FremantleMedia Aligns with Random House

LOS ANGELES: With a view to expanding its scripted programming slate, FremantleMedia has tied up with fellow Bertelsmann-owned Random House to develop book-based projects for the international market.

The partnership will see FremantleMedia and Random House U.S. developing scripted television based on the fiction and nonfiction books published by Random House’s imprints in North America and internationally. The first-look deal will reside within Random House Television, a newly created division of Random House Studio, the publisher’s entertainment division. In addition to identifying and acquiring performance rights to existing works, the partnership will also explore the collaboration with authors on the development of new ideas for television. Tapped to lead the television efforts at Random House is Jeffrey Levine, reporting to Peter Gethers, the president of Random House Studio, and based in FremantleMedia’s Los Angeles office. Levine will work closely with Jeff Tahler, FremantleMedia Enterprises’ senior VP of global content, and Tony Optican, senior VP of scripted programming for FremantleMedia North America.

"This is a hugely exciting coming together of two companies in the Bertelsmann family," said David Ellender, the global CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises. "As one of the world’s most successful book publishers with a global roster of admired authors, Random House is the perfect partner for FremantleMedia as we continue to develop and expand our slate of world-class scripted content for international audiences. We warmly welcome Peter, Jeff and the entire Random House Television team, and look forward to working with them to develop high-quality television projects with wide appeal."

Gethers added, "Partnering with the very talented and savvy FremantleMedia team gives us a wonderful opportunity to significantly increase the many options we already offer to Random House authors around the world. This alliance will enable us to help them expand into new creative and commercial areas to broaden their audience. Random House Television is a natural extension of the partnership we already enjoy with our writers and will help them flourish in an increasingly complex, exciting, and interdependent global entertainment business. I’m thrilled to have Jeff on board with us, and with the opportunity to work with FremantleMedia in the U.S. and internationally."