Warner Bros. Television Studios UK

Warner Bros. Television Studios UK (formerly Shed Media Group and later Warner Bros. Television Productions UK) is a British creator and distributor of television content. The Group produces long-running television brands in drama, factual, documentary, factual entertainment, and history.

Warner Bros. Television Studios UK
FormerlyShed Media Group (1998–2014)
Warner Bros. Television Productions UK (2014–2020)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryTelevision production and distribution
Founded1998; 26 years ago (1998) in London, England, United Kingdom
HeadquartersLondon and Brighton (UK)
Los Angeles (USA)
Key people
Nicholas Southgate
Claire Hungate
Terry Downing
ParentWarner Bros. International Television Production (2010–present)
SubsidiariesHanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Ricochet
Twenty Twenty Television
Wall to Wall Media
Websitewww.wbitvp.com

Established in 1998 as Shed Productions, the company floated on AIM (Alternative Investment Market) in March 2005. The group has grown significantly since flotation and to date, five award-winning media companies: Ricochet, Twenty Twenty Television, Wall to Wall Media,[1] and Outright Distribution have all joined the group. In 2010, it was bought by Time Warner.[2][3]

History

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Shed was established in 1998,[4] specialising in producing long-running returnable drama including Waterloo Road, Bad Girls and Footballers' Wives. In March 2005, the company listed on AIM (Alternative Investment Market).

In November 2005, Shed Media Group had announced that they've acquired Brighton-based Factual entertainment television production company Ricochet, a leading production company specialising in factual entertainment. Ricochet created and produces global brand Supernanny. Other programmes include: Extreme Dreams, It's Me or the Dog, Breaking into Tesco and Blood, Sweat and T-shirts.[5]

Shed acquired Outright Distribution (formerly Screentime Partners) in September 2006. The acquisition was a strategic move in order to maximise exploitation of the Group's IP through its own in-house distribution company, whilst growing third-party business.

In September 2007, Shed Productions had announced that they've continued their acquisition spree by taking over BAFTA award-winning British independent factual entertainment production house Twenty Twenty and placing it under Shed's combined holding company which was being named Shed Media Group.[6] Brands include: The Choir, That'll Teach 'Em, Brat Camp, Evacuation, and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

In November 2007, Shed Media Group had announced that they've acquired British scripted and unscripted television production company Wall to Wall Media with Wall to Wall Media's distribution division Wall to Wall International being interrogated into Shed's own distribution arm Outright Distribution. A multiple BAFTA winner, Wall to Wall produces long-running brands including BBC One's Who Do You Think You Are? and New Tricks. Reality dramas include: 1940's House and Frontier House. Docu-dramas include: The Day Britain Stopped and Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story.[7][8]

In 2008, Wall to Wall's Man on Wire won an Academy Award Oscar in the best Documentary Feature category.

On 5 August 2010, Warner Bros. Television secured a 55.75% stake in Shed Media.[9] Warner Bros. completed its acquisition of a majority stake in Shed Media on 14 October.[10] Under the deal, Shed Media will remain an independent company, but its global distribution arm, Outright Distribution, would be folded into the Warner's UK operation. The Shed management team held on to a 21.37% shareholding, with the remaining stake being split between a group of 27 key staff members.

In January 2012, Shed Media Group had announced that they've launched an entertainment and comedy production company named Yalli Productions with a focus on developing Warner Bros' library formats to the UK market as well their own formats with Bert Gray heading the production company as the managing director.[11]

In April 2012, Shed Media Group had announced that they've acquired a majority stake in London-based British factual entertainment television production company Renegade Pictures with its team continued to operate the acquired company in their London base as Renegade's production output will now be distributed by Warner Bros.' international television distribution division.[12][13]

Time Warner acquired 100% of Shed and renamed the group Warner Bros. Television Productions UK in June 2014.[14] As of 2015 the name was completely phased out and all companies got completely integrated with new websites, however Shed Productions and Watershed became defunct with no new websites, little mentioning or integration.

In January 2015, Warner Bros. Television Production UK announced that they've merged their production company Watershed Television with Twenty Twenty to form a boarding team with Watershed retained its branding under Twenty Twenty along with managing director Mark Rubens continued to lead the label under Twenty Twenty joining them as their senior creative producer.[15]

Reception

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Awards and nominations

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Shed Media was nominated for Float of the Year in 2005 and won Deal of the Year 2006 in the Quoted Company Awards for its acquisition of Ricochet. Several of Shed's programmes have won BAFTA, RTS, Rose D'Or and National Television Awards.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Shed Media in talks on takeover". the Guardian. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Time Warner buys Shed Media". the Guardian. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Shed Media falls to Time Warner for £100m". The Independent. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Eileen Gallagher on the success of television production company Shed Media". www.telegraph.co.uk. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  5. ^ Wilkes, Neil (25 November 2005). "Shed acquires 'Supernanny' producer Ricochet". Digital Spy. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Shed buys Twenty Twenty". Variety. 19 September 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  7. ^ Turner, Mimi (30 November 2007). "U.K.'s Shed Media acquires Wall to Wall". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  8. ^ Grant, Jules (29 November 2007). "Shed finalises Wall to Wall buy-out". C21Media. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Time Warner to acquire Shed Media". Digital Spy. 5 August 2010.
  10. ^ "Warner Bros completes Shed Media deal". Digital Spy. 14 October 2010.
  11. ^ Whittock, Jesse (7 January 2012). "New Shed prodco scores BBC pilots". C21Media. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Shed takes majority stake in Renegade". Variety. 2 April 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  13. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (2 April 2012). "Warner's Shed Media Adds Renegade". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Warner Bros Rebranding UK-Based Television Prod Operation". Deadline Hollywood. 18 June 2014.
  15. ^ Dickens, Andrew (14 January 2015). "Watershed merges with Twenty Twenty". C21Media. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Awards". Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
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