True Entertainment & Original Media Merge to Form TRULY ORIGINAL

Emmy-winning producers Glenda Hersh and Steven Weinstock, who founded their company True Entertainment in 2000 (acquired by Endemol Shine NORTH AMERICA in 2003), and who in April 2015 also became co-presidents and co-CEOs of ESNA's Original Media, announced today they are merging the companies they jointly run into a new full-service, fully integrated production entity: Truly Original.

Hersh and Weinstock will serve as co-presidents and co-CEOs of the new company, and Truly Original will remain a subsidiary of Endemol Shine North America.

While centralizing systems and operations in areas such as production and post-production, business and legal affairs, and finance, Truly Original will maintain the "True Entertainment" and Original Media" creative labels for brand consistency, and Truly Original will remain dedicated to producing programming distinct to each brand (for example, THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA and VANITY FAIR CONFIDENTIAL from True Entertainment, versus INK MASTER and SWAMP PEOPLE from Original Media).

By harnessing the collective creative energy and production expertise of both companies, Truly Original also allows Hersh and Weinstock to further cultivate their executive talent across a larger spectrum of programming, share resources to optimally serve their clients and shows across broadcast, cable and digital, and bring the staffs of both production companies together as one unified team, ultimately providing them enhanced career and growth opportunities. Currently, Truly Original produces 16 series across 10 networks.

In a joint statement, Hersh and Weinstock said, "We are genuinely thrilled to be announcing Truly Original, which represents a blending of the respective strengths of two successful production companies, while maintaining the creative identity of each. We look forward to continuing to execute at the highest levels of creativity and innovation for our network partners, and to offering our executive and production talent even greater opportunity as our business continues to evolve."

Added Cris Abrego, chairman, Endemol Shine Americas and CEO, Endemol Shine North America, "With their sharp creativity and singular vision for leadership, Steven and Glenda have built and shepherded two of our industry's most prolific, successful and distinguished production companies. Their value to Endemol Shine is immense and we're excited to support them in this exciting Truly Original endeavor."

To accommodate the needs of the new larger production entity, Truly Original will be moving to new New York City office space in early 2017 (True Entertainment and Original Media currently operate from separate NYC locations), with a build-out underway to house development and programming, production and post-production, business, legal, talent and all other departments under one roof.