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Britain’s ITV said to be in talks to buy Weinstein Co.’s TV operations

Weinstein Co. co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein attends the season premiere of the Netflix series "Marco Polo" in New York.

Weinstein Co. co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein attends the season premiere of the Netflix series “Marco Polo” in New York.

(Andy Kropa / Invision/AP)
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Mini-major film studio Weinstein Co. is in talks to sell its television operations to British broadcaster ITV, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly.

If an agreement is finalized, the New York studio’s TV division would fetch an upfront price of $300 million to $400 million in a deal worth as much as $950 million.

Representatives for Weinstein Co. and ITV declined to comment.

ITV, which airs shows including “Broadchurch” and “The Real Housewives of Cheshire,” has been busy with acquisitions lately.

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In March, it paid more than $500 million for Talpa, the Dutch production company behind “The Voice.” ITV agreed last May to buy an 80% stake in Leftfield Entertainment, known for unscripted shows including “Pawn Stars,” for $360 million.

Weinstein Co. is best known for movies that attract Oscar attention such as last year’s “The Imitation Game.”

Its TV productions include the long-running fashion reality series “Project Runway” and the big-budget Netflix epic “Marco Polo.”

The deal talks were first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.

Follow Ryan Faughnder on Twitter for more entertainment business coverage: @rfaughnder

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