Banijay and RedBird IMI Negotiate Major TV Production Merger
French media giant Banijay Group is currently in advanced discussions with RedBird IMI. The talks focus on merging their television production businesses. This potential deal could reshape the European media landscape significantly.
Creating a Production Powerhouse
Banijay, famous for owning the "Big Brother" franchise, wants to combine its Entertainment & Live unit with All3Media. All3Media produces the hit series "The Traitors." This merger would bring together popular shows like "MasterChef," "Survivor," "Peaky Blinders," and "Race Across the World." The new entity would become one of Europe's largest production groups.
Both companies seek greater scale and broader content libraries. They aim to compete more effectively against streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney, and Amazon Prime Video. Legacy television producers are consolidating to build power in a rapidly changing industry.
Details of the Potential Deal
The negotiations started towards the end of last year. They gained momentum after Banijay dropped its pursuit of Britain's ITV Studios. Sources indicate the talks are now at an advanced stage. However, no final agreement has been reached yet. There is no certainty that a deal will be finalized.
A potential merger would likely involve RedBird IMI injecting funds into the combined entity. All3Media represents the smaller side in this discussion. The emerging joint entity could generate roughly 5.7 billion euros based on 2024 numbers. Banijay's market capitalization stood at 3.42 billion euros as of Monday's close.
Background and Industry Context
Banijay previously explored acquiring All3Media in 2023. At that time, Liberty Global and Warner Bros Discovery owned All3Media. RedBird IMI, led by former CNN executive Jeff Zucker, later bought All3Media for 1.15 billion pounds in 2024. Emirati royal Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan heavily backs RedBird IMI.
Both Banijay and All3Media have also discussed combinations with ITV's studio business in the past. ITV has since started talks to sell its broadcast division to Comcast-owned Sky. This move would leave a standalone ITV Studios unit.
In a separate development, RedBird Capital is backing Paramount Skydance's bid for Warner Bros Discovery. Warner Bros recently rejected a revised $108.4 billion offer. The company decided to stick with streaming giant Netflix instead.
The television industry continues to see consolidation moves. Producers are striving to adapt to the dominance of streaming platforms. This potential merger between Banijay and RedBird IMI highlights the ongoing transformation in global media.
