Ex-Zodiak US chief creates Pandemo

Veteran exec Jonny Slow has launched a new US-based content company, Pandemo, and has a show in development for MTV in the US with the prodco set up by Justin Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun.

Slow exited Zodiak Media last year. Having been COO of Zodiak Media (now Banijay Group), Slow oversaw the reorganisation of the group’s US activities and creation of Zodiak Americas in 2012, becoming CEO of the new division in the process.

He has now created Pandemo, which will package and import formats from the international market into the US. The focus will be on breaking formats from the UK, Netherlands and Scandinavia in America.

Pandemo, which is an independent company, and the team is billed as comprising “Europeans living and watching in the US”, bringing an international perspective from an LA base.

Its first project is Studio 24 for MTV. The US cable net announced the show as part of its development slate at last week’s upfront event in New York.

The format pairs a well-known music star and a mystery unknown and gives them 24 hours to make a hit. It will be a US adaptation of a format created by Netherlands-based producer and distributor FTV.

Pandemo has teamed with Scooter Braun Films, with Slow and talent manager Braun will both exec produce.

Speaking about the project on social media, Slow said: “It’s part of an exciting move by MTV back towards their roots. We’re in great company on a new slate of programming produced by some of the best producers in the business.”

Slow had been at Zodiak and its precursor RDF for over a decade before his departure last year.