Lagardère Studios, a subsidiary of Lagardère Active and leader in French audiovisual production, is boosting its international presence by signing an agreement to take a majority stake in Aito Media Group.
Created in 2003 by IIkka Hynninen and Eero Hietala, Aito Media Group is a leading independent audiovisual production company in Finland specialized in factual and unscripted entertainment.
Aito Media Group has created and produced over 50 programs and formats broadcast in over 40 countries. It recently kicked off its venture into scripted production with the development of about a dozen series.
The distribution of the Aito Media Group catalogue will now be handled by Lagardère Studios Distribution.
“To take Lagardère Studios from leading French producer to major player on the European audiovisual scene is our goal¾Christophe Thoral’s and mine, with Arnaud Lagardère’s endorsement,” said Denis Olivennes, CEO of Lagardère Active. “After the purchase of Grupo Boomerang TV in Spain, the acquisition of Aito Media Group is a new step in carrying out this international development strategy.”
“After the purchase of Grupo Boomerang TV in Spain, Lagardère Studios is boosting its international presence in northern Europe, a region particularly dynamic and innovative in audiovisual production,” added Christophe Thoral, CEO of Lagardère Studios. “We are absolutely delighted that Eero and Ilkka agreed to join us. They will bring to Lagardère Studios enormous creative synergy.”
“We are excited and honored to be entering this alliance with Lagardère Studios,” said Ilkka Hynninen and Eero Hietala. “It marks an important step in the development of Aito Media Group, and is an endorsement of all the work we have done over the years in the Finnish market. We can now count on Lagardère Studios to offer brand new content to our partners in Finland, more rapidly develop our expertise in scripted entertainment, and distribute our products worldwide.”
About Lagardère Active :
Lagardère Active is one of Lagardère SCA’s four corporate branches, together with Lagardère Publishing (Books and e-Publishing), Lagardère Travel Retail and Lagardère Sports and Entertainment.
Lagardère Active has leading positions in the businesses it operates, including magazine publishing, audiovisual (radio, TV and TV production), digital (websites, mobile and tablet applications), advertising and non-media brand extension & licensing, France and International (Lagardère Active Enterprises).
About Lagardère Studios:
Created in 2008, Lagardère Studios (a Lagardère Active company) is a leader in independent audiovisual production in France, incorporating all the audiovisual production activities of the Lagardère Group. These include:
- For French TV: 909 Productions, Ango, Carson Prod, DEMD Prod, Electron Libre Productions, Fifty Cats, GMT, !dFictions, Image & Compagnie, Imagissime, Maximal Productions, Merlin Productions, and Réservoir Prod.
- For international TV: Atlantique Productions, De Père en Fils, Kelija, Telmondis, Keewu across Africa, and the Grupo Boomerang TV in Spain.
- For formats acquisitions and distribution: Lagardère Studios Distribution, Diffa, Editions Musicales François 1er, Telmondis Distribution, and The Box.
- For corporate/digital: 909 Productions, BLive, LED, and Tempora.prod.
Lagardère Studios is a key player in the production, distribution and management of audiovisual content. Its flagship programs for TV in France include: Caïn, Clem, Joséphine Ange Gardien, C dans l’air, Nos Chers Voisins, Jour Polaire, Tandem, Mafiosa, Borgia, Le Grand Show, Pep’s, Mille et une vies, the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival, the Concert pour la Tolérance, Recherche appartement ou maison, the Concert de Paris, In Ze boîte, and Maison à vendre.
For TV in Spain: Accacias 38, El Secreto Del Puente Viejo, Mar de plastico, La Voz, Los Misterios De Laura, and Top Chef.
And for TV in Africa: C’est la vie, Top radio, Area Daddy and Popenguine.
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