Endemol, Shine & Core: key facts

Endemol is the second biggest super-indie in the UK after All3Media and boasts a global turnover of just over £1bn. Its key UK indie assets include drama specialist Tiger Aspect Productions, which is behind BBC3 hit Bad Education, and Pointless producer Remarkable Television.

Tim Hincks has overall responsibility for Endemol’s UK operations, reporting into group chief executive Just Spee. Endemol’s global interests span 90 companies in more than 30 countries. Together, these assets work for 300 broadcasters worldwide, producing 15,000 hours of programming across all genres.

Endemol’s key global brands include Big Brother, which currently airs on Channel 5 and has been adapted in more than 60 countries, and Deal or No Deal. The super-indie also makes Total Wipeout and The Million Pound Drop Live, while its scripted credentials include Peaky Blinders and Ripper Street, which has recently been picked up by Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Shine Group is an international production and distribution business which spans 26 companies in 11 countries.

Headed up by chairman Liz Murdoch, the business was sold to News Corp for £415m in 2011, ten years after it was founded.

In the UK the business owns a string of high-profile indies including factual producers Dragonfly, drama specialists Kudos Film and Television and entertainment firm Princess Productions.

Online video producer ChannelFlip, which manages over 200 YouTube channels, was acquired by Shine in 2012.

The business also own the UK’s fifth largest distribution business, Shine International. The division has a turnover of £59m and sells shows including Broadchurch and Masterchef along with third party series such as Fleming.

Shine’s leadership team includes chief executive officer Alex Mahon, chief operating officer Tim Robinson and US boss Rich Ross.

Core Media Group, run by former NBC chief Marc Graboff, is an umbrella business which co-produces shows such as Fox’s American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance via 19 Entertainment.

In 2012 it acquired Sharp Entertainment which produces The Travel Channel’s Man v Food (which plays on Dave in the UK), TLC’s Extreme Couponing and Nat Geo’s Doomsday Preppers, while it picked up Shark Tank-producer B17 Entertainment in May 2013 to bolster its unscripted output.

Core also oversees the IP rights of celebrities including Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali.     

Alongside Graboff, Core’s key execs include head of US television Jennifer O’Connell and 19 Entertainment’s worldwide head of music Jason Morey.

Simon Shaps was hired in 2013 as managing director of international content and production. The former head of ITV director of television is based in London and was tasked with growing the business’ TV production revenues outside of the US.

Sharp Entertainment set up a UK arm last year, run by Amelia Pulsford.

In 2011 Core, then CKX, was acquired by Apollo Global management for £303m ($509m), following reported unsuccessful bids from suitors including America Idol creator Simon Fuller and Dick Clark Productions boss Allen Shapiro.