INTERVIEW WITH JOHN DE MOL

World Screen News | October 2007

It doesn’t happen often that a person reaches his 50s and feels the excitement of a new beginning. But that is exactly the position John de Mol is in. ...read on

DUTCH MEDIA MOGUL JOHN DE MOL OPENS
LOS ANGELES OFFICE

Los Angeles | February 13, 2007

Today Talpa Media Group, the Dutch-based media company and broadcaster owned by Endemol co-founder John de Mol, is announcing the creation of a Los Angeles office. The new creative department will work together with US-based producers to develop ideas for television and other media platforms.

In addition to working with established show runners, the company will solicit television series ideas via a web site, www.talpausa.com. In this unique twist the company will welcome new concepts in the non-fiction genre. Talpa Content USA is particularly keen to work with those who have found success via user-generated platforms.

"Nowhere else in the world do you find so many people with creative ideas as in the United States. Unfortunately, the barriers to access in the television business are often discouraging," said John de Mol. "Talpa Content USA will be available to everyone, and it´s designed to move quickly. We´re ready to take risks to bring strong new concepts to life."

Talpa Content USA will gather new ideas in America and bring them to the Netherlands where Talpa has its own TV channel. In Holland new series will be developed for air, with an eye for selling the formats on the international market. That´s like John de Mol used to work before, producing massive hit series such as "Big Brother", "Deal or No Deal", "1 vs. 100" and "Fear Factor". These and other Endemol formats air throughout the globe in dozens of different languages.

Stéfanie Gélinas will serve as Managing Director of Talpa Content USA. A native of Canada, Gélinas has been active in the European and American media markets for 12 years. Most recently she was Vice President of development strategy for FremantleMedia North America. Prior to that she served as creative director of Endemol Germany and held creative and management positions at the German Network ProSiebenSat.1.

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