Fiction
EndemolShine India dives into branded entertainment, teams up with Mediascope
MUMBAI: EndemolShine India, the content behemoth under Banijay Entertainment, is stepping into the branded entertainment arena, forging a strategic partnership with marketing agency Mediascope. This move is all about turning brand integration and advertiser-funded programming (AFP) into must-watch storytelling.
In a world where brands crave authentic connections, EndemolShine India’s creative might meets Mediascope’s brand partnership expertise to build content that isn’t just about visibility — it’s about narrative. Branded entertainment will now be baked into original IPs, creating stories where brands play leading roles.
Banijay Asia & EndemolShine India group chief operating officer Rishi Negi (pictured above) summed it up: “As the media landscape evolves, brands are seeking more organic, immersive ways to connect with audiences. Branded entertainment sits at the intersection of storytelling and strategy — and that’s where we thrive. With our strong creative engine and Mediascope’s expertise in brand partnerships, we’re excited to build a powerful branded content ecosystem in India.”
EndemolShine India EVP & head of content strategy Trevellyn Fynn added: “Branded entertainment allows us to design narratives that audiences choose to engage with while giving brands a compelling, purposeful role in the story. With this partnership, we’re bringing together strategic thinking and creative ambition to tell stories for and with brands in India.”
For Mediascope, the partnership is a chance to harness EndemolShine’s storytelling prowess. Mediascope CEO & founder Marzban Patel noted: “Branded entertainment lies at the heart of how brands build emotional resonance in the current media landscape. This isn’t just about visibility; it’s about creating stories that audiences genuinely seek out, where the brand plays a meaningful and lasting role in the narrative. EndemolShine India brings world-class storytelling and scale, and at Mediascope, we see this as a powerful opportunity to help Indian brands forge deeper, more nuanced connections with audiences.”
The tie-up also syncs with Banijay Entertainment’s global push in branded entertainment, fuelled by its Banijay Branded Entertainment (BBE) division, which is already crafting brand-led content across markets. Expect a slate of original branded IPs from this powerhouse duo, blurring the line between storytelling and strategy.
Fiction
Banijay merges with All3Media in $6.65 billion deal
Marco Bassetti will lead the combined company as CEO
PARIS: Six years after acquiring Endemol Shine at the height of the pandemic, Banijay has struck again. The European production heavyweight is merging with All3Media in a deal that will create a television titan with $6.65 billion in revenue and redraw the contours of a fast-consolidating market.
The combined company will trade under the Banijay name and be owned 50 per cent each by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, which acquired All3Media in 2024. The transaction is expected to close by autumn, subject to regulatory approvals.
Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti, will take the top job at the enlarged group. All3Media CEO Jane Turton becomes deputy CEO. RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker will serve as chairman.
The logic is scale. Broadcasters are commissioning less, streamers are tightening budgets and global buyers are fewer but bigger. Against that backdrop, heft matters. The merged entity will generate roughly $6.65 billion in revenues based on 2024 figures, giving it sharper elbows in rights negotiations and deeper pockets for franchise-building.
“Entrepreneurialism, ambition and creativity” remain core to Banijay’s DNA, Bassetti said, flagging plans to invest more heavily in new intellectual property, live events and emerging platforms. Turton struck a similarly bullish note, pointing to All3Media’s journey from a 2003 start-up to a global supplier of hit formats and high-end drama.
Between them, the two groups control a formidable slate. Banijay’s catalogue spans MasterChef, Big Brother, Survivor, Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal. All3Media’s labels include Studio Lambert, producer of The Traitors and Squid Game: The Challenge; Two Brothers, behind The Tourist; and Neal Street, currently producing the forthcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes for Sony.
The back catalogue is equally muscular. Banijay Rights holds some 220,000 hours, while All3Media International adds around 35,000 hours, forming one of the industry’s largest libraries.
Banijay, controlled by French entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit and listed in Amsterdam, counts more than 130 production companies across 25 territories. All3Media operates over 40 labels, with strong positions in the UK, US and Germany. The enlarged group will also lean into live entertainment, building on Banijay’s Balich Wonder Studio, which produced the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and the Independents.
The deal marks a shift in tone. As recently as October, Bassetti suggested that mergers and acquisitions were not a priority. But the drumbeat of consolidation has grown louder. Mediawan has moved for Peter Chernin’s North Road. David Ellison’s Paramount has agreed to a $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros, with plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount plus. ITV has explored selling its media and entertainment arm to Comcast-owned Sky, though talks have reportedly slowed.
