Lionsgate, Ish in Programming Venture

SANTA MONICA, April 30:
Lionsgate has entered into a joint-venture partnership with Ish Entertainment,
the company set up by former VH1 staffers Michael Hirschorn and Stella Stolper
that is producing Paris Hilton’s My New BFF for MTV.

With offices in Santa
Monica and New York, Ish Entertainment will continue to operate under its own
banner with financial, production and distribution support from Lionsgate. The
company was recently established by Hirschorn, who was the executive VP of
original programming and production at VH1, and Stolper, VH1's former senior VP
of celebrity talent development. It launched in January with first-look deals
with MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo. The first project to come out of that deal is Paris
Hilton’s My New BFF.

The new joint venture
allows Lionsgate to expand its presence in the unscripted arena, and enables
Ish to ramp up production much more quickly and efficiently, utilizing
Lionsgate's production and distribution expertise and its existing
infrastructure. It also furthers the company's objective to develop its profile
in scripted and theatrical entertainment.

"This partnership is an
exciting new growth opportunity and makes perfect strategic sense," said Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate's president of television programming and production.
"Michael and Stella have an extraordinary track record in creating highly
successful non-scripted programming and we're delighted to be in business
together."

"Our new venture with
Ish Entertainment epitomizes our ongoing efforts to develop innovative business
models that work both creatively and financially," added Sandra Stern,
Lionsgate's COO of television, who negotiated the deal on behalf of the studio.
"This alliance is a win-win for both our companies."

"We did this deal
with Lionsgate not only because they are providing the resources we need to
grow quickly, but because we can learn from them about how to build an
independent business and succeed at the highest levels," said Hirschorn.
"The combination of support and autonomy is a dream come true, and it will
allow us to expand our activities into other areas of entertainment with the
same kind of entrepreneurial spirit that inspired the creation of our
company."

"Michael and I are so
enthused over our partnership with Lionsgate," said Stolper. "It is a
blessing to be in business with a company that gives us the independence to run
wild with ideas and develop great shows with top talent, while still
functioning as a collective team. This type of collaboration is primed to
deliver countless hits in the coming years, on television and beyond."

Lionsgate will be offering
up the rights to the new Paris Hilton series at the L.A. Screenings.

—By Mansha Daswani