TV producer adds agency

Blighty's All3Media buys into the tenpercentery biz

By STEVE CLARKE

Morrison

All3Media, the U.K.'s biggest independent TV producer, has moved into the agency business by acquiring Artists Rights Group, whose clients include "Doctor Who" co-star Billie Piper, DJ Chris Evans and British TV star Ross Kemp.

Agents Michael Foster and Sue Latimer will continue to run Artists Rights Group.

It joins a stable of U.K. and overseas production houses operating under the All3Media umbrella that includes Lion Television, Company Pictures and Mersey Television.

"Strategically, this acquisition represents a new and very important move for us," said All3Media CEO Steve Morrison. "Acquiring Artists Rights Group extends our multimedia capability and provides us with further opportunities for the commercial rights exploitation of our talent and content."