Tony Wheeler comes full circle

Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler gave up his TV company but it appears he couldn't stay away.
[This is archived content and may not display in the originally intended format.]

An image from Reef Killers, produced by Chemical Media in 2013

Wheeler has taken a minority stake in Chemical Media, the company which now owns the media business he established as a sideline at Lonely Planet.

It is the latest act in a long drama in which Lonely Planet Television  was sold to BBC Worldwide. It was subsequently dissolved and recreated by ex-employees as Chemical Media. The business has now come full circle with Wheeler’s investment. Therein lies a wonderful tale of capitalism, survival and a certain amount of cosmic justice.

Unlock Padlock Icon

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more

David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.