Gang of Four: European OB compaines join forces

By Kevin Hilton
SVG European correspondent

Four of Europe’s leading broadcast facilities companies have joined together to create a new one-stop service provider. Among the founders of the IMAGE Media Group alliance are two prominent suppliers of outside broadcast vehicles for sports coverage, Belgian company Outside Broadcast and Germany’s WIGE Media.

The new company is headquartered in Cologne, Germany and offers studio, play-out and post-production facilities, as well as OB trucks, backed by production expertise and data and result processing.

IMAGE Media Group’s available facilities are drawn from those of its founders: Outside Broadcast, WIGE, Italian production, graphics and post-production company Gruppo Comunicazione Italia and Wellen+N then, a German specialist in IT and audio visual services and hire.

The four founders can claim a combined experience in many areas of TV production, both general entertainment and sport. In the sports field past productions include the Olympics, Formula 1, the Americas Cup, World Cup Skiing and UEFA Champions League football.

The new company is described as a market alliance of independent companies, with no equity changing hands and the founders remaining as they were. IMAGE Media Group will have a new management team, to be appointed by the founding members, which will co-ordinate and promote the facilities of its members. Negotiations are in progress for new projects but no details were forthcoming at this time.

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