Banijay Americas folds Authentic into 51 Minds

Authentic Entertainment, the indie behind Food Network reality series Ace of Cakes, has been folded into Banijay Americas sibling 51 Minds, Broadcast International has learned. 

The 25-year-old company, founded by former chiefs Lauren Lexton and Tom Rogan in 2000, has been behind myriad cable shows across a variety of subjects including Travel Channel paranormal series Weird Travels and Bravo reality series Flipping Out.  

It also produced TLC’s long-running pageant reality ob doc Toddlers & Tiaras and its spin-offs Another Toddlers and Tiaras, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Cheer Perfection, as well as TLC sibling Trading Spaces. 

Authentic is no longer operating as a standalone label and its team has been integrated into 51 Minds under the leadership of Bunim/Murray chief Julie Pizzi, who was handed oversight of the Below Deck outfit last year.  

The team reports into Pizzi and continues to support Authentic assets and business.  

51 Minds and Authentic will continue to have distinct brands and although the latter does not have any shows currently in active development, it is understood that were appropriate projects to come through the door, they would be produced under the Authentic banner. 

Authentic had been part of Endemol Shine North America, after Lexton and Rogan sold the business to Endemol in 2010. Rogan subsequently exited the business in 2015, followed by Lexton three years later. 

When ESNA was made an independent studio under Sharon Levy’s leadership in 2023, Authentic became part of the cadre of US-based labels under then recently appointed Banijay Americas chief exec Ben Samek. 

Samek recently unpacked Banijay Americas’ growth plan to Broadcast International, emphasising the importance of backing creatives and forging creative partnerships rather than following a traditional M&A strategy.