Bell Media among group acquiring Just For Laughs production company

Bell Media says it is has joined a group of investors in buying the production company behind Montreal'sJustForLaughscomedy festival.

The BCE Inc. subsidiary says it and Groupe CH, which is headed by Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson,completed an agreement to join talent agency ICM Partners and comedian Howie Mandel in the acquisition of Groupe Juste pour rire.

Bell says the production company remains Montreal-based and is now backed by a leading broadcaster and content creation company. It says the terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.

Mandel led an investor group that acquired the festival in March after it was put upforsale following allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment against co-founder Gilbert Rozon, who was also a majority stakeholder.

Bell Media president Randy Lennox says the company is trying to align itself with brands that have world travel ability.

He saysJustforLaughshas huge ubiquity in Quebec, some scale in Canada, but that dissipates further away and their endeavour is to grow it.