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Syco Entertainment

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"Syco" redirects here. For the Australian pop musician, seeSycco.

Syco Entertainment
Company typePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
Predecessor
Founded2005;19 years ago(2005)
FoundersSimon Cowell
Sony Music
Headquarters
London,England
,
U.K.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Nigel Hall (Global Head of TV)
ProductsTelevision programs
OwnerSimon Cowell
ParentMillforth Limited (2016–2017)
Sony Music Entertainment UK(2017–2020)
Websitesycoentertainment.com

Syco Entertainmentis a British media entertainment and production company, headquartered in London,[1]founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executiveSimon Cowell.The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 throughSony Music Entertainmententering ajoint ventureby purchasing Cowell's shares of his record labelS Recordsand television company Syco Television. In 2009, Sony and Cowell entered a joint venture agreement that covered the joint ownership of Syco's television formats, which include theGot TalentandThe X Factorfranchises. Until 2020, the company operated television and music projects with Sony Music labels around the world and television production companyFremantle.It employs a staff of more than 50 in offices in London and Los Angeles, and manages a string of television and music brands through partnerships with the label Sony Music and the television production company.

Retail billionaire SirPhilip Green,a close friend of Cowell, served as an advisor to the company until 2018. Through its divisions: Music, Film and TV, Syco has produced theGot TalentandThe X Factorfranchises which encompassed local versions in numerous countries and have launched the careers ofOne Direction,Leona Lewis,Little Mix,Susan BoyleandFifth Harmonyamongst others. Syco have also been instrumental in the careers of artists not originating from its franchises, includingIl Divoand Westlife. It has also produced films such asOne Direction: This Is Us(2013) andThe X Factorparody musical,I Can't Sing!(2014). In July 2020, Cowell bought Sony Music's stake in Syco Entertainment, with exception forSyco Music.The record label and its artists and back catalogue were retained by Sony Music and subsequently absorbed. TV rights and assets were transferred to the newly created Syco Entertainment Ltd, which is owned 100% by Cowell.

Formation and history[edit]

Cowell foundedS Recordswhilst employed byBMGback in 2004. The label oversaw music byRobson & Jerome,Five,WestlifeandTeletubbies.[2][3][4]A year later, BMG, now namedSony BMG,bought Cowell's share in both Syco Music and Syco Television.[5]In 2010, a new company was formed as a 50/50 partnership between Cowell and Sony Music, keeping the name Syco but titled as Syco Entertainment.[6][7]In 2015, it was announced that the Syco Entertainment joint venture would be extended for a further 6 years.[8]Retail Billionaire SirPhilip Green,a close friend of Cowell, served as an advisor to the company until 2018.[9][10]

It was initially divided into three units:Syco Music,SYCOtv and Syco Film.[11]A few years later in July 2020, it was announced that Cowell had agreed to buy out Sony Music's stake in the company, with Sony Music retaining the company's artist roster and catalogue.[12]

Operations[edit]

Syco's television operations were founded originally asSYCOtv,primarily operating in the UK and US with key franchisesThe X FactorandGot Talent.It was launched by Simon Cowell in 2003.[13]Following Cowell's purchase ofSony Music Entertainment's stake in the business in 2020, Cowell went on to expand his existing TV arrangements withNBCUniversalin 2021. The new deal will see a range of non-scripted series for the streaming servicePeacockdeveloped (though this does not includeWalk the Line). As part of the deal, Cowell will appear as a judge onAGT: Extreme,a spin-off fromAmerica's Got Talent.[14]

The X Factor[edit]

The X Factor,which launched in September 2004, was one of the most popular television shows in the UK. Syco and Fremantle Media launchedThe X Factor USAin September 2011, which averaged 12 million viewers and a 4.0 rating in the adults 18–49 demographic in its first season, leading FOX to nightly wins on Wednesdays and Thursdays and topping all other fall season reality competition.[15]

Internationally,The X Factoris produced individually in 41 countries including major markets likeFrance,theNetherlands,IndonesiaandAustralia.Additionally,The X Factor USAis screened in 166 countries around the world.[citation needed]

Got Talent[edit]

Britain's Got Talentconsistently tops UK ratings when it is broadcast in April, May and June. In 2009, nearly 20 million people (approximately one third of the UK population) tuned into theseries 3final to seeDiversitycrowned winners.[16]

America's Got Talentmatched a series high 4.6 rating amongst adults 18–49 in the summer of 2011 for itssixth season.Since launching in 2006,America's Got Talenthas consistently been the most watched show of the summer in the US and topped the ratings in the key adults 18–49 demographic.[17]

Other projects[edit]

Syco produces other shows outside its key brands. In 2011, ITV seriesRed or Black?was met with mixed reaction. Syco were also behindAmerican Inventorwhich ran for two seasons onABCand the unsuccessfulCelebrity Duetson Fox. In addition to its major formats, Syco also produces entertainment specials. This includesI Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story,which broke ratings records in the US on TV Guide network[18]and scored 10 million viewers on ITV in the UK.[19]In 2013, Syco and Optomen launched ITV seriesFood Glorious Food,which aired on Wednesday evenings in the UK.

Syco Entertainment were the executive producers of the filmOne Direction: This Is Usfrom directorMorgan SpurlockandOne Direction: Where We Arefrom director Paul Dugdale, which follows the life of pop sensationsOne Direction.[20]The band had come third in the 2010 UKX Factorseries, before being signed to Syco.[21]

In January 2013, Syco set up a new London-based television division called Over The Top Productions. This production company was run by Syco's Global Head of Television, Nigel Hall, and would be responsible for formats such as ITV'sRolling In It.[22][23]

In July 2016,The Investigator: A British Crime Storywas a co-production between Syco &ITVwhich was broadcast for four consecutive weeks on ITV at 9pm.[24]The series was inspired by Simons Cowell's interest in the crime seriesMaking a Murder,andthe Jinx.[25]The Investigator: A British Crime Story was broadcast globally via Netflix until 21 August 2021.[26]The series looked in to the murder ofCarole Packmanwho disappeared from her family home inBournemouthin June 1985. Carole's husband, Russell Causley was convicted of her murder in 1996 and again in 2004 following a successful appeal.

You Generation[edit]

In March 2013, Syco in partnership with YouTube, launched The You Generation channel which is listed as the 'world's first global audition'.

La Banda[edit]

In May 2014, Syco andUnivisionannounced an upcoming TV show calledLa Bandawhich will focus on searching contestants from Hispanic America to find the "ultimate Latino boy band" with the winner receiving a recording contract forSony Music Latinand Syco.[27]

I Can't Sing![edit]

Further information:I Can't Sing!

2014 saw Syco launchI Can't Sing!,a parody musical based onThe X Factor.After technical issues and poor critical reception, the show was pulled from theWest End of Londonless than two months after it opened. Cowell later said of the venture that occasionally things didn't work out and that they had been too ambitious trying to launch a new show in the West End.[28]

Shows produced[edit]

Current productions[edit]

Former productions[edit]

Screen and stage[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"SYCO ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
  2. ^David Nolan (2 September 2010).Simon Cowell - The Man Who Changed the World.John Blake.ISBN978-1844549870.
  3. ^Chas Newkey-Burden (10 October 2009).Simon Cowell: The Unauthorized Biography.Michael O' Mara Books.ISBN9781843174455.
  4. ^Shaina C. Indovino (2014).Simon Cowell: From the Mailroom to Idol Fame.Mason Crest.ISBN9781422293577.
  5. ^Trevor Clawson (2010).The Unauthorized Guide to Doing Business the Simon Cowell Way: 10 Secrets of the International Music Mogul.John Wiley and Sons Ltd. p. 129.ISBN9780857081476.
  6. ^Patrick Foster (23 December 2011)."Simon Cowell picks up £27m in Sony Music deal".The Guardian.
  7. ^"Sony Music Entertainment and Simon Cowell Launch New Global Venture: 'Syco'".PR Newswire. 19 January 2010.
  8. ^Georg Szalai (2 November 2015)."Simon Cowell & Sony Music Extend Syco Venture by Six Years".Billboard.
  9. ^Patrick Foster (25 July 2011)."Sir Philip Green owns no stake in Simon Cowell's Syco".The Guardian.
  10. ^Sophie Barnes (9 November 2018)."Sir Philip Green forced out of Simon Cowell's business as famous friend abandons Topshop tycoon in wake of NDA scandal".The Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 12 January 2022.
  11. ^Trevor Clawson (2010).The Unauthorized Guide to Doing Business the Simon Cowell Way: 10 Secrets of the International Music Mogul.John Wiley and Sons Ltd. pp. 79–80.ISBN9780857081476.
  12. ^White, Peter (15 July 2020)."Simon Cowell To Take Full Control Of 'Got Talent' Producer Syco Entertainment, Buys Out Sony Music's Stake".Deadline.Retrieved15 July2020.
  13. ^"Cowell to speak at TV festival".BBC. 10 May 2004.
  14. ^"Simon Cowell Strikes Expanded Deal with NBCUniversal Including Non-Scripted Series for Peacock – Edinburgh".23 August 2021.
  15. ^"TV Ratings Broadcast Top 25: 'Sunday Night Football' Beaten By 'Modern Family' & 'Two and a Half Men' In Week No. 5 Among Adults 18–49 – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers".Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Archived fromthe originalon 28 October 2011.Retrieved5 January2012.
  16. ^"News & Comments".Televisual. 18 October 2010.Retrieved5 January2012.
  17. ^"Tuesday Final Ratings: 'America's Got Talent' Adjusted Up, Ties Series High; 'Combat Hospital' Hits Lows – Ratings | TVbytheNumbers".Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2011.Retrieved5 January2012.
  18. ^"Susan Boyle Special Breaks TV Guide Network Ratings Records – Today's News: Our Take".TV Guide.15 December 2009.Retrieved5 January2012.
  19. ^"Weekly Top 30 Programmes".Barb.co.uk. 25 December 2011.Retrieved5 January2012.
  20. ^Barraclough, Leo (22 July 2014)."One Direction Concert Movie to Be Released on 3,000 Screens Worldwide".Variety.Retrieved13 June2024.
  21. ^"One Direction finish 3rd in 'X Factor' final".Digital Spy.12 December 2010.Retrieved13 June2024.
  22. ^"Simon Cowell's Syco Launches over the Top Productions, Nigel Hall to Run New Division".11 January 2013.
  23. ^"ITV commissions a brand-new game show where contestants hope to go home Rolling in It".
  24. ^Merriman, Rebecca (22 July 2016)."The horrifying true story behind The Investigator: A British Crime Story".mirror.Retrieved9 September2022.
  25. ^"The Investigator: A British Crime Story is Simon Cowell's answer to 'Making a Murderer'".The Independent.28 June 2016.Retrieved9 September2022.
  26. ^Moore, Kasey (21 July 2021)."Netflix Original 'The Investigator: A British Crime Story' Leaving Netflix in August 2021".What's on Netflix.Retrieved9 September2022.
  27. ^"Simon Cowell's Syco Entertainment and Univision Team Up to Find Ultimate Latino Boy Band".Billboard.13 May 2014.Retrieved24 August2014.
  28. ^Richard Osley (27 April 2014)."X Factor musical I Can't Sing! to close after less than two months".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 26 May 2022.
  29. ^"Fans desperate to save Britain's Got More Talent after spin-off is pulled from TV".
  30. ^"Britain's Got Talent: The Champions (TV Series)".
  31. ^Justin Harp (28 July 2021)."Simon Cowell's The X Factor dropped after 17 years".Digital Spy.Retrieved29 July2021.
  32. ^Harrison, Ellie (19 January 2017)."X Factor spin-off Xtra Factor axed with no room for presenters Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson as ITV focuses on digital strategy".Radio Times.Retrieved2 March2017.
  33. ^abc"Simon Cowell confirms plans to launch TWO new versions of The X Factor in 2019".Radio Times.Retrieved9 February2021.
  34. ^"Planet's Got Talent comes to ITV".itv.com.Retrieved8 May2017.

External links[edit]

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