de Mol went shopping

Billionaire Dutch media mogul and Endemol founder John de Mol has increased his stake in listed UK indie RDF Media Group to 19.82%.

via C21media.net

about RDF Media Group plc

Since 1993, RDF has developed, produced and distributed a range of outstanding programming in entertainment, factual entertainment, features and drama. RDF has been one of the UK’s fastest growing companies appearing in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track top 100 in 2001, 2002, and 2003 and The Sunday Times PricewaterhouseCoopers Profit Track top 100 in 2005. The company was successfully listed at 144p on the London AIM market in May 2005.

Through its group members RDF Television, RDF Rights, RDF USA, IWC Media, Touchpaper Television, Presentable, Radar TV, The Foundation & The Comedy Unit the RDF Group makes television programmes for all the UK terrestrial broadcasters, a number of secondary UK channels as well as several US Network and cable broadcasters. It also sells programmes and formats to broadcasters worldwide and exploits secondary rights such as DVDs and merchandising through RDF Rights. Key shows include: Wife Swap - Channel Four/ ABC (US); Holiday Showdown - ITV1/ ABC (US); Location, Location, Location and Relocation, Relocation – Channel 4; The Basil Brush Show – CBBC; Rock School – Channel 4/VH1 (US); Ian Wright’s Unfit Kids - Channel 4/ABC (US); Ladette to Lady – ITV1; Scrapheap Challenge – Channel Four; A Harlot’s Progress – Channel 4; Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands – Channel Four; Still Game – BBC Two; The Red Arrows – BBC One & The Queen’s Castle – BBC One.

RDF has won numerous awards for its programming including a number of BAFTAs, RTS awards, the Rose d’Or at Montreux and an International Emmy. In 2003, 2004 and 2005 RDF was voted the most respected and admired independent producer by its peers and won Broadcast’s Best Independent Production Company award in 2002, 2004 and 2006. RDF is the only indie to win this award more than once. IWC Media won the award in 2003

RDF Rights is the vehicle through which the group exploits the rights it creates in its programmes. RDF Rights also acts as agent on behalf of over 50 third party independent producers. Since the Communications Act 2003, independent producers in the UK have owned and controlled most of the secondary rights in their programmes made for terrestrial broadcasters.

RDF has offices in London, Glasgow, Bristol, Cardiff, Maidstone, New York and Los Angeles and the group employs about 600 people.

In the year to 31 January 2006, group sales were £59.5m and adjusted pre-tax profits were £5.4m.