Banijay Group


TLC gets Undressed with Zodiak Rights format

TLC has ordered local versions of social experiment format Undressed. The female-skewing Discovery-owned cable net will have country-specific Undressed formats for its UK and Ireland service, and its Dutch channel. The UK version of the Zodiak Rights-distributed show will run to 20x30mins and be produced by Fizz, a division of RDF Television, which is in […]

New roles for Hansen, Spodsberg at Banijay Zodiak

Peter Hansen and Karoline Spodsberg have landed new roles at Banijay Zodiak Nordic, the new regional unit of the Banijay Group, which has just completed its merger with Zodiak Media. Hansen becomes CCO at the new business unit and Spodsberg COO, moves confirmed a day after Jacob Houlind became Nordic CEO and Johannes Jensen was […]

Houlind takes Banijay Zodiak Nordic top job

Jacob Houlind has been named group CEO of a merged Nordic division at fledgling super-indie Banijay Group. Houlind (left), previously CEO of Nordisk Film TV, will lead Banijay Zodiak Nordic, with Zodiak Nordic chief executive Johannes Jensen named VP and deputy group CEO. Banijay Zodiak Nordic will comprise the merged Scandinavian assets of Banijay Group […]

Vivendi ‘tables offer’ for Mediaset pay TV unit

France-based entertainment giant Vivendi has reportedly made an offer for the pay TV assets of Silvio Berlusconi’s Mediaset. Il Corriere della Sera reported that the offer has been with Mediaset, which operates in Italy and Spain and has free TV assets, for “several days”. Vivendi plans to fund the deal for Mediaset Premium through cash […]

Vivendi: Canal+ losses cannot continue

Vivendi has stated that it “cannot on a long-term basis continue to finance the losses of Canal+ channels in France” following four years of losses. Posting its financial results for 2015, Vivendi said that the pay TV outfit posted negative EBITA of €264 million (US$293 million) last year, an increase in its losses of €76 […]

Details of Banijay-Zodiak structure emerge

Vivendi could ultimately take control of the soon-to-be-created Banijay-Zodiak group, according to Les Echos. Initially, Stéphane Courbit’s LOV Group will have 37.5% of the new group and five seats on the board, with Courbit the chairman. De Agostini will have about 36% and Vivendi 26%, and they will have three and two board seats respectively. […]

Zodiak-Banijay merger gets EU approval

The merger of Zodiak Media and Banijay Group has moved a step closer to completion after the European Commission approved the agreement. Banijay’s French parent LOV Group and Zodiak’s Italy-based majority owner De Agostini will now form a joint venture that will house the new group, along with minority shareholder Vivendi, which has been given […]

Hoogstra resurfaces with Banijay’s Stephen David

Former History programming honcho Dirk Hoogstra has resurfaced as chief creative officer of Banijay Group-owned US producer Stephen David Entertainment. At SDE, he will oversee development, packaging and sales of the production slate in the premium content space, responsible for international financing and coproduction. Hoogstra (pictured) is widely liked within the US creative community thanks […]

Vivendi deal for 26.2% of Banijay-Zodiak

Vivendi has signed an agreement to take a 26.2% stake in the new production and distribution group resulting from the combination of Banijay Group and Zodiak Media. Vivendi had previously confirmed it was in talks to take a minority stake in the production outfit. The Banijay-Zodiak transaction is scheduled to complete in the first half of […]

Banijay Finland gets interim bosses after CEO exit

Banijay Finland has made its CFO, COO and CCO interim bosses of the production company after FremantleMedia poached Joonas Hytönen. “As part of the current management team, CCO Martti Suovinen CCO, CFO Rami Jahkonen, and COO Suvi Oja Heiniemi will become joint interim CEOs,” said Jacob Houlind, Nordic group CEO at Banijay Group in a statement issued to […]