All3 buys German producer from Wige Media

All3Media’s German arm has acquired Munich-based factual entertainment and docs specialist from Wige Media.

South&Browse (currently Wige South&Brose) currently produces unscripted programming for the likes of ProSiebenSat.1, RTL II, Sky and regional broadcasters Bayerischer Rundfunk and Südwestrundfunk.

The agreement means it will become part of All3Media Deutschland, which last year restructured under managing director Dr. Markus Schäfer.

South&Browse has been part of German media and tech group Wige since 2014 following an insolvency process.

The deal, which expands All3’s German activities beyond Cologne and Berlin and into Munich, is still subject to competition authority approval.

Once closed, current _Wige senior VP Tom Gamlich (pictured) will lead South&Browse as managing director and executive producer.

“By acquiring South&Browse, All3Media Deutschland is strengthening its competence in the field of factual entertainment,” said Schäfer. “Along with Tower Productions – our joint venture with BBC Worldwide – and the factual programmes produced by Filmpool entertainment, we will, in future, have yet another foothold in this key market segment.”

“We anticipate that our integration into this group will provide access to a creative network with a strong infrastructure, which will promote programme content development and future growth,” said Gamlich.
Earlier this year, All3Media Deutschland also pushed further into German drama production by launching Hamburg-based joint venture Bon Voyage Films.

That came after All3 folded the MMEMoviement brand into the All3Media Deutschland umbrella, with Schäfer also taking control of All3-owned Dutch prodco IDTV.

In May, All3 took control of UK-based production companies Betty and Raw from one of its parent companies, Discovery Communications.