Our History


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FremantleMedia has come a long way in a short period to its position today as the world’s leading television entertainment and content provider. Today FremantleMedia is a modern, global network of people and companies connected by its key strength: Creativity. FremantleMedia has been in its current form since 2001. Until this date it was a collection of creative companies, many of which still exist to this day, called Pearson Television. The timeline below shows how FremantleMedia grew to be the company which now produces leading shows such as The Bill, Neighbours, This is Your Life, The Price Is Right, American Idol and hundreds of other successf shows around the globe.

2006

  • Season 5 of American Idol gets its highest audience ever with 36 million people tuning in to watch the final and over half a billion votes cast during the season.
  • FremantleMedia’s licensing and distribution divisions merge to form FremantleMedia Enterprises.
  • A series of pioneering online deals is struck with broadcasters and digital distributors. The Apprentice and IT Crowd are made available online in partnership with the BBC and Channel 4. FremantleMedia’s rich library of comedy classics, including Men Behaving Badly, Goodnight Sweetheart, and Tommy Cooper is also made available for download.
  • As developments in the wireless and broadband world accelerate, FremantleMedia’s new platforms division, FMX, joins the global drama and entertainment genre units under the newly formed Creative Networks department.
  • Grundy and Crackerjack merge to create FremantleMedia Australia.
  • FremantleMedia moves further into the Nordic market through Blu by establishing Fremantle Productions Sverige AB.

2005

  • Neighbours celebrates its 20th anniversary!
  • FremantleMedia expands its Northern European operations by acquiring 75% of the Danish production company, Blu, creators of Spoofed, Up for Sale and Dumpster to Dream Home.

2004

  • FremantleMedia Japan is formed, securing an initial foothold in this important market.
  • FremantleMedia brings the telenovela concept to Europe with the launch of ratings winner Bianca in Germany.

2003

  • FremantleMedia continues to grow through its acquisition of Crackerjack, one of Australia\'s most creative entertainment production companies
  • The success of the Idols format strengthens FremantleMedia\'s position in the global TV market and breaks TV viewing records around the world.
  • Talkback Productions is merged with Thames to form talkbackThames, the leading UK production company behind award-winning programmes like the The X Factor, The Apprentice, QI and the Emmy award-winning Stephen Poliakoff dramas

2002

  • The UK’s Pop Idol is announced winner of Europe\'s top television entertainment award, the Rose d\'Or (The Golden Rose of Montreux). The US version of the show, American Idol: the Search for a Superstar is a smash-hit on Fox, with 22.8 million viewers watching the thrilling final and phone votes throughout the series totalling 110 million.

2001

  • FremantleMedia is adopted as new company name for the content production division of RTL Group.
  • FremantleMedia continues to expand its international portfolio of top-rated programming through the acquisition of infotainment company Be Happy in France and drama producer Phoenix in Germany.
  • Pearson PLC disposes of its remaining 22% stake in RTL Group.

2000

  • Pearson Television and CLT-Ufa merge, forming the Luxembourg-based, broadcasting and radio media conglomerate,RTL Group.. Pearson Television, UFA, Grundy-UFA, and are combined to form the production division of RTL Group. Talkback Productions is acquired by Pearson Television, bringing Da Ali G Show, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and They Think It’s All Over to the programme portfolio.

1999

  • Pearson Television pursues further European expansion through the acquisition of majority stakes in Cologne-Sitcom (Germany) and in Viihde, the production division of MTV3 (Finland).

1998

  • Pearson Television acquires animation company EVA Entertainment (UK), game show producer Regent Productions (UK), and drama producer Mastrofilm (Italy).

1997

  • Pearson Television takes another step into the US market with its acquisition of All American Television and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including Fremantle and Goodson. The acquisition brings popar game show formats like The Price is Right and Family Feud and the syndicated action hour drama Baywatch to Pearson Television’s programming strength.
  • Pearson Television increases its equity investment in the UK’s Channel Five and divests its stake in UK Satellite broadcast channels UK Gold and UK Living.
  • Pearson acquires Cape Waterfront Television, a leading South African production group.

1996

  • Pearson Television acquires SelecTV, including Alomo and Witzend Productions, a UK-based production company specialising in comedy, sitcom, and drama programmes.

1995

  • Pearson Television acquires the production company Grundy, adding daily serial dramas like Neighbours and Sons and Daughters and making the company a world-wide production operation.
  • Pearson Television acquires ACI, the US TV movie distribution company.
  • Pearson Television is part of the successf bid consortium for the new UK Channel Five, and obtains a 24% stake in the fifth UK terrestrial channel.

1994

  • International media group Pearson plc buys Thames Television, the leading UK production company behind such long-running series as The Bill, This Is Your Life and Wish You Were Here?, which forms the start of Pearson Television.
  

 

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