NorthSouth Productions

NorthSouth Productions is an American independent television production company founded in 2000 by executive producers Charlie DeBevoise and Mark Hickman, specializing in non-scripted factual programming across genres including comedy, lifestyle, and documentaries.^[1][2] In 2012, the Hearst Corporation acquired a 50% ownership stake in the company, forming a joint venture that enhanced its production capabilities and market presence.^[1] Headquartered in New York City with additional offices in Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as production facilities in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami, NorthSouth has grown to become one of the largest producers of unscripted content in the United States.^[3][2] The company creates original series for major broadcast and cable networks such as TruTV, HGTV, Discovery Channel, TLC, History, A&E, Food Network, and Peacock, delivering a diverse portfolio that spans hidden-camera pranks, home renovations, culinary competitions, and historical reenactments.^[3][4] Among its most notable productions are the enduring comedy series Impractical Jokers, which premiered on TruTV in 2011 and features the improv troupe The Tenderloins, and the HGTV hit 100 Day Dream Home, showcasing rapid custom home builds by designer Brian Kleinschmidt.^[3][5] Other popular shows include Lil Jon Wants to Do What? on HGTV, where rapper Lil Jon transforms homes with bold designs, and Poppy's Perfect Bite on Food Network, a kid-focused cooking competition.^[6]

History

Founding and early years

NorthSouth Productions was founded in 2000 by Charlie DeBevoise and Mark Hickman, both former colleagues at Bagwell Productions, a New York-based company specializing in unscripted television. DeBevoise, who had been recruited to Bagwell earlier, and Hickman established the new venture with dual headquarters: DeBevoise managing operations from New York City, while Hickman oversaw the Knoxville, Tennessee, office to leverage regional production resources. The company quickly positioned itself as an independent producer of non-scripted programming, targeting lifestyle and reality formats for emerging cable networks.^[1][7] In its initial years, NorthSouth focused on developing series that emphasized home improvement, travel, and family milestones, often in collaboration with networks like TLC, Travel Channel, and Discovery Health. Key early productions included Make Room for Baby (2003), a nursery design series for Discovery Health Channel that adapted the Trading Spaces format to expectant parents' needs, and Get Packing (2003–2004), a competitive travel preparation show hosted by Michelle Beadle for Travel Channel. These programs highlighted the company's ability to create accessible, talent-driven content, with episodes featuring real participants navigating everyday challenges. By 2004, NorthSouth expanded its TLC portfolio with In a Fix, a home renovation series led by designer Evette Rios that rescued botched DIY projects, and contributed episodes to the long-running A Wedding Story.^[8][9][10] The mid-2000s marked steady growth for NorthSouth, as it diversified into real estate-themed content with Million Dollar Agents (2005), a docu-soap following high-stakes property deals in South Florida for TLC. This period saw the company opening a Los Angeles office, enhancing its operational footprint across the U.S. By 2005, NorthSouth had built a reputation for efficient, genre-spanning unscripted television, setting the stage for larger network partnerships while maintaining its independent structure under DeBevoise and Hickman.^[11][12]

Expansion and ownership changes

Following its founding in October 2000 by Charlie DeBevoise and Mark Hickman, NorthSouth Productions quickly expanded its operations beyond its initial corporate offices in New York City and Knoxville, Tennessee, to support a growing slate of unscripted programming for networks such as TLC and Discovery.^[13][14] By the early 2010s, the company had established a presence on both coasts. This geographic growth enabled NorthSouth to handle an increasing volume of projects, with production facilities extending to Atlanta and Miami to accommodate location-specific shoots for shows such as Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta and lifestyle series filmed in Florida.^[15][16] A pivotal ownership change occurred in December 2012, when Hearst Corporation, a major media conglomerate, acquired a 50% stake in NorthSouth Productions for an undisclosed amount, marking the company's first significant external investment.^[17][18] This partnership with Hearst provided financial resources and strategic support, fueling further expansion into branded content and international distribution; for instance, flagship series Impractical Jokers expanded to audiences in over 80 countries through global licensing deals.^[13][2] In the years following the Hearst deal, NorthSouth diversified its portfolio by launching specialized divisions. In June 2018, in collaboration with Hearst Entertainment, the company introduced Good Kicks Media, a hybrid content arm focused on branded entertainment, network promotions, and live activations for corporate clients.^[19][20] More recently, in 2019, NorthSouth established NoSo Films as a premium documentary division to develop and finance long-form projects with filmmakers, enhancing its capabilities in narrative-driven content.^[13][21] These initiatives, combined with the multi-office infrastructure, positioned NorthSouth as one of the largest independent producers of non-scripted television in the United States by the mid-2020s.^[1]

Operations

Leadership and ownership

This ownership structure has remained in place, with Hearst providing strategic support and global distribution capabilities while allowing NorthSouth to maintain operational independence.^[3] Charlie DeBevoise serves as the CEO and executive producer, overseeing the company's creative direction and major projects since its inception.^[13][3] Under his leadership, NorthSouth has expanded its portfolio to include high-profile series such as Impractical Jokers and Say Yes to the Dress. The executive team includes Marsha Ballard as EVP of Operations, responsible for day-to-day management and efficiency; Jen Holbach as Executive Producer and Head of Current, managing ongoing productions; and Brad Kohlenstein as Head of Development, focusing on new format creation and acquisitions.^[13] Additional key roles are filled by Amy Wallace (VP of Production), Margot Gattuso (VP of Post-Production), and Cassandra White (Development Producer), supporting the company's multi-genre output across unscripted television.^[13]

Offices and divisions

NorthSouth Productions maintains its primary production facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, at 624 S. Concord Street, Knoxville, TN 37919.^[22] The company also operates a corporate office in New York City at 75 Broad Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10004.^[3] Additional production offices support operations in locations including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami, facilitating on-site filming and regional coordination for unscripted programming.^[23] In terms of divisions, NorthSouth includes NoSo Films, its premium documentary unit established in 2019 to develop, produce, and finance long-form series exploring human experiences.^[13] The company further integrates in-house post-production capabilities, with a dedicated team led from Knoxville handling editing, audio, and visual effects for its factual entertainment output.^[13] These divisions enable NorthSouth to manage end-to-end production workflows while specializing in non-fiction content for cable networks.

Productions

Overview and genres

NorthSouth Productions specializes in unscripted content, with a portfolio that includes long-running series distributed across major networks and streaming platforms.^[1] Over more than two decades, NorthSouth has produced content viewed in over 80 countries, creating household names through innovative formats that blend entertainment with real-life narratives.^[13] The company's productions primarily fall within unscripted genres, focusing on comedy, lifestyle, and documentary series that appeal to diverse audiences.^[13] In the comedy-reality space, NorthSouth is renowned for Impractical Jokers, a truTV series featuring hidden-camera pranks among friends that has become a global phenomenon, spawning sold-out live tours at venues like Madison Square Garden. As of 2025, the series moved to TBS for new episodes premiering January 9.^[13][24] Lifestyle programming forms a significant portion of their output, including bridal and home renovation shows such as Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta on TLC, which explores the emotional journeys of brides-to-be, and 100 Day Dream Home on HGTV, where couples realize ambitious builds within tight timelines (season 4 as of 2025).^[13] These formats highlight personal transformations and aspirational living, often incorporating elements of competition and expert guidance to engage viewers.^[20] Documentary-style content rounds out NorthSouth's genres, with series that delve into historical events, paranormal investigations, and cultural explorations for networks like History and A&E.^[20] Examples include Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Rainbow Farm, which dramatize real standoffs through archival footage and interviews to examine their societal impacts, as well as Paranormal Cops, blending law enforcement stories with supernatural inquiries.^[6] Additional lifestyle extensions appear in food and design shows like Lil Jon Wants to Do What? on HGTV (season 2 as of 2025), showcasing celebrity-driven renovations and culinary challenges.^[6] Through NoSo Films, a division dedicated to documentaries formed in 2019, NorthSouth collaborates with filmmakers on activist-oriented projects, broadening their scope beyond traditional TV into feature-length works.^[13] This diverse genre mix underscores NorthSouth's versatility in factual entertainment, prioritizing relatable human stories over scripted narratives.^[1]

List of programs produced

NorthSouth Productions has produced numerous television programs across genres such as reality comedy, lifestyle, and documentaries, primarily for networks including truTV, HGTV, TLC, and Food Network. The company's portfolio emphasizes unscripted content that captures personal stories, challenges, and transformations. Below is a selection of notable programs produced by the company.

• Impractical Jokers (truTV/TBS, 2011–present): A hidden-camera reality comedy series featuring the Tenderloins comedy troupe challenging each other with embarrassing pranks. New episodes on TBS as of January 2025.^[24]
• Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta (TLC, 2010–present): A reality series following brides in their quest for the perfect wedding gown at Lovelight's Bridal in Atlanta.
• 100 Day Dream Home (HGTV, 2021–present): A home renovation series where hosts Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt build custom dream homes for clients within 100 days. Season 4 as of 2025.^[6]
• Lil Jon Wants to Do What? (HGTV, 2021–present): Celebrity designer Lil Jon transforms ordinary homes into extravagant party spaces. Season 2 as of 2025.^[6]
• Neighbor vs. Neighbor (HGTV, 2021): A competitive renovation pilot where neighbors battle to upgrade their homes with the help of designers.^[25]
• Deadly Standoffs (Reelz, 2021–present): A documentary series exploring infamous standoffs like Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Rainbow Farm.^[26][27]

This list highlights key productions but is not exhaustive, as NorthSouth has contributed to over 900 titles according to industry databases.^[28]