France’s local answer to Netflix, Salto, may have received the greenlight from the competition watchdog, but producers warn that without a hefty originals investment and clarity on rights, the platform could struggle to compete with players that are “years ahead” in France. The Autorité de la Concurrence ushered through the beleaguered joint-SVOD between commercial broadcasters […]
Distributors are under greater pressure than ever, needing to be nimble, innovative and cash-rich – all at the same time. TBI gathered distributors of shows such as Bodyguard and Leaving Neverland to discuss all things content: what’s cutting through, what they’re walking away from and why they’re stepping in where commissioners are falling short How […]
Media giants building SVODs to rival Netflix are talking the talk, but who will walk the walk? Manori Ravindran investigates the knock-on effects of consolidation and the bigger picture around windowing and rights ownership. If 2018’s media disruption taught us anything, it was to expect the unexpected in the laser-focused drive for scale. As potential […]
Banijay Rights has appointed 560 Media to oversee its secondary rights. Under the deal, the UK-based global rights agency will manage secondary rights for the Banijay Group-owned distributor for five years, representing more than 20,000 hours of programming across all genres. The deal was brokered by John O’Sullivan, CEO of 560 Media; Banijay Rights CEO […]
Banijay has acquired Survivor prodco Castaway Television, TBI can reveal. Castaway owners Charlie Parsons, Lord Waheed Alli and Bob Geldof have sold the company and format to France-based Banijay, and Banijay Rights will be selling it internationally once the deal closes, TBI has learned. Contacted this morning, Castaway confirmed the news. “We have had an […]
France’s Banijay Group has rebranded its sales arm, Zodiak Rights, just under a year after the Banijay-Zodiak Media merger. Banijay Rights was revealed this morning in Europe, a day before the NATPE Miami event begins and more than two months ahead of MIPTV in Cannes. Zodiak Rights was the name adopted after Zodiak and Banijay […]
Former Banijay International sales manager Siobhan Herriot is joining The Flemish Primitives as head of sales. She joins the Brussels-based distributor on June 1, reporting to general manager Steven Allcock. Herriot (pictured left) will work out of London and Brussels, selling formats such as The Mole, Eternal Glory and new efforts The House and Like […]
Several of the Banijay International sales staff that transferred to Zodiak Rights are set to exit the new-look distributor, TBI understands, with one departure already confirmed. Multiple sources have said the former Banijay International sales team will all exit the business, which Tim Mutimer oversees. It is understood they have been offered redundancy packages or […]
Broadcasters in Argentina and Denmark are the latest buyers of Zodiak Rights-sold entertainment format Wild Things. Telefe used the format’s dedicated hub in Argentina for its local 13x60mins remake, with Peppermind attached to produce, while Mastiff Denmark is creating an 8x60mins version for its compatriot, TV3. Other recent local adaptations include Shenzhen TV’s Chinese version, […]
Banijay Group’s sales arm, Zodiak Rights, has closed a deal with British writer-director David Raymond (pictured) that is “anticipated to garner US$150 million of scripted content”. Zodiak Rights has closed the first look finance and distribution deal with Arise Pictures, which LA-based Raymond runs with executive producer and film financier Chris Pettit (below, right). The […]
