RDF Media set for sale to Zodiak

RDF Media, the independent production company behind Wife Swap, is reportedly to be sold to Zodiak Entertainment, a Paris-based producer. RDF's chief executive, David Frank, is being lined up to run the combined group, which would be the third largest TV production company in the world, according to a report on the Broadcast website , behind only Endemol and the RTL-owned FremantleMedia. The deal is said to value RDF, a factual programming specialist whose production subsidiaries include Radar, Touchpaper Television and IWC Media, at about £150m. Zodiak is part of Italy's De Agostini group, which helped to take RDF private last year. It traces its origins to Scandinavia, and owns five TV production companies in the UK: Diverse, Lucky Day, Red House, Bullseye and Dangerous. The group has more than 30 different production companies in 18 different countries, mainly in Europe, but also extending to India, Brazil and the US. RDF and Zodiak both declined to comment. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".