IM Global Television announced on Tuesday that it is launching an unscripted and alternative division, with Emmy-winning producer Phil Gurin chosen as its leader.
As president of unscripted and alternative content, Gurin will report directly to CEO Stuart Ford. Gurin will lead a team that will create, acquire and co-develop ideas in all unscripted and alternative genres.
Gurin’s team will also work with brands and broadcasters to initiate new creative revenue models and expand with production and development offices overseas. Eli Shibley, president of IM Global’s international TV distribution and co-productions operation, and his team will represent international rights to content produced by the new division.
Founder of The Gurin Company, Phil Gurin has been responsible for executive producing, creating and writing thousands of hours of television across multiple genres including live event, game, music, hidden camera, comedy, stunt, clip show, factual, dramatic re-enactment, docu-soaps and formatted reality.
His shows have aired on every major U.S. broadcast network, many cable networks, and in over 150 countries around the world. He has won three Primetime Emmy Awards as an executive producer on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” and an international Rose d’Or for the comedy game show “Oh Sit!” which he co-created for The CW.
“Phil is a hugely respected and experienced figure in the unscripted and alternative content arena and therefore a very important addition to our fast evolving television studio,” Ford said. “Along with our partners at TMP and Tencent we’re very excited to dovetail the phenomenal output of Phil and his team with our existing scripted production, deficit financing and international TV distribution operations.”
Gurin began his career as a writer on MTV’s “Remote Control” and on Nickelodeon’s” Double Dare,” “Make the Grade” and “Wild And Crazy Kids.” Establishing his own company in 1997, he went on to produce CBS’ “Candid Camera,” which was followed by an extensive run of shows on NBC, including “Twenty One,” “Weakest Link,” “The Singing Bee,” and many other shows and live events.
The Gurin Company, will remain and continue to serve as a production company on its existing slate of broadcast and cable television shows.
Gurin was represented in the negotiation by business manager Alan Goldman of Goldman & Knell and attorney Eric Weissler of Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein.