ITV in push for Endemol Shine
International studios are eyeing a major sale which could lead to further mergers down under.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
British broadcaster ITV is in the race for Endemol Shine as the latter continues to field potential buyers.
In July, Endemol Shine owners Apollo Global and 21st Century FOX hired Deutsche Bank and Liontree to advise on a sale.
British newspaper The Sunday Times, which is owned by News Corp, sibling to Endemol Shine co-owner 21st Century Fox, reports that the British commercial broadcaster has officially entered the bidding process as sale talks heat up. Endemol Shine has been valued at between US$2B and US$3B (AU$2.8B – AU$4.2B).
Other bidders are thought to include All3Media co-owner Liberty Global, ITV and Banijay.
BBC Studios and Fremantle owner RTL have both in recent weeks ruled out bidding for the company.
Between them Endemol Shine Australia, headed by Mark & Carl Fennessy, and ITV Studios Australia, under David Mott, produce some of the biggest titles in Australia including MasterChef, Australian Ninja Warrior, Married at First Sight, Gogglebox, Australian Survivor, Family Food Fight, Shark Tank, Offspring (all ESA) and The Voice, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, The Chase, Mad as Hell, Love Island (all ITVA).
Should a bid prove successful, it would mean in less than a decade Southern Star, Endemol, Shine and ITV would have all merged into one group.
Source: Deadline
Updated.
3 Responses
If this goes ahead maybe ITV would consider Big Brother UK now its been dropped by Channel 5……
The value seems amazing considering that the majority of their programs (well in Australia at least) is made up of reality shows or what I define as ‘single use programs’.
Who really would want to watch re-runs of any of their programs apart from their dramas.
I see another global streaming service coming with all the 24 hr catch up on all the backstage dramas.