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Endemol Shine prodcos merge in US
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Endemol Shine North America’s New York-based prodcos True Entertainment and Original Media are merging into a fully-integrated entity.
The new company, Truly Original, will remain a subsidiary of Endemol Shine North America, with Emmy award-winning producers Glenda Hersh (left) and Steven Weinstock (below right) as co-presidents and co-CEOs.
Truly Original will maintain the creative labels of True Entertainment and Original Media for brand consistency. It will also continue to produce brand-distinctive programming such as True’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Original’s Ink Master.
The merger comes just under two years after True founders Weinstock and Hersh took over Original on the departure of David Laikind. Original execs soon began transitioning to True as ties between the companies tightened.
More recently, Original founder Charlie Corwin exited his post as co-CEO and chairman of Truly Original parent Endemol Shine North America, leaving Cris Abrego solely in chargeof the wider business.
Endemol Shine said the idea behind the merger was to develop executive talent across a larger range of programming, share resources between the two companies, and unify the staff into a single team.
Truly Original will be moving to a New York City office early this year, consolidating development and production under one roof. The combined operation currently has 16 series on ten US networks.
Hersh and Weinstock founded True Entertainment in 2000, and sold to Endemol Shine Group (then Endemol) three years later. Original became part of Endemol in 2007, more than seven years before the latter merged with Shine Group and Core Media.
“With their sharp creativity and singular vision for leadership, Steven and Glenda have built and shepherded two of our industry’s most prolific, successful and distinguished production companies,” said Abrego, who also leads Endemol Shine Americas as chairman. “Their value to Endemol Shine is immense and we’re excited to support them in this exciting Truly Original endeavour.”
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