M&A


WWE Studios plans TV originals assault

WWE Studios is expanding beyond feature films and into original TV and digital content production. The production arm of wrestling/sports entertainment giant WWE is looking to work with coproducers on scripted and reality TV shows, and is also eyeing the family and animated spaces. WWE Studios president Michael Luisi will continue to oversee the business, […]

Viacom int’l COO switch with Tolosa transforming

Viacom International Media Networks has named a new COO, as current incumbent Jose Tolosa moves to a new role oversee company-wide transformation. Long-serving exec Melody Tan (pictured) has been promoted to the number two post at the international arm of US media giant Viacom. She will report to president and CEO David Lynn, who moved […]

Cineflix launches prodco with Salzman Jr.

Canada’s Cineflix Media is backing a new Montreal-based indie led by the son of co-CEO Glen Salzman. Connect3 will focus on coproductions for the North American and international markets. Pablo Salzman will lead the business as president, with Cineflix a joint venture partner. The exec, who’s been with Cineflix since 2009, will focus on working […]

BBC merges Studios and Worldwide

UK pubcaster the BBC is merging its production arm, BBC Studios, and commercial division BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) into one entity. The BBC claims the move to plump for one commercial brand – BBC Studios – will bring it “into line with the rest of the industry” in an “increasingly competitive and global market for production […]

Beta buys prodco MR Film

Germany’s Beta Film has acquired a majority stake in Austrian prodco MR Film for an undisclosed amount. The deal, which is subject to cartel authority approval, will see Beta take a 51% stake in the Vienna-based business. MR Film is best known for shows such as ORF and ZDF coproduction Hotel Sacher, Suburbia – Women […]

John de Mol consolidates media assets

John de Mol has consolidated his media assets, including his Dutch commercial channels, in a new business called Talpa Network. The company will comprise SBS6, Net5, Veronica and SBS9, online services Juke and Kijk, Sky Radio and Radio 10, and a new acquisition: e-commerce business Emesa. Endemol co-founder de Mol (pictured) has also said there […]

Federation builds Bigger Boat into prodco

French companies Federation Entertainment and Empreinte Digitale have joined forces to create a genre-focused drama production company, Bigger Boat. Both Federation and Empreinte are prolific drama producers, with the former producing Netflix’s Marseille and the latter behind OCS and AMC coproduction Missions. Bigger Boat will focus on creating genre series in the vein of Stranger […]

US gov’t blocks AT&T’s Time Warner takeover

The US Department for Justice (DoJ) has blocked AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner and filed a lawsuit to prevent it. The justice department has said that the merger, valued at US$85 billion, will reduce competition and raise prices for consumers. Makan Delrahim, the assistant attorney general for the Department for Justice’s antitrust division, said: “It would […]

Studio71 France management team named

TF1 digital chief Nicolas Capuron has been named as CEO of Studio71 France, while Stéphane Bourgouin has been named as chief content officer of the multichannel network. Completing the management team at the MCN, which came out of the wide-ranging alliance forged between French commercial broadcaster TF1 and Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1, Virginie Maire has been named […]

eOne sales down but Peppa props up profits

Entertainment One (eOne) has seen its half-year revenues dip slightly, but evergreen kids series Peppa Pig drove group profits up as it continues to build scale. London-listed eOne posted unaudited revenues of £395.7 million (US$523.7 million), which was down 1% from £401 million in the same period the year before. However, underlying EBITDA was up […]

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