AB Groupe

AB Groupe is a audio-visual group French founded by Claude Berda and resulting from the scission of AB Productions.

The company was called AB Productions of 1977 with 1999. In July 1999, the two chairmen, Claude Berda and Jean-Luc Azoulay separate professionally and create their respective company. Jean-Luc Azoulay repurchases 80% of the production activities (except cartoons and documentary) and creates JLA Holding. Claude Berda preserves the satellite chains and catalogs programs and creates AB Groupe.

AB Groupe has many subsidiary companies of production and edition and a score of television channels in France, Belgium and Germany. It is the first French independent editor of specialized channels and account 24 million cumulated subscribed hearths.

The company was with dimensions of 1996 with 2001 with the New York Stock Exchange, and of 2000 with 2003 in Paris on the Second market. It was then repurchased by Claude Berda, which, while remaining majority, yielded 33.5% of his shares to the group TF1, on December 5th, 2006.

AB Groupe is worth 720 million euros today.

AB Productions

Key dates

1977 : Creation of AB Productions, specialized company in the production of discs (disco music, children…)
1979 : Production of the first disc of Dorothée
1980: First production for television: " Dorothée with the country of the chansons" for Antenna 2.
1987 : Beginning of collaboration with TF1 and production of the Club Dorothée. AB becomes a very important producer.
1989 : AB produces the French first Sitcom for youth: Hello Muscular the for TF1. Beginning of constitution of a catalog of programs.
1992 : AB produces its first cartoons
1996: AB repurchases Hamster. The same year, launching of the range of satellite channels AB Sat in France.
1997 : End of collaboration with TF1
1998: AB repurchases 65% of the capital of RTL9
2001: AB buys Via Productions, producer for TF1 of televised series a woman of honor
2006: Entry of TF1 in the capital and the board of directors of AB

History

AB Productions is in the beginning a production company of discs. It was created by Jean-Luc Azoulay and Claude Berda in 1977 with 25000 francs. Their initial is at the origin of the name of the company. In 1978, it is the meeting with Dorothée, the goose that lays the golden eggs. They will produce all its discs and spectacles starting from 1979. In 1980, AB produces its first television program: " Dorothée with the countries of the chansons" for Antenna 2. In 1981, AB produces the emission " Discopuce" within the framework of Récré A2. In 1987, it is the birth of the Club Dorothée on TF1, emission window which will make AB a very important company. The enormous market shares of the emission (up to 55%) make it possible the company to make profits which are it as much. In 1993, AB will declare a sales turnover of 1 billion francs.

Starting from 1991, it is the intensive production of sitcoms: First Kisses, Honey and the bees, but especially Helene and the boys, in 1992 which will beat all the records. 25 sitcoms constituting 2000 episodes will be produced with as a whole a great success. Parallel to the Dorothée Club, produced AB of other emissions: " Ground Danger" Attention; , " Science" club; , " Million copains" and six premium time for Dorothée: " Dorothée the show" in 1987; " The gift of noël" in 1991; " The gift of the rentrée" in 1992; " Dorothée Rock'n'roll roll show" in 1993; " Dorothée midnight supper rock'n'roll roll show" in 1993 and 1994

In 1991, AB creates the musical label AB Disques and publishes its own songs for Dorothée, Muscular the, Helene Rollès, Christophe Rippert, Anthony Dupray… In all more than 1000 songs.

AB also joins Spectacles Camus Coullier and produces the concerts of its singers house, of which the Bercy of Dorothée.

In 1995, AB produces its first sitcom for a chain other than TF1: a man in residence for France 2, but it is a failure. In 1996, it is the production of Extra Zigda for M6, but it is there too a failure.

In 1996, AB repurchases Hamster Productions, the company of Pierre Grimblat (Navarro…) and packs thus a little more its catalog which becomes very important.

This is why in 1995, AB Productions decides to become diffusion and creates its first television channel: AB Chanel 1. AB Lance its range of satellite channels of 18 chains, AB Sat in December 1996 via the satellite Eutelsat. It is a failure in direct marketing, but the two owners do not give up. It succeed in the following years making diffuse their chains on the competitor bouquets Canalsat and TPS. AB becomes thus a great audio-visual group.

But while launching its own range of satellite channels, AB returns in industrial war with TF1 (which is shareholder of TPS) and the contracts with TF1 are re-examined with the fall. When the Club Dorothée (emission window for AB) stops in June 1997, it is the end of a 10 years collaboration with TF1 and it is the one period dark beginning for AB. After having engaged to 1300 people, the company must be solved with a vast social plan and preserves only 300 people.

In March 1998, AB repurchases the chain RTL 9 for 65 franc million, which is a master stroke because the chain is N°1 of the cable and the satellite.

In 1999, Jean-Luc Azoulay and Claude Berda decide to separate professionally and AB Productions disappears and is divided into two companies:

JLA Holding, managed by Jean-Luc Azoulay, who repurchases the rights of productions to AB.
AB Groupe, managed by Claude Berda, who centres itself on the direction of the television channels and the management of the catalog.

Today, AB Groupe is the first French editor of specialized channels and holds the largest catalog of programs of Europe.

AB Distribution

AB Distribution appears in order to provide cartoons for its emissions youths of TF1, and to manage the rights of all the houses productions. It then buys the rights of distribution of the Japanese productions to the kilos. In its catalog of origin is thus many Japanese cartoons of various quality. One owes them the introduction of the Chevaliers of the Zodiac, Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump, Ken the survivor…

In 1995, the launching of ABsat reorientates the policy of purchases of programs towards American televised series ( Dingue of You , Friends ,…), then German ( Derrick , the fox ,…), and since a few years of American emissions (the Wrestling , The Jerry Springer Show ,…).

The company became today an important actor (the catalog includes/understands in 2007 some 40.000 hours of programs in French language), who provides TF1, France Televisions, Jimmy, (...) and chains of the group. However it keeps bad press following its beginnings: Many Japanese cartoons, because of requests of SCUMS, were re-installed before diffusion, but are still not available today in full version during their marketing on other supports (VHS and DVD). For certain of these programs (Dr. Slump, Ken the survivor,…), the translation always unfinished and is blocked. More recently the refusal to negotiate with the actors of doubling of Friends offusqué the French fans of the series.

AB Sat

Key dates

1995 : Launching of the range of channels ABsat sets of themes on the satellites Hot-Bird then Astra
1998: Acquisition of 65% of RTL9 and transfer of AB Sports with the group Pathé
2001: Acquisition of a holding of 25% in YTV, holder of a license of hertzian diffusion in French-speaking Belgium, and in October of same year YTV launches the chain AB3
2002: YTV launches the chain AB4 to Belgium, chain dedicated to the seniors available on cable and terrestrial antenna

2005 : NT1 and TMC (held chain with 40% by TF1, 40% by AB and 20% by the Monegasque of the waves) is retained by the SCUMS to belong to the offer of Digital terrestrial television in France.

2006 : AB4 , which became a general channel, ceases its diffusion into analogical terrestrial following a breach of contract with the RTBF which will use the frequency to emit RTBF Sat in its place.

2006 : Entry of TF1 in December in the capital (to 33,3%) and the board of directors of AB

YTV became BTV , entirely controlled by Roland Berda who launches in September to Belgium La4, new chain intended for the seniors. It will stop a few months later and in 2007, Videoclick takes its place

2007 : August 13rd, arrival of France2 in the bouquet of AB

2007 : October 13rd, 2007: Stop of all the emissions of cal-TV on chains RTL9 and NT1 .

The stop of this format was not commented on by group AB, but one can suppose that is following the mail sent by the CNP to the leader of RTL9. The CNP did not hesitate to use the term of swindles to qualify the emission of cal-TV " The Night is with vous" who was diffused since June 2007 on NT1 and RTL9.

===Les chaînes=== ABsat is intended at the beginning required new outlets to AB Productions. This explains a certain homogeneity of the programs on the whole of the chains of the group.

Europe

Available by satellite in all Europe: AB 1 driving, AB, Action, Animal, Hunting and Pêche, Movies Fx, Movies Whodunnit, Encyclopédia, Stopovers, the FIT TV, Mangas, NT1, All the History, RTL9, TMC, XXL, 'Zik, Classical music, Videoclick.

France

Available only in version cables: AB 1 driving, AB, Action, Animal, Hunting and Pêche, Movies Fx, Movies Whodunnit, Encyclopédia, Stopovers, the FIT TV, Mangas, Toutel' History, XXL, 'Zik, Classical music.

Available on cable and hertzian analogical locally: RTL9 (Lorraine), TMC Monte Carlo (Principality of Monaco)

Available on cable and Digital terrestrial television: NT1, TMC Monte Carlo free, and AB 1 in paying access

Belgium

Available only in version cables: all French chains of the group and AB3, AB4

Romandie

Available on cable in all Romandie: AB 1, Animal, Stopovers, RTL9 and TMC Monte Carlo. The other chains except NT1 are most of the time available out of TV to toll or paying options.

Random links: