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Ben Samek named CEO of Banijay America after Banijay–All3Media merger

Banijay Entertainment confirmed Ben Samek as CEO of Banijay America, the Americas structure formed after its merger with All3Media. He reports to Deputy CEO Jane Turton.

2 outlets · 1L · 1C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Variety
Image: Deadline

1 / 2

The story, neutrally told

Left · 1Ben Samek has been named CEO of Banijay America, the combined Americas structure created after Banijay Entertainment merged with All3Media. Mixed · 2Samek will report to Jane Turton, deputy CEO of Banijay Entertainment. Mixed · 2Deadline had first reported, before the paperwork was signed, that Samek would lead the U.S. business; it described the move as not a huge surprise and added an update that it is now official. Variety called the confirmation "as expected".

Centre · 1Deadline describes the merged group as an $8B production group responsible for series such as Big Brother, The Traitors and Peaky Blinders. Mixed · 2Banijay America will also house the centralised production services business Turnkey Studio Services, run by Justin Medeiros as executive VP of production and Jacob Cohen-Holmes as head of current programming; the two previously led a similar business inside All3Media America. Left · 1Variety reports that Banijay Entertainment has also launched Banijay Latin America, with Laurens Drillich as CEO, while Samek continues as a board member and consultant to the group.

Mixed · 2Samek has run the Americas group since February 2023. He joined Endemol USA in 2014 as COO and became president and COO of Endemol Shine North America in 2018, widening his remit to Banijay's U.S. and Latin American companies after Banijay acquired Endemol Shine Group in 2020. Centre · 1Deadline notes All3Media had little centralised U.S. operation, leaving companies such as Studio Lambert, maker of The Traitors, largely to produce shows themselves, and says Samek's challenge is to build infrastructure to support the various production companies. Mixed · 2Samek said bringing the two businesses together gives "greater scale and expanded capabilities in the U.S. market". Turton called him "a hugely experienced leader", and Jeff Zucker, chairman of the combined group, told Deadline the U.S. will be one of its opportunities.

Left · 1RedBird IMI and Banijay Group partnered to merge Banijay Entertainment with All3Media; Zucker is chairman and Marco Bassetti is CEO, along with Turton.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

Framing
Variety presents the appointment as a straightforward confirmation of an expected move, with organisational detail and Samek's recent deals.
Emphasis
Banijay Latin America launch, Turnkey Studio Services, Samek's recent projects and upcoming slate.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not discuss All3Media's weak U.S. centralisation or the challenge facing Samek.
For example
“As expected, Ben Samek has been named CEO of Banijay America” — Variety

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Deadline leads with an exclusive that Samek would run the U.S. business, later updated to say it is official, and analyses the U.S. strategic challenge.
Emphasis
All3Media's fragmented U.S. operations, Samek's task of building infrastructure, Zucker's comments, UK leadership expectations.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the Banijay Latin America launch or Laurens Drillich.
Charged language
“mega-deal”
For example
“Samek’s challenge now is to build an infrastructure in the States that can support the assorted production companies” — Deadline

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.