Endemol expands its Lat-Am footprint

Endemol Holding and Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa have inked a deal to set up a venture to produce entertainment and interactive content for Mexico's 100m audience.

Enemol Mexico is a 50:50 joint venture between the two outfits and will be based in Mexico City.

The five-year deal sees Televisa acquiring a number of entertainment productions – including Big Brother – from Endemol Mexico, as well as having first option on Endemol's 400-strong format catalogue. Endemol Mexico will also be able to produce for other broadcasters.

Grupo Televisa has four Spanish-language and three English-language channels in its stable, as well as a 10% stake in local pay-TV broadcaster Sky and 6% of Univision.

Endemol board member, Hubert Deitmers commented: {Our recent efforts in Latin America have already closed volume deals totalling $200m, and we have now managed to team up with the best possible partner in Mexico. Given the size of the Mexican market, there is huge growth potential for our joint venture.{

The Mexican venture continues Endemol's Lat-Am expansion, following the formation of Endemol Globo with Brazil’s TV Globo and the acquisition of a stake in Argentinean production company P&P.