News

22 November 2007

ENDEMOL USA ACQUIRES MAJORITY STAKE OF INDEPENDENT FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION COMPANY, ORIGINAL MEDIA

Endemol USA (Los Angeles, CA), a subsidiary of Endemol Group, the world's largest independent producer of reality and unscripted television, today announced the acquisition of Original Media, an independent production company that specializes in television series and unique films.

Through this partnership with Original Media, Endemol further solidifies its leadership in non-scripted programming while enhancing its presence in scripted television series. Original Media will also play a key role in helping Endemol's expansion into new arenas, including feature films and digital programming - enabling the company to deliver on its commitment to provide a compelling entertainment experience through diverse, multimedia platforms.

Under the leadership of CEO Charlie Corwin, Original Media has put together one of the most impressive and diversified producing track records. Its credits range from the Academy Award nominated independent feature films Half Nelson and The Squid & The Whale, to the smash hit unscripted series "Miami Ink" and "LA Ink" for TLC, and the recently debuted action-packed series "Storm Chasers" for The Discovery Channel. Original Media recently signed a first-look deal with NBC Entertainment, which has already yielded a 13-episode commitment for the hour-long scripted drama "The Philanthropist" for the 2008-2009 season.

Charlie Corwin, who will continue to serve as CEO of Original Media, commented, "I am thrilled to be a part of the Endemol family, the force behind some of the most successful, groundbreaking global hit franchises, and playing a pivotal role in increasing their position as a pre-eminent global programming supplier. This deal furthers the reach of Original Media productions worldwide and provides us with the immeasurable resources to develop and produce unique and compelling stories across multiple media platforms."

President Endemol USA David Goldberg: "From the first meeting with Charlie I was impressed with his energy, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. These qualities combined with his proven ability to conceive and sell a diverse array of original programming in a variety of arenas is what made Original Media such an attractive target. It allows us to not only expand our footprint in scripted and unscripted television programming, but also to further extend our digital media initiatives and bring us into the development and production of feature films. I look forward with great enthusiasm to working with Charlie and his team at Original Media."

Ron Milkes, SVP of Corporate Development Endemol USA: "This is an excellent acquisition for Endemol USA, Original Media's diverse business in television, film and the digital media will help us in the growth of Endemol through strategic acquisitions and joint ventures in all areas of entertainment."

Original Media, which was co-founded by Charlie Corwin and Clara Markowicz, will continue to operate out of its headquarters in New York - with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Miami - as an independent studio within Endemol USA.