Content Media takes Aito stake

Transatlantic producer-distributor Content Media has taken a 50% stake in Aito Media, the Finnish prodco behind shows such as The Night Patrol, Different Moms and 30 Days on the Arctic Ocean.

Under the deal – financial terms of which were not disclosed – Aito will work with Content and existing partner Small World IFT to share formats and production ideas across multiple territories.

In addition, Content’s sales team will work with Aito on the exclusive distribution of the company’s formats and finished titles in the international market. LA-based format boutique Small World IFT already represents Aito’s hit reality format The Night Patrol, which it recently relicensed into Norway.

Aito now joins a growing group of production companies within Content’s portfolio, which includes Jeff Collins’ Los Angeles-based reality producer Collins Avenue, Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions and format specialist Small World IFT, founded by Tim and Colleen Crescenti.

John Schmidt, CEO of Content Media, told C21 his firm would now look to expand its international production partnerships in territories including Russia, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Asia.

“We are looking at some ideas outside of Scandinavia that we think are important and are growth orientated. These areas of CEE, Russia, Asia, Korea and China, along with the the US and UK are all territories which are strong in terms of commissioning, economics and demographic growth.”

Schmidt added that media companies were attracted to Scandinavia because of the region’s “decent underlying economic activity.”

Another of the region’s leading players, Nice Entertainment, remains the subject of buy-out speculation.

“Network commissions are good and there is a decent advertising market and stable currency situation,” said Schmidt. “Finland is coming in to its own, after a lot of activity in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. It’s all coming together in that context right now.”

Ilkka Hynninen and Eero Hietala, who founded Aito Media in 2003, will continue to manage the company.

They said: “Our new partnership with Content Media has come at the perfect time for us to ensure our production and format development reaches its full global potential.”

Content Media recently reported full-year revenue of 54% following its move to become a privately held firm. The company posted 12-month revenue to March 31, 2013, of £46.9m (US$70.9m) compared with £30.5m the previous year.