Paris, 28 July – Leading international entertainment entities Banijay Group and Zodiak Media have today agreed terms to unite their complementary catalogues and production units.
With revenues of around US$1 billion, the merger creates one of the world’s biggest independent production and distribution companies and the largest not controlled by a media group.
At the closing, Stéphane Courbit will be named Chairman and Marco Bassetti will be appointed CEO of the merged company.
The new Group, which already boasts the leading production companies in many countries in which it operates, will now have a footprint in more than 18 territories producing entertainment, drama, factual, reality entertainment, docu-drama, children’s and animation programming.
An extensive sales arm will handle worldwide rights distribution and licensing for both in-house and third party content.
Further details of the merger will be announced in due course.
For further information, please contact:
Debbie Lawrence
The Lippin Company Ltd on behalf of Banijay Group
T: +44 (0) 7771850580
About Banijay Group:
The Banijay Group is a content creation company for television and multimedia platforms. With leading production entities in more than a dozen territories, the Group is engaged in strategic partnerships with innovative creative talent around the world. Banijay formats and programming, as well as acquired third-party content, are sold around the world by its global distribution arm, Banijay International.
The Banijay Group currently comprises Banijay Productions France, H2O and Air Productions (France), Cuarzo and DLO Producciones (Spain), Brainpool (Germany), Ambra Banijay (Italy), Nordisk Film TV (Denmark, Norway, Sweden); Pineapple Entertainment; Respirator (Denmark), Banijay Finland (Finland), Screentime (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland) and Bunim/Murray Productions, Stephen David Entertainment and Banijay Studios North America (US).
Banijay Group's lead shareholder is LOV Group, the family holding company of Stéphane Courbit, alongside GroupeArnault, Exor, De Agostini and AMS Industries.
About Zodiak Media:
Zodiak Media is the leading independent in entertainment, factual, drama and kids, with over 45 local brands operating in 15 countries. Creating, producing, and selling content across all key genres and broadcast platforms, Zodiak Media owns major properties such as Millennium, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Wife Swap, The Secret Millionaire, The Inbetweeners, Totally Spies, Fort Boyard and Wallander.
Zodiak Rights, the international rights business of Zodiak Media, boasts a growing catalogue of around 20,000 hours of content. Zodiak Rights represents both Zodiak Media programming and formats, and a substantial catalogue of third-party independent content. Zodiak Rights specialises in worldwide television and home entertainment distribution and all aspects of licensing, with highly experienced sales teams in London, Paris & Copenhagen, offering a tailored service for producers with the benefit of scale.
Headquartered in Paris and with other key offices in London, Los Angeles, Milan, Stockholm and Moscow, Zodiak Media, majority-owned by giant Italian conglomerate De Agostini, operates across the world as a leading independent studio combining creative flair with financial strength. The company is led by CEO Marc-Antoine d’Halluin, an international TV executive with significant expertise across numerous markets having held leadership positions at Fox Kids, Canal Plus Nordic, Showtime and OSN.