Renowned showrunner Shane Byrne and Emmy-winning producer Jamie D’Alton, two of Ireland ‘s leading television executives, have joined forces to launch Diffusion Media, a new production company aiming to attract international unscripted productions to Ireland and leverage potential Irish tax incentives for the unscripted sector.

D’Alton, who played a pivotal role in developing projects including Netflix doc feature “The Deepest Breath” and “Conor McGregor: Notorious” the highest-grossing Irish documentary of all time, sets up Diffusion after nearly 20 years as co-owner and joint managing director of Motive Television. D’Alton has executive produced and directed some of Ireland’s highest rated TV shows, including “DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland” and “Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week,” as well as IFTA-winning films “I Am Immigrant” and “Man on a Mission.”

Meanwhile, Byrne, who brings extensive industry experience from the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland and has produced formats including “Big Brother,” “The X Factor” and “Britain’s Got Talent,” is stepping down from his position as head of entertainment at Bigger Stage. In his previous role, Byrne oversaw a substantial collection of U.S. unscripted productions, filmed in Ireland for Fox Entertainment, including; “The Floor”, “Don’t Forget The Lyrics”, “Next Level Chef”, “Beat Shazam” and “Name That Tune”, where Byrne served as the showrunner for four consecutive seasons.

“The financial incentives proposed by the Irish Government could create incredible opportunities, as the potential for growth in unscripted content produced in Ireland is huge,” D’Alton stated. “Combined with our individual track records and existing partnerships with international broadcasters and streaming platforms, Diffusion Media is poised to become a leading player in the unscripted content market.”

Diffusion Media is set to produce a diverse range of content, including a lineup of entertainment formats, studio shows, and documentaries, alongside offering production services tailored to the international entertainment markets. Its first project is “To Hell & Back”, a new series for RTE that will feature A-list celebrities embarking on extreme outdoor adventures in some of the most challenging and unforgiving environments on the planet.

“In 2021, I was asked to be the showrunner on the inaugural unscripted U.S. network show to be made in Ireland (“Name That Tune” for Fox). This involved establishing and nurturing a local team of over 300 talented industry professionals. Three years later, with numerous successful productions under our belt, it's clear that unscripted production in Ireland has reached world-class standards,” said Byrne.

“Our aspiration for Diffusion Media is not only to develop compelling original content, but also to double down on the production service model that has seen TV show hosts such as Rob Lowe, Niecy Nash, Jamie Foxx, Jane Krakowski, Randy Jackson and Gordon Ramsay collaborate closely with domestic production teams on a variety of prime time U.S. shows. We are very excited to offer another option for international clients to consider.”