Banijay and All3Media, the world leader in independent TV productions is born
The new company will be owned equally by Banijay and RedBird Imi
Banijay, the French audiovisual giant led at global level by the Italian Marco Bassetti, has announced the merger of its production division Banijay Entertainment with the British All3Media: a marriage between successful catalogues that puts 'Peaky Blinders' and 'MasterChef', 'The Traitors' and 'Call the Midwife', 'Fleabag' and 'Hunted' under the same roof. And above all, it tries to redraw the geography of power in an industry that is consolidating itself in blows of platforms and maxi deals including, most recently, the one being celebrated overseas between Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery.
The agreement includes a cash upstream for Banijay Group of EUR 796 million and expected synergies of EUR 50 million. The numbers speak of more than EUR 4.4 billion pro forma revenues in 2024 and EUR 690 million adjusted EBITDA, more than 260,000 multi-genre catalogue hours, approximately 20,000 hours produced annually, 170 creative labels in 25 countries, distribution in almost 250 territories.
As for governance, Marco Bassetti will be ceo of the new group, Jane Turton deputy ceo, Jeff Zucker chairman. And it is Zucker, managing director of RedBird IMI (a joint venture between RedBird Capital Partners and Emirates IMI, which bought All3Media for £1.15 billion in 2024), who sets the strategic horizon: 'When we founded RedBird IMI three years ago, we dreamed of creating a world-class, diversified entertainment company capable of reaching a global audience through scripted and unscripted programming, live events and digital. With this combination of Banijay Entertainment and All3Media, we have realised that goal."
The key word is critical mass. "This transaction represents a decisive step in Banijay Group's strategy to strengthen its leadership position in global entertainment," says François Riahi, group CEO. In a market where streaming platforms dictate terms, scale is power: more intellectual property, more territories, more ability to negotiate multi-country commissions and globalise formats.
And we are not only talking about linear TV, but also digital and live experience. The integration promises to accelerate the monetisation of IP, reinforcing the presence in English-speaking markets - UK and US in the lead - and opening up new revenue lines. "Since its inception, Banijay has been driven by entrepreneurial spirit, ambition and creativity," Bassetti claims. "A company capable of attracting and retaining the best talent, with the means to invest in conceiving and building the franchises and live events of tomorrow." Closing is expected by autumn 2026, after regulatory approvals.
