Endemol acquires a majority stake in Kuperman, the Israeli TV production company

April 29, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

endemol-logoEndemol has acquired a majority stake in Kuperman, Israel’s leading independent TV production company. The business will be renamed Endemol Israel.

Through the newly launched operation Endemol plans to invest in creativity and format development across all genres in Israel for both the local and international markets.

Endemol Israel will also produce Endemol’s international formats for the Israeli market.

Elad Kuperman, co-owner of Kuperman and one of Israel’s leading TV producers with more than 20 years’ experience of creating, kupermanproducing and commissioning entertainment shows, will lead Endemol Israel as CEO.

Media investor and entrepreneur Ynon Kreiz, has sold his 50% stake in Kuperman, which he acquired in 2009. He will exit the company as part of the deal.

Just Spee, CEO of Endemol Group comments: “With the launch of Endemol Israel we establish a presence in one of the world’s most creative markets. The high volume of innovative formats coming out of the region continues to grow and our ability to deliver this content to our clients around the world makes this an exciting opportunity.  Kuperman is already Israel’s number one TV producer and our partnership underlines Endemol’s commitment to investing in the very best creativity and talent around the world.”

Established in 2005, Kuperman is a multi-award winning company with a track record of delivering hit programming across a range of genres including reality, entertainment, drama, comedy, game shows and kids programming.

Among the company’s international successes are Israel’s most popular sitcom Traffic Light, which sold to Fox in the US and CTC in Russia and entertainment show Honey Please, which was picked up by GSN in the USA.  Reality series The Successor has been sold to ProSieben in Germany, SBS6 in The Netherlands and TV2 in Hungary as well as generating the US version Phenomenon, which aired on NBC and sold to CTV in Canada and Nine Network in Australia.

Kuperman also produces Endemol’s reality blockbuster Big Brother for Keshet, which first launched in 2008 and went on to become Israel’s most successful TV show.  Most recently series 4 averaged a rating of 41.5%, outperforming the slot average by 70%; and season 5 is due to launch soon.

The Netherlands, Amsterdam & Israel, Tel Aviv

Related articles:

 

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Europe, ~Middle East & Africa. Leave a Comment »

ITV acquires The Garden

April 22, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

itvITV plc is to acquire 100% of the multi-award winning independent producer, The Garden, the company behind 24 Hours in A&E and Inside Claridge’s.

ITV will pay an upfront cash consideration of £18m with a further capped cash payment contingent on The Garden’s future performance.  The additional consideration is only payable on the delivery of significant profit growth over the next five years.  In 2012 The Garden made an operating profit of £2.5m. 

The Garden’s Chief Executives, Nick Curwin and Magnus Temple, said: “The values and ethos of The Garden will remain unchanged, as will our appetite for innovation, our insistence on delivering to the highest standards and our focus on the key relationships we’ve built up over the years. Being part of ITV will help us grow further in the UK and, in particular, to achieve our international ambitions. We will be working more closely with ITVS whilst continuing to concentrate as hard as ever on our important relationships with Channel 4 and the BBC. We are both totally committed to this new venture and we look forward to many successful and exciting years ahead with our new partners.”

UK, London

Related articles

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

Scripps Networks Interactive Acquires Asian Food Channel

April 18, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

afcScripps Networks Interactive Inc. has acquired Asian Food Channel (AFC), a food-focused pay television network. The Asian Food Channel, which is based in Singapore, reaches about 8 million subscribers in 11 markets.

“Asia and the rapid growth in pay television households throughout the region hold great promise for Scripps Networks Interactive and its international ambitions,” said Kenneth W. Lowe, the company’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Acquiring the Asian Food Channel significantly expands our presence in key growth markets and provides us with a solid foundation on which to build a growing lifestyle media business in the region. The channel aligns perfectly with our lifestyle programming focus.”

The Asian Food Channel broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and leverages a substantial library of acquired Asian and international video content as well as a growing number of originally-produced programs. The network generates revenues through regional and local advertising sales as well as fees from pay television operators.

Derek Chang, who was appointed recently as managing director of the Asia Pacific region for Scripps Networks Interactive, will oversee the management and integration of the Asian Food Channel. He also will oversee operations of Scripps Networks Interactive’s existing networks in the region.

USA, Knoxville, TN & Singapore

Related articles

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, Internet Media, Publishers, ~Asia, ~North America. Tags: . Leave a Comment »

Argonon buys factual indie Transparent TV

April 18, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

argononArgonon group has acquired UK indie Transparent Television which specialises in popular factual documentaries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Transparent has made factual documentaries (My Daughter Amy, Channel 4;Extraordinary People: The Baby with a New Face, Channel 5), formats (Restoration Roadshow, BBC Two) and features (Leslie Ash: Face to Face, ITV1). In 2013, two of its series ran on Channel 5, Great Northern Cookbook and Botched Up Bodies.

The deal sees Argonon wholly acquire Transparent Television for an undisclosed sum and founders Jazz Gowans and Richard Hughes transparent TV(pictured) become shareholders in the group.

“Their track record of delivering high quality, innovative and talked about TV shows based on popular themes makes them the perfect fit for Argonon,” says Argonon CEO James Burstall, who describes Transparent’s production team as “very clever….they can go to dark places, but still retain their integrity.”

UK, London

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

CBS acquires 50% of TV Guide

March 26, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

CBS Corp. is acquiring 50% of of TV Guide, the company that encompasses TVGN (formerly TV Guide Network) and TVGuide.com.

CBS is taking over the TV Guide stake held by One Equity Partners, the private-equity arm of J.P. Morgan Chase, which owned 49% of the company, with an option to buy another 1%. CBS is said to be paying about $100 million, less than the $122 million OEP spent in June 2009. CBS joins TVGN co-owner Lionsgate Entertainment.

“This is a strategic way for CBS to use its content brands and gain access to a highly distributed basic cable network that has a lot of upside,” said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. “Lionsgate, led by my friend Jon Feltheimer, is a forward-thinking content company and a great partner for us here. We’re excited to bring CBS’s programming and production assets to the venture, and work with Lionsgate to rebrand and grow a channel that will be increasingly valuable to our carriage partners.”

USA, Los Angeles, CA

Related articles:

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, Internet Media, Publishers, ~North America. Tags: , , , . Leave a Comment »

News Corporation sells stake in Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings

March 22, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

News Corporation’s wholly-owned subsidiary Star Entertainment Holdings Limited is to sell an approximately 5.28 percent stake in Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Limited for approximately $92 million. Following the sale, Star Entertainment Holdings Limited’s total ownership stake in Phoenix will be reduced to approximately 12.16 percent.

James Murdoch, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chairman and CEO, International, News Corporation, said, “Mr Liu Changle and Phoenix’s accomplishments in the media industry in China are remarkable. We believe the company’s strong position in all of the segments in which it operates, combined with the country’s robust consumer market, will continue to drive growth. Today’s sale is simply a part of our broader global agenda of simplifying our affiliate ownership structures.”

Hong Kong

Related articles:

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Asia. Tags: , , . Leave a Comment »

Strong financial results for Moneysupermarket.com

March 7, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

ms-logoMoneysupermarket.com has produced a strong set of financial results for the year ended 31 December 2012. Adjusted revenue for the year increased by 15% to £204.8m (2011: £178.5m), generating adjusted EBITDA which was 26% higher at £66.5m (2011: £52.5m). This included external revenues of £1.8m and EBITDA of £2.8m respectively, resulting from the acquisition of MoneySavingExpert.com which was acquired on 21 September 2012.

During 2012 the Group has continued to see good growth. Trading during the second half of the year improved relative to the comparable first half performance in the Insurance, Home Services and Travel verticals. Revenues in the Money vertical however were broadly flat in the second half of the year as savings revenues declined as a result of the introduction of the Bank of England’s ‘Funding for Lending’ scheme, which enables financial institutions to seek low cost funding centrally rather than through retail deposits from the consumer markets.

The Group acquired MoneySavingExpert.com on 21 September 2012 for a total consideration of up to £92.5m including deferred consideration of up to £27.0m. Trading since acquisition has been strong.

Financial highlights

  • Adjusted revenue increased by 15% to £204.8m (2011: £178.5m);
  • Adjusted EBITDA increased by 26% to £66.5m (2011: £52.5m);
  • Adjusted EBITDA margins increased by 3% to 32%;
  • Adjusted gross margin increased to 74.1% (2011: 71.9%);
  • 97% of EBITDA converted to cash;
  • Cash balance of £18.7m (2011: £35.0m) at the year-end reflecting the acquisition of MoneySavingExpert.com; the Group is debt free;
  • Dividend increased by 27% to 5.74p;
    • Final dividend increased 30% to 3.94p per share (2011: 3.03p);
  • £10.6m (2011: £nil) net credit in statutory profit following agreement of new VAT recovery method with HMRC;
    • Credits of £4.5m and £1.9m recognised for 2012 and 2011 respectively, in lower irrecoverable VAT charge.

Full details of year end results

UK, Wales, Ewloe

Related articles:

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, e-Commerce, Internet Media, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

Health Media Network acquires WAMG TV

March 7, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

hmnHealth Media Network, the digital point-of-care media company has acquired WAMG TV’s (Waiting Area Media Group) digital screens. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Launched in 2007, Health Media Network, provides education and health content in physician waiting rooms through 23 specialty health television networks. The content is customised by medical specialty providing physicians with programming tailored to their practice and relevant to their patient-base. HMN currently reaches around 30,000 physicians in medical offices, hospitals and healthcare systems in the USA.

“This investment represents an important opportunity for HMN by increasing our presence in Diabetes, Cardiology and Primary Care where WAMG had focused their growth ” says Christopher Culver, President and CEO of HMN. “We look forward to offering existing and new advertisers an increased opportunity to reach more consumers at a critical time — at the point-of-care.”

USA, Stamford, CN

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~North America. Tags: . Leave a Comment »

News Corporation to sell its stake in SKY New Zealand

March 7, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

newslimitedNews Corporation‘s News Limited subsidiary is going to divest its 44% stake in New Zealand’s largest subscription based broadcasting company SKY Network Television Limited.

News Limited has appointed Deutsche Bank to underwrite and, together with Craigs Investment Partners, tosky nz manage, the sales of its SKY shares. It is expected that the shares will be sold to a broad range of institutional and retail investors. Following the sales, News Limited will no longer have any holding in SKY Network Television Limited.

Chase Carey, President and Chief Operating Officer, News Corporation said: “SKY is a world class subscription television business and has been an outstanding investment for News Corporation. We and SKY have always enjoyed an excellent, arms-length working relationship and we expect this to continue unaffected by the sale. In particular, we do not anticipate any change to current arrangements regarding access to content and collaboration on technology.”

As a result of the sale, Michael Miller, Regional Director of News Limited, will resign from the board of SKY.

Australia, Sydney & New Zealand, Auckland

Related articles:

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Oceana. Tags: , , . Leave a Comment »

ITV plc final results for the year ending December 31, 2012.

March 1, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

ITV plc has announced its final results for the full year ending December 31, 2012.itv

Full results details

Highlights

  • External revenues up 3% to £2,196m (2011: £2,140m), with growth in all areas of the business
  • Total non-NAR revenues up £114m, 12%, to £1,036m (2011: £922m)
  • ITV Studios revenues up £100m, 16%, to £712m (2011: £612m)
  • ITV Family NAR flat, outperforming the TV advertising market
  • Online, Pay & Interactive revenues up 26% to £102m
  • Delivered £30m cost savings
  • EBITA before exceptional items up 13% to £520m (2011: £462m)
  • ITV Studios EBITA up 29% to £107m (2011: £83m)
  • Broadcast and Online EBITA up 9% to £413m (2011: £379m)
  • Adjusted PBT up 17% to £464m (2011: £398m)
  • Adjusted EPS up 16% to 9.2p (2011: 7.9p)
  • Positive net cash of £206m (2011: £45m)
  • Board has proposed a final dividend of 1.8p (2011: 1.2p) giving a full year dividend of 2.6p (2011: 1.6p), and a special dividend of 4.0p, worth £156m
  • Positive start to 2013 with Q1 advertising expected to be up 5% and continued strong demand for ITV Studios content.

Adam Crozier, ITV Chief Executive, said:

“We’re now almost three years into our Transformation Plan and our strong performance is delivering growth right across ITV, enabling us to build a stronger and more balanced business.

UK, London

Related articles

Posted in Broadcasting, Company Results, Content Media, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »