Lagardère acquires Finland’s Aito

MIPCOM: French production group Lagardère Studios has acquired a majority stake in the Finnish prodco behind series including Night Patrol and Redneck Auction.

Eero Hietala

Lagardère Studios, a subsidiary of Lagardère Active, has made the investment in Finland’s Aito Media Group.

Created in 2003 by IIkka Hynninen and Eero Hietala, Aito Media specialises in unscripted and factual entertainment programmes and formats. The prodco is also behind local versions of formats including Gladiators and Blind Date.

It has already created and produced more than 50 programmes and formats, which have been shown in more than 40 countries, and recently put a dozen scripted series into production, marking its first move away from the unscripted genre.

Distribution of the Aito Media Group catalogue will now be handled by Lagardère Studios Distribution.

The move follows Lagardère’s acquisition of Spanish prodco Boomerang TV, and Lagardère Active CEO Denis Olivennes said the firm was continuing to eye further expansion.

“To take Lagardère Studios from leading French producer to major player on the European audiovisual scene is our goal,” Olivennes said.

“After the purchase of Boomerang TV in Spain, the acquisition of Aito Media Group is a new step in carrying out this international development strategy.”

Ilkka Hynninen and Eero Hietala added: “[The deal] 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.”