Canada's 11 Television Teams With Oz' Essential Media on Factual Slate

TORONTO - Kevin Healey’s 11 Television and Australia's Essential Media and Entertainment are pacting to create North American producer Essential 11 Media Group, with offices in Toronto and Los Angeles.

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The aim is producing factual entertainment formats for U.S., Canadian, Australian and other foreign broadcasters, with Healey as the North American lynchpin and Essential Media as a backer.

The Essential 11 Media Group slate of reality formats includes two prank shows -- Propose’d for Oxygen, and Destination Fear for Travel Channel U.S. and Travel & Leisure Canada – and the talent competition show Cover Me Canada for the CBC.

Also in the pipeline is Australia: The Times Traveler’s Guide, a natural history series for PBS Nova, and My Brother the Serial Killer, a 90-minute special for the CBC and Investigation Discovery.

"There are great synergies to be had in developing hit formats across the group with simultaneous access to broadcasters in three English speaking territories,” Chris Hilton, CEO of Essential Media and Entertainment, said Friday, ahead of the Banff World Media Festival kicking off on the weekend.

UTA represents the Essential 11 Media Group in Los Angeles.