Outrageous Fortunes, Series

Synopsis

A series investigating major family businesses.

Details compiled from TRILT - see www.trilt.ac.uk

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of production

2004

Notes

Broadcast weekly on BBC from 5/4/04 on BBC3

Subjects

Business studies; FE

Keywords

business firms; diamonds; retail businesses; family businesses

Distribution Formats

Type

VHS

Price

subscription only

Duration/Size

55 minutes each part

Year

2004

Sections

Title

Disney

Synopsis

Simon Reeve investigates the current problems at Disney. As the entertainment giant’s profits plummet, CEO Michael Eisner’s position is under threat with Roy Disney, who has always been closely involved with the business, campaigning to oust him.
The programme interviews the Slesingers, who have been fighting with Disney over the lucrative merchandising rights for Winnie the Pooh. Simon Reeve also speaks to a Disneyand employee who believes cuts in maintenace staff could be putting the lives of customers at risk.

Duration

55 mins

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004D10AE

Title

Bacardi

Synopsis

Simon Reeve looks at the history of the Bacardi family business, from their beginnings in Cuba, to their world domination: bacardi rum is now the biggest selling spirit in the world. He interviews various members of the family, including a Bacardi heiress who has been suing her mother for her inheritance for over a decade, the ex-Bacardi wife who needs thirty thousand dollars a month to live, and the forgotten Bacardis left behind in Cuba. He also investigates reports that Bacardi money has funded terrorism against Castro’s Cuba, and an allegation that a Bacardi boss offered the Mafia a hundred thousand dollars to get Castro.

Duration

55 mins

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004D6032

Title

Nintendo

Synopsis

Libby Potter travels around the world investigating the history of Nintendo and the company boss Hiroshi Yamauchi. She speaks to Yamauchi’s daughter and son-in-law in Hawaii about running Nintendo America in the boom years and in Japan she interviews Nintendo games developer Shigeru Miyamoto about Super Mario, Pokemon and Zelda, some of his most successful creations. Despite developing such popular titles, he is not wealthy and Potter asks him why he forfeited his right to game royalties.

In addition, she uncovers evidence that Nintendo knew that sequences in the games could trigger epileptic fits. Unlike television, the video game industry the number or rate of flashing images in a game is not regulated. This documentary tests a number of Nintendo games and discovers that certain current releases would fail the guidelines set out by the Independent Television Commission.

Duration

55 mins

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004D3DF5

Title

Walmart

Synopsis

Emeka Onono investigates the fortunes of Walmart. The world’s biggest retailer is both admired and hated, but while campaigners and pressure groups attempt to curtail its activities the company’s growth seems unstoppable

Duration

55 mins

Title

Guinness

Synopsis

Documentary about the Guinness dynasty, which founded an Irish icon, exploring both the family’s and the beer’s background. The programme looks at how Guinness is selling Irishness to bar owners in America to promote its sales. It also investigates the Guinness curse, reveals how the family and the beer parted company and questions how a family that insists on its Irishness campaigned against Irish independence. Includes interviews with model Jasmine Guinness, The Earl of Iveagh, the head of the Guinness clan, and Rutger Hauer (who starred in a famous series of Guinness ads in the 90s).

Duration

55 mins

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004D6674

Title

De Beers

Synopsis

Libby Potter examines the often controversial history of the cartel that has controlled diamond supplies for over a century. Featuring an interview with Nicky Oppenheimer, head of the De Beers family fortune
Examines whether, with the advent of factory made genuine diamonds, De Beers can hold their place in the market

Duration

55 mins

Distributors ref

004D82DE

Distributor

Name

Learning on Screen Off-Air Recording Back-up Service

Email

services@bufvc.ac.uk

Web

http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/offair External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7393 1514

Fax

020 7393 1555

Address

For Learning on Screen Members only
77 Wells Street
London
W1T 3QJ