Endemol

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Endemol N.V.
Type Publicly traded company
Genre Production company
Founded 1994
Founder Joop van den Ende
John de Mol
Headquarters Hilversum, Netherlands
Industry Television
Website www.endemol.com

Endemol (Euronext: EML) is a television production company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands, as well as in Latin America, India, South Africa and Australia.

Contents

[edit] History

Endemol was founded in 1994 by a merger of television production companies owned by Joop van den Ende and John de Mol, the name deriving from the combination of their surnames. Its biggest success has been the Big Brother "reality television" show, with versions in many countries after the initial Dutch version. They specialise in inexpensive programming that is appealing to television executives in the modern multi-channel world, and other Endemol programmes in this vein include Changing Rooms, Ready Steady Cook, Deal or No Deal, Ground Force, International King of Sports, Space Cadets and Fear Factor.

In 2000 the company was sold to the Spanish telecom and media corporation Telefónica for € 5.5 billion. In November 2005, 25% of Endemol was taken public and listed on the Euronext exchange under the stock symbol EML. Currently 25% of the ordinary shares of Endemol N.V. is floated on Euronext Amsterdam. The other 75% of the ordinary shares is still indirectly owned by Telefónica group.

On March 9, 2007, Telefónica confirmed plans to sell its 75% share of Endemol. [1] Interested parties include original co-founder John de Mol.

[edit] National branches

[edit] Endemol UK

Originally known as Broadcast Communications - Endemol UK is one of the UK’s longest established production groups and won its first television commissions in the mid-eighties.

[edit] History

- 1989 - Broadcast was acquired by Guardian Media Group (GMG), owner of the Guardian and Observer newspapers.

- 1990 - The group acquired two leading independent producers - Bazal (now Cheetah Television) and Hawkshead (now positioned in the business communications sector). This was followed by the acquisition of INITIAL in 1992.

- 1998 - Europe’s largest independent producer, ENDEMOL, took a 50% stake in the company alongside GMG and bought the remaining stake in 2000.

Since then the UK group has continued to significantly expand each year acquiring comedy producer ZEPPOTRON and entertainment producer BRIGHTER PICTURES along the way. In 2005 the UK group also opened a new drama production arm, SHOWRUNNER.

Another key priority for ENDEMOL UK has been to build a presence in fast emerging digital media and in 2000 the group took a 50% stake in award winning digital media company VICTORIA REAL, buying another 48.45% in 2003. More recently two new digital media divisions have launched: ENDEMOL MOBILE (in 2005) and ENDEMOL GAMING in 2006.

The UK group now employs up to 800 people at any time and is one of the largest independent producers in the country. It remains part of the international ENDEMOL group, which is now a publicly traded company on Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam.

[edit] Endemol Southern Star

Endemol Southern Star is an Australian production company which is a joint venture of Endemol and Southern Star Group. It produces Endemol's popular worldwide formats for Australia, including Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, and Ready Steady Cook. It is based in Australia.

[edit] Endemol USA

Endemol USA is the United States production branch of Endemol based in Los Angeles, California. It has been in operation since 2000. The branch produces Endemol's popular worldwide formats for the major American TV networks, such as Fear Factor, Deal or No Deal and 1 Vs. 100 for NBC; Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Show Me the Money and The One: Making a Music Star for ABC; Exposed for MTV; Big Brother for CBS (under the moniker Our House Productions, Inc.); and Midnight Money Madness for TBS (under the moniker Lock and Key Productions). Their worst faring franchise by far is The One which was canceled after 4 episodes. The most recently canceled franchise from Endemol USA is Fear Factor, which aired for 6 seasons; its first season is out now on DVD. Another one of their shows, Big Brother has two seasons already out on DVD. While Big Brother had the most international success to date, their most successful USA program could end up being either Deal or No Deal or Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Both programs are wildly popular and highly rated. Endemol USA just launched Midnight Money Madness for cable's TBS network, in which viewers can call in to play games and win money prizes. It is based on Endemol's successful Participation TV format. On October 13, 2006, Endemol USA launched another game show for NBC, 1 vs. 100 with Bob Saget, and debuted as another ratings winner. And on November 14, 2006, ABC premiered Endemol USA's latest creation, Show Me the Money, with William Shatner as its host. Midnight Money Madness was canceled in October 2006 after 32 episodes and Show Me the Money was canceled in December 2006 after only five episodes aired.

Endemol USA just launched their newest division, Endemol USA Latino, which produces Endemol USA's successful shows in Spanish language as shown on the major Hispanic TV networks. Their first production is Vas o No Vas based on the popular Deal or No Deal, currently airing on Telemundo. Unlike Endemol USA's headquarters in Los Angeles, Endemol USA Latino has headquarters located in Miami, Florida.

[edit] Endemol India

In January 2006, Endemol started producing programs from Mumbai, India. The company currently produces The Great Indian Laughter Challenge for STAR One in its second series. In 2006, Endemol produced Bigg Boss, the Indian adaptation of the popular worldwide format Big Brother, for Sony Entertainment Television. Other Endemol formats that have aired on Indian television include Deal Ya No Deal, the Indian adaptation of Deal or No Deal, Fear Factor India, and Fame Gurukul, based on the musical reality format Star Academy.

[edit] Endemol Globo

In 2001, Endemol entered Brazil by forming a joint venture with Rede Globo, Endemol Globo. The company produces Big Brother Brasil, in its 7th series, and other formats, mostly as Caldeirão do Huck segments. Even with Globo as a partner, Endemol Globo also produces for other networks, like Band, with Na Pressão, and SBT, with Topa ou Não Topa (local version of Deal or No Deal).

[edit] Endemol Panama

For 2005, Endemol entered Panama with a alliance with Corporacion MEDCOM, the largest television network company in central america. By using Endemol assistance was created El Familion, a game show based on Deal or not Deal that is themed with Nestle products. In the first season it was the most popular game show ever aired in central america. Now it is aired for its second season.

[edit] Endemol Mexico

In 2002 Endemol Mexico was created in an alliance with Televisa.

They have produced 7 editions of Big Brother in a span of 3 years. The first edition of Big Brother under the slogan "La casa mas famosa de Mexico" ("The most famous house in Mexico") had a theme song by former pop band Kabah and was hosted by news personality Adela Micha, who was dubbed the "Big Sister". Following that edition, a VIP version was created, a first worldwide for the Big Brother format. The host of this show was Victor Trujillo, better know for his character Brozo, the theme song was done by the house guest's which was part of a challenge.

The 3rd edition was dubbed "El Complot" with the slogan "Las reglas cambian" ("The rules change") with Adela Micha returning to hosting duties. The theme song was once again interpreted by Kabah under the name "El Complot." This edition was later followed by another VIP version with host Veronica Castro and her big return to Mexican television. The media dubbed her the "Big Vero." The theme song ran by electro-pop group Moenia with the song "Tus Ojos Sobre Mi."

A year later the format returned with Big Brother.3R "La Addicion, with Veronica Castro returning to host and RBD singing the theme song Adiccion. For the 3R version the house guests were known as Rebelde's, this due in part that the theme song was done by RBD who surged as a group from the telenovela Rebelde. For the 3R version, there were 2 more editions for the VIP version, labeled as Parte I and Parte II, two editions followed each other, the same day that the winner of Part I was declared the next edition of Big Brother VIP followed. The slogan that was used was "Conoce lo desconocido de los conocidos" ("Get to know the unknown of the known"). The theme song for this was done by Kabah once again with "La Adiccion" and Veronica Castro continued to host.

The Big Brother format has faded dramatically. After the very first edition of Big Brother and Big Brother VIP, Endemol Mexico started the production of Operacion Triunfo but received lackluster results because TV Azteca, Televisa's main rival had on air a similar show called La Academia (The Academy). Eventhough Operacion Triunfo had been in pre-production for much longer than La Academia ever was, La Academia made it to air much sooner than Operacion Triunfo, so when the latter came on, it was seen as a "copy." In the format, the school where the contestants study is called "La Academia," in Mexico this was changed to "El Instituto" (The Institute), so it wouldn't cause a confusion with the audience and the other musical reality show.

Endemol Mexico also produced 2 seasons of ick reality show Fear Factor, also having VIP versions. The first season was hosted by Julio Bracho, but because he had a contract with Telemundo by the secon season, Gabriel Pontones, who was one of the houseguests of Big Brother Mexico took over as host for Second Season.

Before hitting it big in the U.S. as Deal or no Deal, Mexico had produced its own version called Vas o No Vas hosted by Hector Sandarti. It was a weekly show airing on Saturdays, but due to the ratings the format was later retooled to air weekday's (Monday-Friday) was Vas o No Vas de Boletazo. The show ended its run, a little after that, but in late 2006 it began production again, but this time for Telemundo. Using a set and logo similar to the NBC version, which Telemundo is part of, Vas o No Vas was created for Endemol Latino. For 2007 it is expected that Endemol Mexico would begin production again of Vas o No Vas for the mexican market.

Also in mid-2006 a new format was created called El Bar: Provoca, which was similar in format to Big Brother, but in addition to the contestants living together in a house, they had to run a bar by night. Each week there was an elimination and a special guest star to come and sing at the bar. The show was not successful, the host Roberto Palazuelos, left the show mid-way due to him having a previous contract to act in a telenovela in Miami. The show is expected to be retooled and come back in 2007.

For 2007, Pedro Torres, Endemol Mexico's showrunner, is looking at bringing Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to Mexico. The show will be titled "Cambio Extremo: Tu Hogar." Also they are developing, game shows like Show me the money which in Mexico will be titled Ensename la Lana and Rest of Life which will be Por el resto de tu vida. Another one of the formats to be made in 2007 is called Staying alive which will be redubbed Sobreviviendo.

[edit] Lawsuits

Endemol sued Brazilian channel SBT over what it says was a "Big Brother" copycat, and threatened to sue Russian Behind the Glass for the same reason.[2]

[edit] Productions

[edit] Reality television

[edit] Game shows

[edit] Late night/variety shows

  • Cronicas Marcianas

[edit] Children's shows

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Telefónica confirms sale of Endemol Digital Spy, March 9 2007
  2. ^ O'Flynn, Kevin (December 4 2001). "Dutch Firm Warns 'Za Steklom'". The Moscow Times. 

[edit] External links

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