Nielsen acquires Sorensen Media

February 21, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

NielsenMeasurement and data analytics company Nielsen has acquired Sorenson Media, an addressable TV technology provider that will help transform TV from a one-to-many to a one-to-one medium by powering addressable ad delivery and measurement. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

With the deal, Nielsen announced the launch of a new technology, product and commercial initiative, Nielsen Advanced Video Advertising, that will focus on expanding and innovating addressable advertising for Smart TVs and beyond.

Over the last several years, Nielsen has made a number of strategic acquisitions that have strengthened its technology offerings and positioned it to thrive in the addressable TV future. It acquired Qterics, a Smart TV software and privacy management company. Integrated into the firmware layer of millions of Smart TVs, Gracenote’s ACR technology provides the ability for real-time, frame-level ad detection regardless of source or platform. And the most recent acquisition of Sorenson Media completes Nielsen’s go-to-market technology stack with an end-to-end ad delivery solution enabling addressable advertising for TV at scale.

David Kenny, CEO of Nielsen, said, “It’s clear that a significant portion of TV advertising will be addressable long into the future. With the continued evolution of our Total Audience measurement, underpinned by decades of trust, transparency and independence, it was evident that we needed to bring our unique set of technology assets and talent to tackle the greatest challenges the TV advertising industry is facing. And with the Sorenson Media acquisition, we can create improved value and efficiency across the entire media chain – from ad targeting and delivery to measurement and attribution – and make addressable TV more of a reality.”

UK, Oxford & USA, Salt Lake City, UT

Related articles:

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, Internet Media, Market Data & Information, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, ~Europe, ~North America. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Keywords Studios acquires GetSocial

February 21, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

keywordsKeywords Studios, a technical services provider to the video games industry, has acquired the assets and business of GetSocial B.V. a company based in The Hague, Netherlands. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

GetSocial is a cloud-based software platform that provides a comprehensive and robust suite of functions that enable games developers to manage all social interactions between their game, their players and their friends’ networks. Providing a toolkit for customer acquisition, customer retention and customer engagement, GetSocial clients include mobile game companies such as Ubisoft Mobile Games, Sega, Truly Social Games and Kolibri Games.

GetSocial works with Android, iOS and Unity apps, and supports interactions on most social media and messaging platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, Line, Kakao, Viber, Hangouts, and Kik. The GetSocial platform powers referrals and in-app communities for 100+ million users and has a proven track record of helping to retain existing players and acquire new players, thereby increasing the lifetime value of players for its clients.

GetSocial’s team of 12 engineers led by CEO, Jeroen Bouman, and COO and Founder, Viral Patel, are all joining Keywords. GetSocial is currently in a development phase, having invested ahead of building revenues, but it is expected to become profitable during 2020.

GetSocial further expands our range of cloud-based solutions which includes AS Analyser (automated GDPR compliance testing for Android and iOS apps), Yokozuna Data (cloud based predictive analytics and machine learning platform for predicting individual player behaviours and automated actions), XLOC (content management system for video game localisation), and Conform (3D geospatial visualisation software for procedural generation of cityscapes and terrains for games, simulation and urban planning).

Andrew Day, CEO of Keywords Studios commented:

“I am delighted to welcome the talented GetSocial team to the Keywords family. It extends our technology base further, bringing to Keywords a leading edge capability built around the social interactions of players in games, which we hope to promote more widely and develop further. As part of the Group, GetSocial will work alongside both our engineering and marketing services teams. It will be fully supported by our worldwide sales team in introducing these capabilities to Keywords’ game developer and publisher clients globally, for whom technology that supports social sharing is an important part of attracting and retaining gamers.”

Ireland, Dublin & Netherlands, The Hague

Related articles:

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

Future plc acquires Cycling News and Procycling

February 19, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Future plcFuture plc has acquired two specialist consumer brands from Immediate Media: Co – CyclingNews.com and Procycling Magazine. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Launched in 1995, Cycling News has a brand reach of over 3.3 million and is, says Future, the world’s biggest pro-cycling website. Procycling launched in 1999 and publishes 13 print issues annually.

Future says it is dedicated to building specialist brands and that Cyclingnews and Procycling perfectly complement its consumer hobbies portfolio. According to Future, the cycling market is set to grow from £2.6bn to over £3bn by 2020. Public interest in professional cycling in the UK has grown during the past decade, buoyed by the success of Team GB and Team Sky during this period. With each of the Grand Tours of 2018 being won by British riders, the emerging success of Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates has further driven interest and enthusiasm for cycling within the UK. This has also been reflected in a good underlying trend in the UK cycling retail market, which has seen strong growth over this period and is forecast to continue to grow towards £3.0bn by 2020.

Zillah Byng-Thorne, CEO of Future, said, “The acquisition of these brands will expand our presence in the sport and outdoor leisure vertical and is a clear demonstration of our strategy to leverage enduring content on our technology platform to further diversify our revenue streams. Cycling News and Procycling are respected brands with leading market positions that will complement our existing portfolio whilst extending our reach into new adjacent communities. These brands are leading worldwide voices on professional cycling, offering analysis, insight, gorgeous photography and exclusive interviews with the industry greats.

“We have a proven methodology and track record of integration and we are confident that this deal will drive further growth in operating profitability and cash generation. You may remember that these brands were originally published by Future before we sold them to Immediate in 2014. Buying them back is a special moment for us to honour a piece of our heritage and a fantastic opportunity to expand our portfolio into the world of cycling.”

UK, London

Related articles:

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

Pearson to sell its US K12 courseware business to Nexus Capital Management for $250M

February 18, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Pearson LogoEducation business Pearson has agreed to sell its US K12 courseware business to alternative asset investment management company Nexus Capital Management LP for $250 million, made up of an initial cash payment of $25 million plus an unconditional vendor note for $225 million expected to be repaid in three to seven years. Following the repayment of the vendor note, Pearson is entitled to 20% of all future cash flows to equity holders and 20% of net proceeds in the event the business is sold.

Pearson’s US K12 courseware business provides textbooks and instructional resources to help teachers and students at every stage of K12 learning in the United States.  It employs approximately 1,330 people. It had gross assets of £648 million and net assets of £75 million as at 31 December 2018 and generated around £364 million of revenue and approximately £20 million of adjusted and statutory operating profit in 2018. The transaction is expected to complete at the end of the first quarter of 2019.

John Fallon, Pearson’s chief executive, said:

“School publishing in America has been an important part of Pearson for many years, and what it does matters to teachers and students across the country. We’re pleased to have found new owners who are committed to its future, and we wish it every success.  The sale frees us up to focus on the digital first strategy that will drive our future growth. Through our assessment, virtual school, advanced placement and career and technical education programmes, we will still serve schools across America and we will now be better placed to focus on the areas in which we can best help their students to be successful in their studies and future careers.”

UK, London & USA, Los Angeles, CA

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Publishers, Training/Education. Tags: , , . Leave a Comment »

Bauer to acquire Wireless Local Stations

February 14, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Bauer Media GroupBauer Media Group is to acquire Wireless local stations across England and Wales. Wireless is made up of fifteen licences across Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Derbyshire, West Yorkshire, Staffordshire and South Wales. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Paul Keenan, CEO of Bauer Media and European Radio, commented, “We are delighted with our acquisition of Wireless local licences. This group of established, successful stations complements our existing portfolio and extends our reach and local advertising offer to new areas of the UK.”

Wireless local stations, with a weekly reach of 850,000 listeners, build on Bauer’s previous successful acquisitions of Celador Radio and Lincs FM Group.

He added, “The Wireless local stations acquisition further underlines our belief in the UK and in radio. Outstanding content and growing audiences have driven three years of consecutive records for UK radio ad revenue. As the medium grows ever-more digital and adapts to new listening devices the opportunity expands to offer new and interesting services for listeners and advertisers. It’s a very exciting time to be in the audio business.”

UK, London & Germany, Hamburg

Related articles:

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

Mercator Media acquires Marine & Coastal Engineering Expo

February 7, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Mercator MediaMercator Media Limited has acquired the Marine & Coastal Civil Engineering Expo (M&CCE Expo) from the Prysm Group. M&CCE Expo, an event showcasing the latest equipment and techniques in marine civil engineering and construction, is to co-locate with Seawork, which focuses on the same subject. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The M&CCE Expo 2019 will run from 11-13 June 2019 at Mayflower Park, Southampton UK.

Seawork

Mercator is a B2B media company with a 30-year history, serving the marine business with events, magazines and online. It publishes the pan-European commercial marine magazine Maritime Journal, and produces the Seawork exhibition, now in its 22nd year. Situated exclusively in its own dedicated exhibition arena, M&CCE will keep its own brand and identity and will run concurrently with the three days of Seawork.

Andrew Webster, chief executive of Mercator, said, ‘This is great news for visitors and exhibitors to both Seawork and M&CCE, with real synergies between the two. There is a big overlap in content and business for people involved in marine construction, from harbourmasters to consulting engineers to operations managers and anyone in vessel and marine equipment deployment.”

UK, Fareham & Southampton

Related articles:

Posted in Conference/Exhibitions/Events, Content Media, Publishers, ~Europe. Tags: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Anthem Publishing acquires Healthy Diet magazine

February 6, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

Anthem PublishingAnthem Publishing Ltd has acquired Healthy Diet magazine from Aceville Publications Ltd. The title joins Anthem’s portfolio of award-winning specialist food magazines, including Vegan Food & Living, Simply Vegan, Gluten-Free Heaven and Baking Heaven.

Healthy Diet aims to cut through confusion and fads that have flooded the health, nutrition and fitness industries to provide clear and sensible advice to anyone wanting to understand how to make healthy choices. Having spent the last eight years building brands dedicated to helping people enjoy and embrace their diet and lifestyle choices every day, Anthem is the perfect home for the continual development of Healthy Diet.

Managing Director Simon Lewis said, “We are excited to have the Healthy Diet brand as part of Anthem’s growing portfolio. It is a perfect fit not only with our existing food brands, but also with our recent acquisition of Women’s Running.”

The first issue of Healthy Diet under Anthem will be published on 14 March.

UK, Bath & London

Related articles:

Posted in Publishers, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

Informa sells Life Sciences Media Brands portfolio for over $100M

February 1, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

InformaExhibitions, events, business intelligence and publishing group Informa has sold its life sciences media brands portfolio to US-based healthcare education, market research and medical comms business, MJH Associates, for just over $100 million.

MJH Associates

The life sciences media brands portfolio was part of UBM which Informa bought for £3.9 billion last year. The transaction does not include the CBI events business, which had been combined with the branded life sciences business within the knowledge & networking division of Informa.

UK, London & USA, Cranbury Township, NJ

Related articles:

Posted in Conference/Exhibitions/Events, Content Media, Information Management, Market Data & Information, Publishers, ~Europe, ~North America. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

M&C Saatchi sells its stake in Walker Media to Publicis Groupe

February 1, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

M&C SaatchiM&C Saatchi has sold its remaining 24.9% stake in media agency Walker Media to Publicis Groupe for £25 million in cash.

In the financial year ended 31 December 2017 Walker Media contributed associate income of £1.6m with the investment in associates valued at £10.7m on the balance sheet.

David Kershaw, CEO, M&C Saatchi, said, “M&C Saatchi has started many businesses. Walker Media was one of the first and has been one of the greatest. Christine, Phil and Simon have done a magnificent job, latterly with Publicis Media and we owe them all a huge debt of gratitude. M&C Saatchi has evolved considerably over the past 20 years and we believe now is the right time to realise the value of our minority stake, to support our entrepreneurial strategy of starting new businesses and building the stars of tomorrow.”

UK, London

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Tags: , , , . Leave a Comment »

Vivendi acquires French publisher Editis

January 31, 2019 — Fusion DigiNet

VivendiVivendi has acquired 100% of the share capital of Editis, the second-largest French-language publishing group. The share purchase agreement with the vendor, Spanish group Planeta, was entered into on November 15, 2018, based on an enterprise value of €900 million. The French Competition Authority authorized the transaction unconditionally on January 2, 2019.

Vivendi and Editis share a recognised expertise in the development and management of rights to works of culture and the same passion for managing creativity and talent. This acquisition is a logical step in the building of a large content, media and communications group. It also marks the return of this French publishing powerhouse to a European group with a global reach.

Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Vivendi’s Chief Executive Officer, has taken on the additional role of Chairman of Editis. Pierre Conte has been confirmed as Chief Executive Officer of Editis.

Editis encompasses some fifty prestigious publishing houses (Nathan, Robert Laffont, Julliard, Plon, Belfond, Presses de la Cité, Pocket, Solar, …). With a large portfolio of internationally-acclaimed authors, 4,000 new books published each year and a catalogue of more than 45,000 titles, Editis is active in the fields of fiction, children’s books, non-fiction, graphic and illustrated books, educational & reference books. Editis employs 2,400 people.

France, Paris

Related articles:

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