In 2018, Endemol Shine Group had 700 productions on air across 270 platforms and channels. K7 Media report's Tracking the Giants: Top 100 Travelling TV Formats 2018-19 also recognized Endemol Shine Group as the production and distribution company with the most travelled formats in 2018.[8]
Formed in 2015 through a merger of Dutch television studio Endemol and Elisabeth Murdoch's UK-based studio Shine Group, Endemol Shine Group companies included Dragonfly, Kudos, and Princess Productions. It also included Shine TV which was founded in 2001 by Elisabeth Murdoch; and Metronome Film & Television, a Scandinavian-based production group. EndemolShine International was the group's international distribution arm responsible for the distribution of the various formats of the group.[9] The group also established international companies Endemol Shine North America, Endemol Shine Australia, Endemol Shine India, Endemol Shine Germany, Endemol Shine France, and Endemol Shine Iberia.
From 20 March 2019 to 3 July 2020, it was jointly owned by The Walt Disney Company and Apollo Global Management, with each holding a 50% share. On 22 October 2019, French company Banijay announced its intent to acquire Endemol Shine from Disney and Apollo. On 30 June 2020, the European Commission approved Banijay's purchase of Endemol Shine.[10] The purchase was completed on 3 July 2020.[2] Several divisions kept the Endemol Shine name following the acquisition by Banijay.
History
Merger of Endemol, Shine Group, CORE Media Group
On 15 May 2014, private equity firm Apollo Global Management and multinational mass media entertainment company 21st Century Fox had announced that they've confirmed its intention to merge Apollo's Dutch-based entertainment production and distribution powerhouse Endemol and American unscripted production company Core Media Group with 21st Century Fox's own British-based global entertainment production and distribution company Shine Group to form a joint venture global production and distribution company under one roof with funds managed by affiliates of Apollo, Dutch-based entertainment production and distribution powerhouse Endemol, British-based entertainment production and distribution company Shine Group and American production group CORE Media Group. Under the agreement, 21st Century Fox and the funds managed by affiliates of Apollo would jointly own and manage the new joint venture.[11][12][13][14]
Five months later on 10 October 2014, 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management had announced that they've finalised their agreement to merge Apollo's Dutch-based entertainment production and distribution company Endemol and American production group CORE Media Group with 21st Century Fox's British-based entertainment production and distribution company Shine Group to create the global production group consists of Endemol, Shine Group and CORE Media Group. Under the terms of the agreement, 21st Century Fox and Apollo will jointly manage the newly created group, with each owning 50 per cent. Sophie Turner Laing, former managing director of Content at BSkyB, would serve as the group's CEO.[15][16][17][18]
On 27 October 2014, two weeks after making the final agreement of the new joint venture Shine Group announced that Tim Hincks would become the president of the new joint venture.[19][20]
On 29 October 2014, Endemol announced that Cris Abrego and Charlie Corwin will serve as the new joint venture's North America division co-chairmen and Co-CEOs.[21][22]
On 17 December 2014, 21st Century Fox and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC had announced their completion of the transaction to create the group consists of Endemol, Shine Group and CORE Media, under the previously announced terms. On that same day it was announced by Shine Group that the joint venture would be named 'Endemol Shine Group' and it was announced that Endemol's worldwide distribution division Endemol Worldwide Distribution was being merged with Shine's Group international division Shine International right under Cathy Payne the CEO of Endemol's worldwide international division becoming CEO of the newly merged distribution label of the Endemol Shine Group.[23][24][25] Both Apollo and 21st Century Fox owning 50% of the joint venture that took place on 1 January 2015.[26]
On 15 January 2015, Endemol Shine Group announced appointing former Endemol UK CEO Lucas Church to be Chairman of Endemol Shine UK, former Endemol UK Chief Operating Officer Richard Johnston becoming CEO of Endemol Shine UK.[27]
In March 2015, Endemol Shine Group announced that they've launched their global international distribution division combining the distribution operations of Endemol Worldwide Distribution & Shine International and had been given a name which was called Endemol Shine International following the merger of Endemol Worldwide Distribution and Shine International in December 2014 which will focus on their distribution hubs across eight counties with former Endemol CEO Cathy Payne heading the combined distribution division along with former Endemol executive Mark Lawrence heading the businnes in Europe alongside LA-based Matt Creasey which will head up the operations in the Americas, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.[28][29] Two days later in March of that same year after Endemol Shine launched their international distribution division, Endemol Shine Group announced that they've restructed their Scandinavian operations by launching a new Nordic division named Endemol Shine Nordics with Endemol's own Nordic division Endemol Nordics being shut down with CEO Michael Porseryd stepping down alongside Endemol's Scandinavian operations which were Endemol Norway, Endemol Finland and Endemol Denmark being discontinued as labels and had them merged and being folded into existing Shine Nordic's production companies along with Endemol Sweden's own operations with Gary Carter the co-CEO of Endemol Shine International and former chairman of Shine Nordics will oversee Endemol Shine Nordics operations along with former Shine Nordics colleges Bertil Rosenlund and Victoria Kjellberg.[30][31][32]
In succeeding years, Endemol's eye and Shine Group's egg logos were replaced with Endemol Shine Group wordmark-only logo in closing credits of most of its-licensed shows, effectively making Endemol and Shine an in-name-only units of that company.
Endemol was founded in 1994 by a merger of television production companies owned by Joop van den Ende and John de Mol, the name deriving from the combination of their surnames.[33]
Endemol specialised in formatted programming that can be adapted for different countries around the world as well as different media platforms. One notable success has been the Big Brotherreality television show, with versions in many countries after the initial Dutch version. Other examples include Deal or No Deal (sold to over 75 countries), The Money Drop (sold in over 50 countries), Fear Factor (sold in 30 countries) and Wipeout (sold in over 35 countries). In recent years the company has also been expanding its English language drama output with shows such as titles such as The Fall, Peaky Blinders, Ripper Street and Black Mirror in the UK and Hell on Wheels in the US. In November 2013 the company launched Endemol Beyond, an international division specialising in original content for digital video platforms such as YouTube.
Endemol Shine later made a statement that they had been in negotiations with several parties and were confident they would have an owner by end of November 2018.[45] However, on 6 November 2018 it was reported that both Fox and Apollo have decided to suspend the selling process as a deal could not be reached by prospective buyers. In the meantime, Fox's 50% stake in the company was given to Disney.[46] The report was published hours before European Commission's clearance of Disney's impending purchase of Fox on certain conditions.[47]
On 22 October 2019, Banijay officially announced its intent to acquire Endemol Shine from Disney and Apollo for over $2.2 billion.[48] On 26 October 2019, Banijay announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the equity of Endemol Shine Group.[49] The merger was approved on 26 October 2019, pending antitrust approval.[1]
In November 2019, Endemol Shine Group announced that they're shutting down their Chinese label Endemol Shine China along with their China-based production and developing operations in Bejing with the group decided to license their properties in that country to China-based producers.[50]
A few days later in November of that same year, Endemol Shine Group under their German division announced that they're selling its joint-venture drama producer Wiedemann & Berg Television to Leonine Holding which the latter already brought Wiedermann & Berg Film back in April that year will reunite W&B Television with W&B Film. They also announced that they're setting up a new scripted label based in Berlin and will be run by W&B Television's managing director Nanni Erben.[51][52]
In February 2020, Banijay raised $2,600,000,000 in refinancing for acquiring Endemol Shine.[53]
On 30 June 2020, the European Commission approved Banijay's purchase of Endemol Shine.[10] The purchase was completed three days later, and Endemol Shine was folded into Banijay. For a year, Banijay continued to use the Endemol Shine brand for many of its production divisions.[2]
Podcasts
In November 2021, it was announced that Endemol Shine will be moving into podcasting for the first time with a partnership with KT Studios with the aim of developing and co-producing original podcasts.[54]
Definitely: In 2018-09-25, Zeppotron announced the launch of its new label, Definitely.[61]
Endemol Shine Nordics:[62] Carryover company from Shine Group as Shine Nordics AB. The company was formed in 2015 and incorporated and Group companies in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland including Meter Television, STO-CPH Produktion, Filmlance International, Friday TV, Mag5 Content, Rubicon TV, Metronome Spartacus, Metronome Productions, Endemol Sweden and Shine Finland.[63]
Endemol Shine Beyond: Carryover company from Endemol as Endemol Beyond. In 2016-04-01, Endemol Shine Beyond announced its renaming to Endemol Shine Beyond.[55]
Endemol Shine Iberia:[68] Carryover company from Shine Group as Shine Iberia. In 2015-03-12, Endemol Shine Group announced the launch of Endemol Shine Iberia.[69]
Endemol Shine International was the sales and distribution branch of the group that was founded on March 2, 2015, through the merger of Endemol Worldwide Distribution and Shine International under then-CEO of the Endemol Shine Group Cathy Payne. It handles the licensing and international distribution of television formats from Endemol Shine to around 150 countries worldwide until July 3, 2020, when it was folded into Banijay Rights after Banijay's acquisition of Endemol Shine Group was completed.
