Endemol has acquired a majority share of Authentic Entertainment. Authentic Entertainment was founded in 2000 by Lauren Lexton and Tom Rogan. Authentic’s credits include Ace of Cakes, Flipping Out!, My First Home, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and Toddlers and Tiaras. The company has also produced numerous award-winning specials, including The 750 Pound Man, My Husband’s Three Wives, Help I’m a Hoarder! and Incredibly Small: Kenadie’s Story.
“We are proud to become a part of one of the world’s most creative and successful content producers. This deal reinforces our position in the US while also giving us the global leverage that comes with belonging to the Endemol network.” Said Lauren Lexton. Tom Rogan added, “We are very much looking forward to working with the Endemol Group’s extremely talented teams, both in the US and internationally, to build on the success we’ve achieved over the last ten years.”
Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Endemol Group comments: “This acquisition further strengthens our presence in North America and represents another significant addition to our global network. The agreement with Authentic Entertainment in the USA is in line with Endemol’s global growth strategy of combining organic growth and expansion through acquisitions. Authentic’s great portfolio of hit shows and strong creative track record will also significantly contribute to our plans for further growth in the US cable space.”
The transaction with Authentic marks a further step in Endemol’s growth, which has seen the company conclude numerous acquisitions over the last 18 months. This has included Australia’s largest drama producer, Southern Star; leading German drama producers Wiedemann & Berg Television, led by the producers behind the Oscar winning film, ‘The Lives of Others’; Weit Media in Russia, led by one of Russia’s most successful producers and already commissioned to produce 16 local scripted projects in 2010; and three of the UK’s most successful independent production companies, Tiger Aspect, Darlow Smithson and Tigress.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Endemol North America is one of the USA’s largest independent producers with a portfolio of hit programming including Wipeout, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Big Brother, Jerseylicious and Dating in the Dark. Endemol’s companies in the USA also includes majority shares in leading drama and entertainment producer Original Media (Miami Ink, LA Ink, The Rachel Zoe Project, Storm Chasers) and non-scripted entertainment specialists 51 Minds (Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch, Money Hungry, Rock of Love, Brandy & Ray Jay: A Family Business). Endemol NA also incorporates leading non-fiction, reality and documentary producer True Entertainment (The Real Housewives of Atlanta, A Baby Story, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway), headquartered in New York.
CAA represents Authentic Entertainment and Evolution Media Capital advised Authentic Entertainment on the transaction.
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Fusion Corporate Partners 
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