netflix in 2022, extending the format's international reach.
Natural-history documentary series · 2015
Life on the Reef
A factual series produced for the ABC and PBS focusing on life and communities connected with the Great Barrier Reef. The program reflects Northern Pictures' interest in environmental storytelling and documentary subjects with both Australian and international relevance.
Factual series · 2018
Employable Me
A social-impact factual program centered on people with disability or other barriers to employment as they seek suitable work. The series fits Northern Pictures' broader practice of combining human-interest storytelling with social inclusion themes.
Children's scripted series · 2019
Hardball
A children's scripted television series produced for the ABC. It represents Northern Pictures' expansion beyond factual programming into youth-oriented scripted storytelling and was listed as continuing on the ABC's children's service.
Factual dating series · 2023
Better Date than Never
An ABC factual dating program associated with Northern Pictures' relationship and social-observation programming. The series was listed as airing from 2023 to 2024.
Scripted television series · 2024
Austin
A scripted television production listed among Northern Pictures' ABC programs beginning in 2024. It demonstrates the company's continued activity in scripted television alongside its established factual and unscripted portfolio.
Documentary series · 2012
Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta
An SBS documentary series examining the history and community life of Cabramatta. It is among Northern Pictures' early factual productions and illustrates the company's focus on Australian social and cultural stories.
Factual series · 2017
Outback
A factual production associated with PBS and Nine, presenting stories from Australia's outback for both domestic and international audiences.
Brand decisions
2018
Acquisition of Australian Geographic publication businessM&ABackground
Northern Pictures expanded its factual-media activities beyond television production.
Action taken
The company acquired the Australian Geographic publication business.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened Northern Pictures' relationship with Australian Geographic and its factual-content audience.
2017
Acquisition by Blue Ant MediaM&ABackground
Blue Ant Media expanded its international production and content portfolio through the purchase of David Haslingden's production holdings.
Action taken
Blue Ant Media acquired Northern Pictures as part of the wider transaction.
Aftermath
Northern Pictures became part of Blue Ant Media's broader international media group.
2013
Acquisition by David HaslingdenM&ABackground
Northern Pictures was acquired during David Haslingden's expansion of factual production interests through the Racat Group.
Action taken
Haslingden purchased Northern Pictures from founder Sue Clothier.
Aftermath
The company continued producing Australian television and entered a joint venture with Keshet International in the same year.
2013
Keshet Australia joint ventureStrategyBackground
Northern Pictures sought an international connection for format development and production in Australia.
Action taken
The company partnered with Keshet International to establish and operate Keshet Australia.
Aftermath
The partnership linked Northern Pictures with Keshet's international television activities.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/northern-pictures · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled