Endemol is a creator, producer and distributor of multiplatform entertainment content.
The company annually produces more than 15,000 hours of programming across scripted and non-scripted
genres, including drama, reality TV, comedy, game shows, entertainment, factual and kids
programming.
Endemol comprises a global network of operations in more than 30 countries and works with over
300 broadcasters, digital platforms and licensees worldwide.
The business covers development, production, marketing, distribution, franchise management
and multi-platform initiatives including digital video, gaming and apps.
Endemol is controlled by Apollo Global Management and headquartered in the Netherlands.
Endemol created and runs reality, talent and game show franchises worldwide, including
Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, Wipeout, The Money Drop, and Your Face Sounds Familiar.
The company also has a portfolio of drama and comedy series including titles such as
The Fall, Peaky Blinders, Hell On Wheels, Benidorm, Ripper Street, Black Mirror, Bad
Education, My Mad Fat Diary, Hot in Cleveland, Kirstie, Leverage, Home and Away, Death Comes
to Pemberley and The Crimson Field.
History 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.
Endemol has 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 Brother reality television show, with versions in
many countries after the initial Dutch version.
Other examples include Deal or No Deal, The Money Drop, Fear Factor and Wipeout.
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 USA.
In November 2013 the company launched Endemol Beyond, an international division specialising
in original content for digital video platforms such as YouTube.
In 2000, Endemol was sold to the Spanish telecom and media corporation Telefónica for €5.5
billion.
In November 2005, 25% of Endemol was taken public, and is since then listed on the Euronext
Amsterdam exchange under the stock symbol EML.
On May 14, 2007 the remaining 75% of Endemol shares were bought by a consortium, Edam Acquisition,
led by Mediaset, the company controlled by Silvio Berlusconi's family, and including
the investment company Cyrte, in which the original co-founder John de Mol has shares.
The consortium announced on August 6, 2007, that it now owned 99.54% of Endemol shares,
after an offer to buy the remaining shares went through on August 3, 2007; it asked the
Euronext bourse for a delisting of Endemol.
It was reported in 2010 that the company was $3 billion in debt.
Then in 2011, it was reported that the debt had grown to $4.1 billion.
A loan restructure was planned for 2011 when Endemol was expected to breach its debt covenants.
On June 30, the debt covenants were breached at the same time that CEO Ynon Kreiz left
the company and Endemol's UK subsidiary failed to file its annual accounts.
On March 23, 2012, Endemol's debt was converted into shares by US private-equity firm Apollo
Global Management.
On April 3, 2012, Mediaset sold its majority stake in Endemol to Apollo and Dutch asset
manager Cyrte, and Endemol restructured the bulk of its debt.
The current CEO is Just Spee.
On May 15, 2014, Apollo and 21st Century Fox announced a joint venture to combine 21st
Century Fox's Shine Group and Apollo's Endemol and CORE Media Group.
The deal closed October 2014.
Over the years Endemol has expanded its international presence either by starting up operations
in new markets or by acquiring existing production companies.
Most recently, in December 2013, Endemol became a shareholder in Israel's Channel 2 franchisee
Reshet, following the acquisition in April of a controlling share in the Israeli independent
producer Kuperman, which is now Endemol Israel.
Endemol is soon to merge with Shine Limited and Core Media, in a deal that's already finalized
by 21st Century Fox and Apollo.
Global Presence Endemol has the following operations around
the world: Endemol USA
Endemol USA is the United States production branch of Endemol based in Los Angeles, California.
It has been in operation since 2000.
The branch produces Endemol's popular worldwide formats for the major American TV networks,
such as Fear Factor, Deal or No Deal and 1 Vs. 100 for NBC; Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,
Show Me the Money, The One: Making a Music Star, Set for Life, and Wipeout for ABC; Exposed
for MTV; Big Brother and Kid Nation for CBS; Midnight Money Madness for TBS and most recently,
a game show adaptation of 20Q for GSN.
Their worst faring franchise by far is The One which was canceled after four episodes.
Fear Factor was canceled after six seasons; its first season is out now on DVD.
Another one of their shows, Big Brother has two seasons already out on DVD.
While Big Brother has had the most international success to date, their most successful USA
program could end up being either Deal or No Deal or Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Both programs are wildly popular and highly rated.
Endemol USA created Midnight Money Madness for cable's TBS network, in which viewers
can call in to play games and win money prizes.
It is based on Endemol's successful Participation TV format.
On October 13, 2006, Endemol USA launched another game show for NBC, 1 vs. 100 with
Bob Saget, and debuted as another ratings winner.
And on November 14, 2006, ABC premiered Show Me the Money, with William Shatner as its
host.
Midnight Money Madness was canceled in October 2006 after 32 episodes, in which its successor,
Take the Cake, premiered July 9, 2007, and Show Me the Money was canceled in December
2006 after only five episodes aired.
Currently, a syndicated five-day a week version of Deal or No Deal airs in over 90% of the
USA, while Wipeout will begin its third season on ABC in summer 2010, and 20Q debuted on
GSN in June 2009.
In October 2008, Tokyo Broadcasting System filed a lawsuit against ABC for claims that
Wipeout copied elements from two of their popular shows, Takeshi's Castle and Sasuke.
Endemol USA also produces the Style Network hour-long reality series Jerseylicious, which
debuted in 2010.
In June 2010, Endemol picked up the distribution rights to the TV Land sitcom "Hot in Cleveland",
which it will distribute internationally.
This marked the first time that Endemol has acquired an American-produced scripted series.
Other scripted properties that Endemol also owns rights to include Happily Divorced and
The Exes, also airing on TV Land.
In 2011, Endemol expanded its US production portfolio to include more non-reality fare,
starting with The Steve Harvey Show, distributed by NBCUniversal Television Distribution.
The hour-long talk/variety program premiered on September 10, 2012 in syndication.
Another program, the mob-related crime drama Red Widow, will debut on ABC as a mid-season
replacement in the 2012-2013 television season.
Endemol USA Latino, which produces Endemol USA's successful shows in Spanish language
as shown on the major Hispanic TV networks.
Their first production was Vas o No Vas based on the popular Deal or No Deal, which aired
on Telemundo.
Unlike Endemol USA's headquarters in Los Angeles, Endemol USA Latino has headquarters located
in Miami, Florida.
Endemol USA owns True Entertainment and majority stakes in the production companies Authentic
Entertainment, 51 Minds Entertainment, and Original Media.
Authentic Entertainment Authentic Entertainment, Inc is a Burbank-based
reality television company that has produced television series that cover a wide range
of subjects, and most recently Cheer Perefection and air on multiple networks, including Bravo,
the Food Network, TLC, and the Discovery Channel.
Authentic produces about 200 hours of programming a year.
Endemol has been the majority owner of Authentic Entertainment since 2010.
Authentic Entertainment, currently subsidiary of Endemol, was originally founded in 2000
by Lauren Lexton and Tom Rogan, who were familiar with each other in their work as freelance
reality production staffers.
It wasn't until 2010 that talk of Endemol owning a large stake in the production company
became serious, as Endemol had approached them several years prior without success.
The deal has since been finalized, and has been valued at US$60–70 million in unverified
reports.
Authentic has been named to Realscreen Magazine’s “Global 100” list for six consecutive
years, starting in 2007, and continuing in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Four of their shows' episodes have received CINE Golden Eagle awards: Ace Of Cakes, Toddles
& Tiaras, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate in 2010, and Flipping Out in 2008.
True Entertainment Through its New York City subsidiary True
Entertainment it produces Real Housewives of Atlanta, Catch It Keep It, A Baby Story,
Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?, Mystery Diagnosis, The Robert Verdi Show, The A-List: New York,
Make Room for Multiples, and Fashion Queens.
Earlier shows include Personal Conviction, Rebuilt: The Human Body Shop, A World Away,
Band in a Bubble, Married Away, Mystery Medicine, Under One Roof, What's Your Sign Design?,
HGTV Design Star, Unwrapping Macy's, Widow on the Hill, Operation Homecoming: Writing
the Wartime Experience, Go Ahead, Make My Dinner!, Town Haul, Guess Who's Coming To
Decorate, B. Smith Style, The Gastineau Girls, and Town Haul Jeffersonville.
True Entertainment was founded in 2000 and by Steven Weinstock and Glenda Hersh both
of whom had previously worked for New York Times subsidiary NYT Television.
True was acquired by Endemol in 2003.
51 Minds Entertainment
Endemol UK
Originally known as Broadcast Communications, Endemol UK is one of the UK's longest established
production groups and won its first television commissions in the mid-1980s.
It produces the main Endemol franchises such as Big Brother and Deal or No Deal.
Endemol India In January 2006, Endemol started producing
programs with the Sponsor Mr Mohit Raina who is held responsible to shortlist the Artist
in different channels which are in Hindi from Mumbai, India.
Among the company's most channels were like STAR Plus, STAR One, Ndtv Imagine, Zee TV
& Colors Endemol Southern Star
Endemol Southern Star is an Australian production company which was previously a joint venture
of Endemol and Southern Star Group.
Endemol purchased Southern Star Group from Fairfax Media in January 2009.
It produces Endemol's popular worldwide formats for Australia, including Big Brother, Deal
or No Deal, and Ready Steady Cook.
It is based in Australia.
Lawsuits Endemol sued Brazilian channel SBT over what
it says was a Big Brother copycat, and threatened to sue Russian Behind the Glass for the same
reason.
Endemol was sued by four Georgia women alleging that a text-message game featured on Deal
or No Deal is a form of illegal gambling.
Productions
Notes
External links Endemol