New Keshet US Studio Names Peter Traugott President of Scripted

Rachel Kaplan joins Los Angeles venture as executive vice president

Peter Traugott

Keshet Media Group’s global distribution and production arm has established a new Los Angeles-based studio, which will oversee development, production, packaging, promotion and sales of Keshet International’s (KI) scripted programming activities in the U.S.

Veteran TV executive Peter Traugott has been named Keshet Studios’ president of Scripted, while Rachel Kaplan also joins as executive vice president. Both come from Traugott’s TBD Entertainment. Prior to founding TBD, Traugott was the president of Television at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, where Kaplan was executive vice president — the same respective titles they have today.

KI’s current catalogue contains more than 30 scripted formats. In addition to raiding that library, Traugott and Kaplan will create new scripted formats for the international marketplace. Keshet Studios launches with several new projects in various stages of development in its pipeline.

Keshet International has produced “Dig,” “Tyrant” and “Your Family or Mine,” as well as “Prisoners of War,” which was adapted stateside into “Homeland.” Keshet’s partnership with Dick Clark Productions has yielded “Rising Star” and “Boom!”

“Keshet Studios was a natural progression for our expanding business and we are thrilled to have an official home base in the States with executives who share our programming sensibility,” said Alon Shtruzman, chief executive officer, Keshet International. “Peter and Rachel both have tremendous instincts for developing and producing compelling and innovative scripted television. Coupled with Avi’s creative vision and the prolific Israeli-International pipeline, Keshet Studios is set to significantly grow our U.S. slate.”

“Rachel and I feel very lucky to be joining the Keshet family. We have so much respect for Avi and Alon, and all they have built. We are excited to get started, and hopefully contribute to Keshet’s continued success,” added Traugott.

Keshet Studios is represented by WME’s Rick Rosen and Marc Korman in the United States.

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