NATPE 2012: Electus International Sells Season Two of 'Mob Wives'; Acquires Three Series

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Complete Coverage: NATPE 2012

Electus International, a division of Ben Silverman's Electus, has sold the second season of Mob Wives, which airs on VH1, to nearly 100 territories worldwide. Sales of the show's format are in its immediate future as well, says John Pollak, the company's new president.

"They see the show's success in the U.S. translating into a franchise they can build around," said Pollack in an interview with B&C.

Australia's XYZnetworks, Canada's Shaw Media and MTV Latin America are among some of the companies to acquire the show. Mob Wives also has inspired a spin-off, Mob Wives: Chicago, which will premiere on VH1 this spring. Mob Wives: Chicago will introduce a new cast of mafia molls set at Al Capone's legendary Chicago home.

Over the weekend, Electus International also said that it had acquired the global distribution rights for three of Spike TV's reality shows: Flip Men, American Digger and Car Lot Cowboy, which is produced by Electus and 5x5 Media in association with Vern's Sweatshop Media. All three shows are available at NATPE.

Paige Albiniak
Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.