Autentic has acquired the GEDEON Media Group (GMG) assets, including GEDEON Programmes, Docland Yard and MC4, and founded a new French subsidiary, GEDEON Studios.
GMG was placed into liquidation in September.
The deal includes GMG’s ongoing productions, a library of some 3,000 hours and a slate of digital channels. Autentic Distribution takes on representation of the GMG catalog, while the company’s channels division will handle distribution of the digital channels. GEDEON Studios will house the production and development activities, including about 25 hours of in production and two feature-length documentaries. Seven members of the team will join GEDEON Studios, including senior producers Laurence Favreau, Valérie Guerin and Coraline Roch; Mina Cuche, head of development; and Carine Nonnenmacher, one of GMG’s producers, who will lead the new studio. GMG’s founder and former president, Stéphane Millière, will serve as a senior consultant for program development.
“With GEDEON Studios in Paris, and Autentic in Munich, we will have teams in the two biggest markets in Europe,” said Patrick Hörl, MD at Autentic. “By combining the expertise of both companies and using significant synergies in the monetization of content, we will be more resilient in the current, challenging market environment. Over more than three decades, Stéphane Millière and the GEDEON team have built an extraordinary legacy, establishing the company as one of the most respected names in factual production. We are proud to continue that journey together with the team in France, preserving valuable expertise and creative excellence while laying the foundation for the next phase of growth.”
Millière added, “I am very pleased that Autentic is taking over the assets of the GEDEON Group through a new company that will continue to build on the work of the outstanding editorial team that has worked alongside me to develop the brand, carry forward ongoing projects and distribute the catalog established over the past 30 years. This alliance between two strong brands and two talented teams further strengthens the potential of Autentic for the years to come. I have the greatest respect for Patrick Hörl, who has always been a passionate advocate for the documentary genre. I am delighted that he will become president of this new GEDEON.”
