Talpa Media, the media group founded by Dutch entrepreneur John de Mol, acquires the remaining 50.1% shares in Talpa Germany from German media company Axel Springer, thereby taking over the TV producer completely.
Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. In October 2014, Talpa already purchased 49.9% of Talpa Germany (previously Schwartzkopff TV). Options for a total sale were granted in the course of this transaction. With the takeover of Talpa Media by UK-based broadcaster ITV earlier this year, these options became effective and were mutually exercised.
“Axel Springer and Schwartzkopff TV, now Talpa Germany, have been linked together in a success story spanning 15 years, which would not have been possible without the efforts of managing director Karsten Roeder and his entire team. We are very grateful for this,” Jens Müffelmann, CEO of Axel Springer Digital Ventures, said in Berlin. “In the future, we will focus even more closely on the development of our competence in digital moving images.”
Talpa CEO Pim Schmitz added: “The fact that Talpa Germany becomes a full member of the Talpa family makes us very happy. We value our strong relationship with Axel Springer very much and are therefore glad that – although we are no longer joint shareholders in Talpa Germany – we will continue to work closely together.”
Schwartzkopff TV was founded in 1993 and has been a subsidiary of Axel Springer since 1999. The company has been operating under the name Talpa Germany since 2014. Schwartzkopff TV already held the exclusive rights for co-production of the international Talpa formats for Germany since 2010.
The sale of Talpa Germany is subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities.
