Pawn Stars, meet The Real Housewives.
The former's production company, Leftfield Pictures, has acquired Sirens Media, the Silver Spring, MD-based shingle that counts Real Housewives of New Jersey among its credits.
The company, which is run by longtime producing partners RebeccaToth Diefenbach and Valerie Haselton, has nine series currently in production with Discovery ID, including Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry? and Deadly Affairs.
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The move marks Leftfield's first acquisition. In doing so, founder Brent Montgomery has established Leftfield Entertainment, a new umbrella company through which Leftfield will broaden its production footprint via acquisitions, new joint ventures and producer overall deals. The deal was led by Barclays and includes RBS Citizens and SunTrust banks; Montgomery will serve as CEO.
“It’s been less than five years since Leftfield’s first show hit the air, and we’re proud to have produced nearly 600 hours of programming and 900 episodes of TV for a wide range of networks. In analyzing the next chapter of our evolution, all roads led to the company remaining independent, and creating growth through alliances with like-minded, maverick producers, and creative entrepreneurs in their own right,” Montgomery said in a statement, continuing: “Rebecca and Valerie personify and celebrate this strategy, having built a company from the ground up that currently boasts 15 series and a development slate poised for even more growth.”
Added Toth Diefenbach and Haselton: “We have known and respected Brent for years; we speak the same language and know there are distinct advantages to collaborating with other producers who are also in the trenches. With Leftfield’s track record and industry ascent, we saw tremendous upside, both for our mutual network clients and for us, in joining the team."
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Sirens Media was founded in 2005, and is currently in its fifth season with Real Housewives of New Jersey. The company has news series forthcoming at Bravo, Discovery ID, A&E and Discovery. For its part, Leftfield has produced more than 225 episodes of Pawn, which is credited with spawning the larger "hidden treasures" genre. Among the company's other efforts: spin-off American Restoration, Counting Cars and Cajun Pawn Stars. Leftfield, which open a Los Angeles office six months ago, is currently producing its first international entry, Pawn Stars UK.
UK-based consulting firm ACF brokered the Leftfield-Sirens transaction. Law firms Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, and Loeb & Loeb LLP negotiated the deal. Leftfield is repped by Peleton Entertainment and ICM Partners; Sirens is repped by ICM.
Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose