LinkedIn is to acquire lynda.com for around $1.5Bn

April 16, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

Screen Shot 2015-04-16 at 14.28.51LinkedIn is to acquire lynda.com, an online learning company teaching business, technology and creative skills. Based in Carpinteria, CA, lynda.com was co-founded in 1995 by Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin.

The transaction is valued at approximately $1.5 billion, approximately 52 percent cash and 48 percent stock and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2015. Most members of the lynda.com team are expected to join LinkedIn.

Through a subscription to lynda.com’s service, individual members and organisations have access to a comprehensive collection of courses taught by industry experts, offered in English, German, French, Spanish, and Japanese. In addition to individual subscribers, lynda.com serves corporate, government and educational organizations through its lyndaEnterprise, lyndaPro, lyndaCampus, lyndaLibrary and lyndaKiosk products.

“The mission of LinkedIn and the mission of lynda.com are highly aligned. Both companies seek to help professionals be better at what they do,” said Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn. “lynda.com’s extensive library of premium video content helps empower people to develop the skills needed to accelerate their careers. When integrated with the hundreds of millions of members and millions of jobs on LinkedIn, lynda.com can change the way in which people connect to opportunity.”

Further Reading:

Ryan Roslansky, head of global content products at LinkedIn, blogged in more detail about the acquisition here. Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, wrote a post about the acquisition here, and Lynda Weinman, co-founder of lynda.com,  posted about it here.

Mountain View, CA & Carpinteria, CA

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Postmedia acquires Sun Media English Language Newspapers and Digital Properties

April 13, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

PostmediaPostmedia Network Canada Corp. has completed is $361M (Canadian) acquisition of Sun Media Corporation’s English language newspapers and specialty publications, as well as digital properties, from Quebecor Media Inc.

quebecor“Today we welcome more than 2,500 new employees and more than 170 new brands, along with loyal audiences and business partners, to the Postmedia family,” said Paul Godfrey, President and CEO. “With the completion of this transaction Postmedia becomes one of Canada’s largest newsmedia companies with even more compelling, made-in-Canada offerings for marketers. For our readers and audiences, we will continue to deliver the content they value most from their favourite Postmedia and Sun Media brands – across all of our platforms.”

To finance the deal, Postmedia issued $140-million of debt subscription receipts and, earlier this month, completed a rights offering that raised $173.5-million. It will also use proceeds from the sale of the Montreal Gazette production facility and some corporate cash to finance the Sun Media purchase.

Quebecor has kept its French-language titles, including Le Journal de Montréal.

Canada, Toronto

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Evolve Media acquires Total Beauty Media Group

March 5, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

evolve mediaEvolve Media LLC has acquired Total Beauty Media Group, owner of TotalBeauty.com. The term of the deal were not disclosed.

This is the third acquisition for Evolve Media in the last five months, having recently acquired Dogtime Media and AfterEllen.com (formerly of Viacom).

total beautyFounded in 2007, TotalBeauty.com has 3.5 million monthly users (comScore, January 2015). It features daily editorial coverage of beauty news and trends, along with thousands of user-generated reviews, spanning more than 55,000 products that include well-known prestige, mass-market, salon, and spa items. The acquisition of Total Beauty Media Group also includes BeautyRiot.com, a website that offers celebrity hairstyle how-tos and tips from top hairstylists, fashion stylists, and makeup artists.

 

TotalBeauty.com will eventually be housed under the comScore property, TotallyHer – Beauty & Style Portfolio. In addition, Total Beauty personnel will join Evolve Media’s staff in the Los Angeles and New York offices.

“The acquisition of Total Beauty Media is another important milestone for Evolve Media and reaffirms our commitment to consolidate the most influential lifestyle publishing brands online. The Total Beauty team has done a fantastic job of building the most comprehensive and authoritative beauty site on the web,” said Aaron Broder, CEO and Co-Founder of Evolve Media.”

USA, Los Angeles, CA

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Multimedia Platforms acquires FunMaps

March 4, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

Multimedia Platforms Inc. has acquired Columbia FunMap, Inc., a 33-year-old LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) travel and leisure publishing company, delivering local and regional maps, information and advertising to more than forty key North American cities. Since the January signing of the letter of intent to acquire FunMaps, MMP has begun the process of integrating FunMaps’ content, sales program and staff contributions into the structure and operations of MMP’s programs. MMP is filing an updated 8K this week.

“FunMaps was our first acquisition target after going public because we believe it brings key components to the company,” stated Bobby Blair, CEO of MMP. “Through FunMaps we have inherited an expanded market for our content-rich Agenda newspaper, with its world-renown writers and globally-relevant content, plus the existing FunMaps print publication, with a readership of over five (5) million per year, thousands of vendors and advertisers in established markets throughout United States and Canada. FunMaps’ robust online directory/city guide, Gayosphere.com, features largely in our new social media network — launching in 2015,” added Blair.

FunMaps’ award-winning publisher, Alan H. Beck, will remain with the company for a period of at least three years, and will provide leadership and liason for MMP with his established market. As an integrated part of MMP, FunMaps’ established distribution territory, to popular destinations including Atlanta, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, BC, Victoria, BC, Halifax, NS, Quebec City, QC, Ottawa, ON, Edmonton, AL, Calgary, AL, and Washington, DC, become part of the Multimedia Platforms market footprint.

With the integration of FunMaps completed, Multimedia Platforms Inc. plans to acquire further LGBT media companies

USA, Fort Lauderdale, FL & Maplewood, NJ

 

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Haymarket Media acquires Group DCA

March 3, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

haymarket_groupHaymarket Media, Inc. has acquired Group DCA—an interactive digital communications agency specialising in multi-channel engagement of health care providers—from PDI Inc. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Group DCA staff will relocate from Parsippany, NJ to Haymarket’s Paramus, NJ office.

The assets acquired include Group DCA’s proprietary DIAGRAM (DIAlog, GRAphics and Motion) Platform and The Medical Bag, a general interest website for health care professionals (www.themedicalbag.com), along with the staff to support the business. The website will continue to run as an independent platform that also supports e-detailing programs.

Ron Scalici, the first Group DCA employee to join the organization in 1999 and most recently Chief Innovations Officer at PDI, will oversee Group DCA’s day-to-day operations. Group DCA will operate within Haymarket’s custom medical communications division, PRI Healthcare Solutions (PRI HCS). Group DCA will retain its name, and its operations and services will remain intact.

“Adding Group DCA to our already robust digital offerings will position us strategically for continued leadership in health care communication,” said Haymarket CEO Lee Maniscalco. “Group DCA’s products naturally complement our own digital products and services, and our cultures of high-energy creativity and innovation are highly compatible and mutually reinforcing. It is a perfect strategic and cultural fit, one that will help to accelerate our growth.”

USA, New York

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Bauer Media buys Beautyheaven Group

February 26, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

bauer mediaBauer Media has acquired the Beautyheaven Group which comprises of Beautydirectory, BeautyHeaven and the recently launched Homeheaven. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

David Goodchild, CEO of Bauer Media Australia and NZ, said: “The acquisition of this market leading online business supports our strategy to be the No. 1 digital destination for Australian women. With Bauer Media already No.1 in print we see many opportunities to leverage our existing assets, experience and resources to add considerable value and scale to these growing digital businesses. The beautydirectory, beautyheaven and homeheaven teams have created highly impressive products and I look forward to working with them to take the business even further.

beauty heavenThe Beautyheaven Group’s web, mobile and social media platforms host product information, industry news, reviews, expert tips and advice, shopping directories, advertising and sampling opportunities.

The Beautyheaven Group will continue to operate as is, with founder Jackie Maxted reporting directly to Goodchild.

The beautyheaven Group was founded by former Public Relations agency owner Jackie Maxted in 1999.

Australia, Sydney

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Ebiquity acquires Media Value 

February 26, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

ebiquityEbiquity plc has acquired Media Value SL in Spain.  MV has operated as Ebiquity’s franchise partner for media auditing in the Iberian market since approximately 2008 and has been operating under the Ebiquity name.

MV is being acquired for an initial cash consideration of €743,000. The maximum total consideration is up to €6m, payable in cash, depending on the performance of the MV business in the three financial years ending 30 April 2016. 

MV is being acquired from shareholders including its co-founder Mauricio Barange. Following completion of the Acquisition, Mr Barange will remain as Chief Executive of MV. 

MV comprises two divisions. The first is an independent media auditing and benchmarking business.  This business will be included in Ebiquity’s Media Value Measurement division. MV’s second business comprises an ROI/effectiveness practice, which will be included in Ebiquity’s Marketing Performance Optimization division. MV has offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon. 

MV’s unaudited revenue for the year ended 30 April 2014 was approximately €2.3m and it generated an operating profit before highlighted items of approximately €0.3m. MV had unaudited net assets of approximately €0.5m at 30 April 2014 and employs 32 people. 

Michael Greenlees, Chief Executive Officer of Ebiquity, said, “I am delighted that Mauricio Barange and his colleagues have now formally joined our growing business. MV has been operating under the Ebiquity name for some time and has played an important part in the European development of the Ebiquity group. The Iberian business has performed well and this acquisition marks another step in the development of Ebiquity’s leading position in marketing and media data analytics across Europe.“

UK, London & Spain, Madrid

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Internet Brands acquires Total Attorneys 

February 23, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

Internet BrandsInternet Brands has acquired Total Attorneys, a company founded in 2002 that generates online and phone leads, as well as appointment scheduling services, for small and medium sized law firm attorneys

Total Attorneys“As one of the oldest and largest legal marketing platforms, Total Attorneys helps thousands of attorneys attract and convert consumers into new clients,” said Chris Braun, General Manager of the Legal division at Internet Brands. “The company’s proven track record of helping attorneys grow their practices is an ideal fit within our Legal portfolio, which shares the same philosophy of innovation and superior customer service.”

The Total Attorneys brand will remain intact and the company will continue to operate from its Chicago headquarters.

USA, Los Angeles, CA & Chicago, IL

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NAHL Group acquires Fitzalan Partners

February 18, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

national accident helplineNAHL, the UK consumer marketing business focused on the Personal Injury market, operating under the National Accident Helpline brand, has acquired Fitzalan Partners. The Group is paying up to £4.3m for Fitzalan made up of an initial cash consideration of £3.0m and a further cash of up to £1.3m prior to 31 December 2015 dependent on certain conditions being met. Fitzalan reported Profit before Taxation of £0.7m for the year to 31 July 2014.  

Based in London, Fitzalan, which was founded in 2011, is an online marketing specialist that uses proprietary technology platforms to target home buyers and sellers in England and Wales and offers lead generation services to panel law firms and surveyors in the conveyancing sector, providing them with confirmed instructions rather than partially qualified leads. 

Russell Atkinson, CEO of NAHL, commented: “As we highlighted at the time of our IPO, strategic acquisitions are a key part of our growth strategy and we are delighted with the acquisition of Fitzalan.  The acquisition offers NAHL the opportunity to extend its reach into the conveyancing market and utilise its competitive advantage and skill set from the PI market to take advantage of the significant growth opportunities already identified.”

UK, Kettering & London

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Haynes Publishing Group acquires Teon Media for £0.45M

February 17, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

HaynesLogoHaynes Publishing Group P.L.C. has acquired Teon Media Limited for £0.45 million. The consideration is to be paid in staged payments over 24 months.

Through its founder Peter George, Teon, has developed a digital platform designed to engage with younger motorists. Since 2011, Teon has created a mobile centric platform and database covering Europe’s most popular cars. This platform will enable Haynes to accelerate development of its digital delivery plans by adding its own content to a well established delivery system to supply free and paid for content. Content will be delivered in the form of video and simplified text procedures designed to eventually afford multilingual and pan-European delivery using the translation skills of HaynesPro, and beyond that to the rest of the Group’s markets. The complementary nature of the Teon platform alongside the Group’s extensive model coverage, growing video archive, technical expertise and language translation capabilities will form a key element of the Group’s consumer digital initiative.

Commenting on the acquisition, Eric Oakley, CEO of the Group, said “The acquisition is an important move for the Group and whilst we remain firmly committed to our Haynes manual programme, Teon forms a major building block in our consumer digital strategy.  Building on the strength of our iconic Haynes Manuals, the complementary provision of timely information in an accessible, easy to use and trustworthy format will significantly strengthen our consumer offering. We are also delighted that as part of the deal we’ve signed a three year consultancy agreement with Peter, which will help to ensure continuity during the important post acquisition period and add strength to the Group’s digital initiative.”

UK, Yeovil, Somerset & Darlington, Co Durham

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