Endemol USA Acquires Majority Stake in Original Media

LOS ANGELES, November 14:
As part of its efforts to expand into scripted television programming and
films, Endemol USA has acquired Original Media, a New York-based independent
production company.

With the acquisition of
Original Media, Endemol is looking to further solidify its leadership in
non-scripted programming while enhancing its presence in scripted television
series. Original Media will also play a key role in helping Endemol’s expansion
into new arenas, including feature films and digital programming.

Original Media’s credits
range from the Academy Award-nominated independent feature films Half Nelson and The Squid & The Whale, to the unscripted series Miami Ink and LA Ink for TLC, and the action series Storm Chasers for The Discovery Channel. Original Media recently
signed a first-look deal with NBC Entertainment, which has already yielded a
13-episode commitment for the hour-long scripted drama The Philanthropist for the 2008 to 2009 season.

Original Media will
operate as an independent studio within Endemol USA. Co-founded by Charlie
Corwin and Clara Markowicz, Original Studio will continue to operate out of its
headquarters in New York, with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Miami. Corwin
will remain in his current position as the CEO of Original Media.

Endemol USA, a division of
Endemol Group, specializes in reality and non-scripted genres for network and
cable television. The company produces hits like Deal or No Deal, 1 VS 100, Fear Factor, Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition and Big
Brother.

Corwin commented: “I am
thrilled to be a part of the Endemol family, the force behind some of the most
successful, groundbreaking global hit franchises, and playing a pivotal role in
increasing their position as a pre-eminent global programming supplier. This
deal furthers the reach of Original Media productions worldwide and provides us
with the immeasurable resources to develop and produce unique and compelling
stories across multiple media platforms.”

David Goldberg, the
president of Endemol USA, commented: “From the first meeting with Charlie I was
impressed with his energy, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. These
qualities combined with his proven ability to conceive and sell a diverse array
of original programming in a variety of arenas are what made Original Media
such an attractive target. It allows us to not only expand our footprint in
scripted and unscripted television programming, but also to further extend our
digital media initiatives and bring us into the development and production of
feature films. I look forward with great enthusiasm to working with Charlie and
his team at Original Media.”

—By Irene Lew