Private investment firm RedBird IMI completes $1.45bn All3Media deal

Private investment company RedBird IMI has concluded its purchase of European production and distribution group All3Media for £1.15bn (US$1.45bn).

Jeff Zucker

The deal was first announced in February after a protracted battle to buy the company from its previous joint owners Warner Bros Discovery and John Malone’s Liberty Global.

It concluded today following approval from regulators in the US, UK and Germany and represents the largest investment made by RedBird IMI, led by former CNN chief Jeff Zucker and backed by RedBird Capital Partners’ Gerry Cardinale, so far.

Zucker, the CEO of RedBird IMI, has become the chairman of the All3Media board. The media company’s CEO Jane Turton and COO Sara Geater will continue to lead All3Media for RedBird IMI.

All3Media, based in London, has 50 production labels, including Studio Lambert, Raw TV, Two Brothers Pictures, Silverback Films, New Pictures and Neal Street Productions.

It produces shows including The Traitors, Squid Game: The Challenge, Gold Rush, Midsomer Murders, American Nightmare, The Circle, Call the Midwife, The Tourist, Life On Our Planet, The Long Shadow and Gogglebox.

Its distribution arm All3Media International has a catalogue of over 30,000 hours, while the group’s digital business, Little Dot Studios, drives audiences in social video, podcast, and branded content across multiple platforms.

Multiple buyers have been in the frame to land the group since it went on the block at the start of last year, with rival European firm Banijay said to be among the early frontrunners.

In July, UK broadcaster ITV said it was “actively exploring”  the possibility of buying All3Media, but the following month said it was no longer active in its interest but was continuing to monitor the situation.

Others that have previously been linked with a potential bid including Peter Chernin’s The North Road Company, Sony and Goldman Sachs.

RedBird IMI launched just over a year ago, with the goal of building a global media company across news, entertainment and sports. This is the fifth completed investment following deals for the Los Angeles-based scripted production company Media Res, the unscripted production company EverWonder Studios, the children’s entertainment company Hidden Pigeon Company and the digital news outlet Front Office Sports.