Talpa Continues International Expansion with New JV

HILVERSUM: Entering into its fifth joint venture in three months, Talpa Media has inked a deal with Shine Group for a new co-owned outfit aimed at the markets of Australia and New Zealand.

The JV will be headed by Mark and Carl Fennessy, joint CEOs of Shine Australia. The pair are best know for their work at FremantleMedia Australia, where they produced a number of successful formats, including Australian Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Project Runway Australia and The Farmer Wants a Wife. The Fennessy brothers left FremantleMedia Australia at the end of 2009 to launch Shine Australia last month in Melbourne.

John de Mol, the founder of Talpa, commented: "Talpa is an attractive opportunity for our partners due to our steady flow of creative new development projects. We are very pleased to team up with Mark and Carl Fennessy as they are by far the best producers in the Australian and New Zealand region."