i.TV acquires GetGlue

November 6, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

i-tvi.TV, maker of mobile TV guide apps, has acquired GetGlue, the maker of the GetGlue app for TV, movies and sports. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

getglue“GetGlue has built an impressive product with a highly engaged audience,” said i.TV CEO, Brad Pelo. “With over 4.5 million registered users, GetGlue delivers over 1 billion social impressions every month to 100 million unique Facebook and Twitter users. With this kind of reach, it’s no wonder more than 75 TV networks partner with GetGlue to engage with their fans, and 30 media companies integrate with the GetGlue API. i.TV’s own platform of second screen services power experiences for brands like Nintendo, AOL, Huffington Post, TELUS and i.TV’s own leading TV guide application. Together, i.TV and GetGlue will reshape the social TV and second screen landscape.”

i.TV will continue to build and grow GetGlue as an independent product, while enabling GetGlue to benefit from i.TV’s platform of partners and services. GetGlue will maintain its New York City presence.

In January 2013, DigiNet reported that an $80 million acquisition of GetGlue by Viggle had been terminated.

USA, New York, NY & Provo, UT

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DMGT acquires DIIG EUROPE for £75M

October 28, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

dmg information, the business information division of DMGT, is to acquire DMGTDIIG EUROPE for £75 million, from Decision Insight Information Group, a portfolio company of the US private equity firm TPG Capital.

DIIG(E) is a UK and Ireland property searches group, primarily delivering residential and commercial property search results to legal professionals, and is based in Kent, England with additional offices in Edinburgh, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland. DIIG(E)’S business comprises SearchFlow Limited (England & Wales), Millar & Bryce Limited (Scotland), Rochford Brady Legal Services Limited (Ireland), Decision Insight Hub Limited and Decision First Limited.

The acquired businesses had revenues of £69 million and operating profit of £6 million for the year to 31 December 2012.

Suresh Kavan, CEO of dmgi, said: “Acquiring this group of outstanding companies will greatly increase our strategic reach at a time of great opportunity in the property information industry. We are delighted to welcome them to our portfolio of companies.”

UK, London & USA, Austin, TX

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AMC Networks to acquire Chellomedia from Liberty Global for $1BN

October 28, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

amc networks AMC Networks, the owner and operator of a number of cable channels including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv and owner of hit shows such as Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, is to acquire substantially all of Chellomedia, the international content division of Liberty Global, for approximately $1 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014.

The acquisition provides AMC Networks with an extensive array of television channels that are distributed to more than 390 million households in 138 countries.

chellomedia“Chellomedia has developed a remarkable portfolio of popular channels that reach hundreds of millions around the world. As AMC Networks has expanded internationally, we have had a great desire to do something we consider fundamentally strategic, which is to take our content and put it on channels we own. This acquisition allows us to secure a large, global platform on which to distribute our increasingly successful original programming through a collection of strong, well-established and well-managed assets worldwide,” said Josh Sapan, President and CEO of AMC Networks. “Together, we can grow these assets and make them even more popular and valuable around the world.”

The agreement includes the acquisition of Chellomedia’s operating businesses including: Chello Central Europe, Chello Latin America, Chello Multicanal, Chello Zone, the ad sales unit Atmedia and the broadcast solutions unit Chello DMC.

USA, New York

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Shutterfly acquires BorrowLenses

October 24, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

shutterflyShutterfly has acquired BorrowLenses, the  online marketplace for photographic and video equipment rentals. BorrowLenses’s Founders, Max Shevyakov and Mark Gurevich, will join Shutterfly Inc. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“BorrowLenses addresses the growing consumer demand for high-quality products and services that are delivered on demand without high up-front costs,” said Jeffrey Housenbold, president and CEO of Shutterfly. “BorrowLenses is a perfect addition to the Shutterfly Inc. family of lifestyle brands, as they are the premium provider in the photo equipment rental category and are passionate about helping their customers capture moments by providing them with best in class photography and video equipment.”

USA, Redwood, CA & San Carlos, CA

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Mecom Group makes further Danish disposals

October 23, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

mecomMecom Group‘s Danish subsidiary, Berlingske Media A/S, has agreed the sale to North Media A/S Group of its media centre in Frederiksberg publishing six free weeklies and its 60 per cent shareholding in Lokalaviserne Østerbro og Amager (“LØA”) publishing two free weeklies.

The total enterprise value of the Sale is DKK65 million (€8.7 million). The consideration is payable in cash at completion and the Group expects the reduction in net debt resulting from the sale to be approximately €8.3 million. The Sale is expected to complete on 1st November 2013.

The principle activity of both LØA and the Frederiksberg media centre is the publishing of various free weekly newspaper titles in Copenhagen. The combined profit before tax of the disposed businesses in 2012, including the 40 per cent minority share of LØA’s consolidated pre-tax earnings, was DKK19 million (€2.6 million), before allocations of central overhead. Berlingske Media A/S will continue to provide printing services to both the Frederiksberg media centre and LØA following completion of the Sale.

The sale will be effected by way of a transfer of the trade and assets of the Frederiksberg media centre and a sale of the Group’s shares in LØA and will result in the deconsolidation of approximately €8.4 million of gross assets from the Group’s balance sheet. Flemming Hansen will retain his position as Chief Executive Officer of LØA following completion of the Sale.

The proceeds of the Sale will be used to pay down outstanding bank borrowings.

Norway, Oslo, UK, London & Denmark, Copenhagen

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Wilmot abandons plans to make an offer for Centaur

October 22, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

centaurOn 24th September Geoffrey Wilmot, the former chief executive of Centaur Media plc, said that he was in talks with financial backers about making a bid for the Centaur business. He had until 5.00pm on Tuesday 22nd October to clarify his intentions, by either announcing a firm intention to make an offer or that he does not intend to make an offer.

Since then, Wilmot has engaged with an extended number of finance providers and these discussions have progressed significantly.

However, a stock market statement issued today said, “It has become apparent that the Board of Centaur’s views on the value of the Company materially diverge from those of Mr Wilmot and his potential financing partners. Accordingly Mr. Wilmot confirms that he currently does not intend to make an offer for Centaur.”

Geoff Wilmot left Centaur in May this year.

UK London

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Euromoney Institutional Investor acquires Infrastructure Journal for £12.5M

October 15, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

Euromoney PLCEuromoney Institutional Investor plc, the international online information and events group, is expanding its project finance and infrastructure business with the acquisition of Infrastructure Journal.

Infrastructure Journal is an information source for the international infrastructure markets.  Its business model is centred on premium subscription content that tracks market activity and is delivered in real-time through its online platform which is accessible from desktops, tablets and smartphones.  Infrastructure Journal also runs a portfolio of events which includes conferences, forums and awards attended by senior investment professionals, industry practitioners and advisors.  The Infrastructure Journal Awards are held annually in London.

ij-logoEuromoney is acquiring 100% of the assets of Infrastructure Journal from Top Right Group (“TRG”) for a cash consideration of £12.5 million, funded from its existing committed borrowing facility.  The acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing for Euromoney in its financial year 2014.  Infrastructure Journal had revenues of £3.1 million for the year to December 2012.  The transaction will complete after the required TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) consultation period, expected to conclude by November 1, 2013.

“Infrastructure Journal is a business we have long admired and we are delighted that it is now part of our stable of global brands,” said Richard Ensor, chairman of Euromoney.  “With an estimated 57 trillion dollars of investment into infrastructure projects required around the world by 2030, we believe this part of the business-to-business information sector offers attractive growth fundamentals.  Euromoney aims to create a comprehensive market-leading infrastructure information provider by combining, under the Infrastructure Journal brand, the deals database and news coverage of Infrastructure Journal and the deals analysis, awards and conferences of Project Finance.”

Duncan Painter, CEO of Top Right Group, said: “Infrastructure Journal is well respected in its sector and delivers valuable insight and expertise to its customers.  The skill of the team, investment in content and the launch of new topical forums each year have kept the brand ahead and we are delighted that the Infrastructure Journal name will continue in the marketplace. We believe Euromoney Institutional Investor will be a good long term home for the brand and we wish the business every success in the future.”

UK, London

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ITE Group acquires Platform Exhibitions in Turkey

October 15, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

ITEE Uluslararası Fuar Tanıtım Hizmetleri A.Ş(EUF) in Turkey, a wholly owned subsidiary of exhibitions business ITE Group plc,  has acquired Platform Exhibitions Inc from Mahmut and Ayse Er.

Platform owns the Beauty Eurasia exhibition which serves the beauty, personal care and cosmetics industries in Turkey and the surrounding region. Beauty Eurasia is held in Istanbul in June each year. The 2013 exhibition was the 9th edition of the event which sold more than 8,000m2 net and was attended by over 21,000 professional visitors.

beautyEurasiaITE has an established portfolio of existing Beauty events in Ukraine and Russia and earlier this year acquired an interest in the CosmoBeaute series of events in South East Asia.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The consideration will be financed out of the Group’s existing balance sheet and the acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing in the first full year of ownership.

Commenting on the acquisition, ITE’s Chief Executive Officer, Russell Taylor, said, “Beauty Eurasia is the leading beauty and personal care exhibition in Turkey. The addition of this exhibition to ITE’s Turkish business is consistent with our strategy of building market leading positions in core markets and sectors. The beauty and personal care industry is a growth sector in developing markets and with this acquisition, ITE will leverage its international exhibition expertise to develop further its position and benefit from a wider portfolio within this sector.”

Turkey, Istanbul & UK, London

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Amazon.com to acquire TenMarks

October 14, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

amazon1Amazon.com is to acquire TenMarks, a company that offers personalised online math instruction and practice in a clear, manageable format for K-12 students. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.

tenmarks“Amazon and TenMarks share the same passion for student learning. TenMarks’s award-winning math programs have been used by tens of thousands of schools and Amazon engages with millions of students around the world through our Kindle ecosystem,” said Dave Limp, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. “Together, Amazon and TenMarks intend to develop rich educational content and applications, across multiple platforms, that we think teachers, parents and students will love.”

USA, Seattle, WA

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Evidence.com acquires Familiar

October 14, 2013 — Fusion DigiNet

TASER International is to acquire Familiar, Inc. The Familiar team will be joining EVIDENCE.com, a business unit of TASER. The Familiar team will conduct research and development initiatives for mobility technologies in law enforcement, focused specifically on new revenue opportunities that align with the EVIDENCE.com platform strategy.

Marcus Womack, Familiar’s CEO, will join the EVIDENCE.com team as General Manager of Next Generation Products.  The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Familiar, founded by Marcus Womack, Mike Bohlander, Ray Fortna and Josh Hepfer and backed by Greylock Partners, Index Ventures and Redpoint Ventures will be joining the EVIDENCE.com team to build secure and private next generation mobile technologies and cloud infrastructure for law enforcement and first responders.

“We are thrilled the Familiar team will be joining EVIDENCE.com,” said Jason Droege, President of EVIDENCE.com. “With the technology trend of mobility and video becoming essential to public safety agencies’ evidence workflow, the Familiar team’s experience moving video across mobile platforms will accelerate the execution of our mobile and cloud product strategy.”
“Making it easier for law enforcement to share and communicate information is at the core of the EVIDENCE.com service,” said Marcus Womack. “This fits naturally with Familiar’s experience building a secure and private network for sharing digital content among families. We are excited to join EVIDENCE.com because of their noble mission and the opportunity to build technologies that make communities safer.”

EVIDENCE.com will not continue to operate the Familiar service, but will deploy core technology components from their product into the future products they develop for the EVIDENCE.com platform. The Familiar team will be deployed to develop next generation products focusing on new revenue opportunities.

USA, Scottsdale, AZ

 

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