GSN Games Acquires Idle Gaming 

March 30, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

GSNGamesGSN Games, a provider of social casino games and cash tournaments, has acquired social casino game developer Idle Gaming, whose titles include Fresh Deck Poker, Slots of Fun and Video Poker Tour. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

idlegames“The acquisition of Idle Gaming aligns perfectly with our strategy of leveraging first-rate teams and leading edge technology to create outstanding game experiences for our players,” said Steve Brunell, chief operating officer of GSN. “We are pleased to welcome the top-notch talent of Idle Gaming to GSN Games, and look forward to utilizing our shared talent and technologies to take mobile gaming to the next level.”

Last year, GSN Games acquired Bash Gaming, creator of the hit social bingo game Bingo Bash, which added more than 150 employees and two new offices to the organisation.

USA, San Francisco, CA

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WPP’s Xaxis acquires mobile advertising and e-commerce company ActionX

March 30, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

wppWPP‘s wholly-owned operating company Xaxis, a programmatic media and technology platform, is to acquire Action Exchange, Inc., a mobile performance-based marketing business with an e-commerce orientation in the United States.  The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ActionX’s proprietary mobile-first data, audience targeting and dynamic creative advertising technology allows its clients to engage customers on multiple screens on the path to the point of purchase. Clients include e-commerce and media subscription companies such as Forbes, JackThreads and Hearst. ActionX employs 25 people and is based in New York.

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

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Scripps Networks Interactive to acquire controlling Interest in Polish TV operator TVN

March 16, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

SNi_DIM_BlueScripps Networks Interactive, a developer of lifestyle content for television, internet and mobile platforms, is to acquire a 52.7 percent interest in Poland’s multi-platform media company, TVN from ITI and Canal+ Group

tvnScripps Networks Interactive will pay an all-cash consideration of €584 million and will also assume €840 million of debt. Following completion, Scripps Networks Interactive will launch a mandatory public tender offer to further increase its ownership interest in TVN, as required under Polish law.

TVN is one of the leading media companies in Poland, with a portfolio of free-to-air and pay TV lifestyle and entertainment channels, including TVN, TVN 7, TVN Style, TTV, TVN Turbo as well as Poland’s 24 hour news channel, TVN24, and business news channel TVN24 Biznes i Swiat. The channels have a 22 percent share of Polish viewing in 2014. TVN Media has a 33 percent share of the market in advertising revenue for TVN’s own portfolio of channels, as well as selling advertising for a number of other commercial broadcasters in Poland.

Kenneth W. Lowe, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Scripps Networks Interactive said, “Poland is a vibrant media market with significant growth potential. TVN has an incredible portfolio of channels and services, and has delivered consistently strong creative and financial performance under the leadership of Markus Tellenbach,” said Lowe. “The business will be a strong addition to Scripps Networks Interactive, and we’re looking forward to working with the whole TVN team to achieve our significant ambitions in the region together.”

USA, Knoxville, TN & Poland, Warsaw

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Forbes Media acquires private photo sharing app Camerama

March 16, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

Forbes_Logo_registeredForbes Media has acquired the private photo sharing app Camerama. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Camerama Salah Akram Zalatimo, founder of Cameraman in 2014, will join the company as VP of Mobile Products, reporting to Forbes Media Chief Product Officer Lewis D’Vorkin.

camerama“Salah brings with him a unique set of skills, experiences and assets. He’s been a founder of a business, he has the technical know-how and the data-driven mindset that will help Forbes expand its growth in mobile apps,” said Lewis D’Vorkin. “Our goal is to build passionate communities under the Forbes umbrella – the kind that marketers want to reach and that generate valuable and relevant content.”

USA, New York, NY

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Moody’s to acquire Equilibrium in Peru

March 12, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

moodysMoody’s Corporation is to acquire Equilibrium, a provider of credit rating and research services in Peru and other countries in Latin America.

Based in Peru, Equilibrium has operated since 1996. Following the acquisition, Equilibrium will continue to issue domestic ratings in Peru and Panama with an independent analytical and rating committee process. Renzo Barbieri will continue to lead Equilibrium’s operations following the acquisition.

equilibriumThe acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015. Equilibrium’s operations in El Salvador will not be acquired; the other terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Equilibrium is highly-regarded for the quality of its credit ratings and research and the broad scope of its analytical coverage,” said Raymond McDaniel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s. “This acquisition positions Equilibrium to serve the growing needs of issuers and investors across Latin America while deepening Moody’s presence in this dynamic and expanding market.”
Equilibrium and Moody’s Investors Service have had a technical services agreement since 2007, through which Moody’s has provided Equilibrium with technical support .

USA, New York, NY & Peru

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Verisk Analytics to acquire Wood Mackenzie

March 10, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

logo_verisk-t1Data analytics provider Verisk Analytics is acquiring Wood Mackenzie from private equity firm Hellman & Friedman and other Wood Mackenzie shareholders. Wood Mackenzie provides data analytics and commercial intelligence for the energy, chemicals, metals and mining verticals.

The purchase price is £1.850 billion (approximately $2.8 billion) to be paid in cash. Verisk intends to finance the transaction through a combination of about $2 billion in debt and up to $800 million in equity.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, Wood Mackenzie’s revenue and EBITDA were £2woodmac_logo27 million and £107 million, respectively, representing an EBITDA margin of 47.1%. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2015. Stephen Halliday, Wood Mackenzie’s CEO, will continue to lead the business, reporting to Verisk president and CEO, Scott Stephenson.

In July 2012 Fusion DigiNet reported that private equity group Hellman & Friedman had taken a 63% stake in Wood Mackenzie in a deal that valued Wood Mackenzie at £1.1 billion pounds (approximately $1.7 billion). Vendor Charterhouse retained a 13 percent interest. Wood Mackenzie’s management and staff held a 24 percent interest.

Based in Edinburgh, Wood Mackenzie’s customer base includes 800+ international and national energy and metals companies, financial institutions, and governments. Wood Mackenzie works with strategy and policy makers, business development executives, market analysts, corporate finance professionals, risk teams, and investors. The company has approximately 1,000 employees worldwide with offices in Edinburgh, Dubai, Houston, London, Singapore, and Sydney.

“Wood Mackenzie is a world-class company and an excellent addition to the Verisk family,” said Scott Stephenson, president and chief executive officer of Verisk Analytics. “The company has significant opportunities in the global energy, chemicals, metals and mining verticals, a track record of consistent revenue growth and profitability, distinctive and mission-critical solutions, and an impressive management team. Those are all features of a unique and wonderful business.”

USA, Jersey City, NJ and UK, Edinburgh

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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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PCH acquires Fab

March 3, 2015 — Fusion DigiNet

pchPCH, a privately held Irish company which designs custom manufacturing solutions for startup companies and with USA headquarters in San Francisco, has acquired the ecommerce website Fab.com for an undisclosed amount of cash and equity.

Tech Crunch had reported that that Fab was selling to PCH for around $15 million. Fab had raised $165 million at a $1 billion valuation just over a year ago!

In recent months, Fab has undergone significant restructuring to bring costs in line with sales, to stabilize operations, and to grow its core audience of urban professionals and design enthusiasts.

FabAs part of the deal, 35 Fab employees – including engineers, merchants, graphic designers and marketers – will remain with the company. Fab founder and former CEO Jason Goldberg has stepped down as CEO and will not be involved with the business going forward. Renee Wong, general manager since May 2014, will continue to run day-to-day operations.

Key hires in merchandising and marketing will be added to supplement the experienced core team, and additional measures will be undertaken to grow the business and attract established and emerging designers. PCH will also explore forming a design advisory board and recruiting a creative director in residence.

“We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Fab,” said PCH Founder and CEO Liam Casey. “We love the brand, the customer experience, and the focus on lifestyle products. We see an opportunity to reinvigorate the Fab audience – keeping the current focus, and adding a variety of more distinct and exclusive goods from designers. And because Fab has a flexible and dynamic technology platform, we have a good foundation to test new selling modes that will excite customers.”

Ireland, Cork & USA, San Francisco, CA

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