Super-indie and The Men Who Built America label uncouple after a decade
Banijay has ended its interest in The Men Who Built America label Stephen David Entertainment (SDE) after a decade of ownership, Broadcast International has learned.
The French super-indie bought a controlling stake in the company in 2015, with the label forming part of its North, Central and South America business Banijay Americas.
Coming five years after it acquired Real World and The Challenge label Bunim/Murray, the acquisition was described by chief exec Marco Bassetti at the time as a key step to “expand our footprint in the English-speaking market, bringing added value to our business as a whole”.
A Banijay spokesperson confirmed the split with Broadcast, adding that it would continue to work with David on future projects.
“After a long and productive partnership with Stephen David, Banijay exits Stephen David Entertainment LLC, and Stephen David is pursuing new creative opportunities independently,” they said.
“Meanwhile, Banijay continues to work with him, supporting the titles and IP developed during their collaboration.”
SDE was set up in 2010 by screenwriter David, who had extensive experience in film and television development and production, having sold scripts to studios including Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, MGM and Revolution.
In 2012, the label produced landmark History doc The Men Who Built America (pictured top), a key title in ushering in the ‘hybrid’ docuseries genre, now firmly established as docudrama. The Campbell Scott-narrated miniseries combined historical and celebrity contributors with dramatic scenes to explore the part six iconic figures – Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor, Ford and Morgan – played in the history of the US and the creation of the American dream.
It went on to win two primetime Emmys and spawned Emmy-nominated History sibling The World Wars, featuring Barack Obama, and other hybrid series The Making of the Mob and The American West (both for AMC), American Genius (Nat Geo), multi-season Netflix hit Roman Empire, and History follow-up Men Who Built America: Frontiersman.
Last year, Ed Harris-narrated docudrama Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy landed on Netflix, while its other hits include crime and social justice documentaries Sugar Town (ID), Hell in the Heartland (HLN), and Jonestown Terror in the Jungle (Sundance TV/AMC) – which was acquired by BBC Storyville.
Earlier this year, Broadcast International revealed Ace of Cakes label Authentic had been folded into Banijay Americas stablemate 51 Minds.
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