WPP


GroupM creates new premium content group

Advertising agency group GroupM is pushing further into premium TV production and financing by creating a new globally-focused content company. The WPP-owned GroupM has created Motion Content Group, which is being billed as an investment and rights management firm. Motion’s creation is part of a push “to meet the ever-growing market demand for new economic […]

Ex-Weinstein, NBCU execs join US digital prodco

Indigenous Media, the digital producer backed by ITV, has hired executive VPs from The Weinstein Company and NBCUniversal. Culver City-based Indigeous plans to expand its production and development slate next year, and as such has hired Dan Fast, who was director of scripted television at War & Peace prodco Weinstein, as executive VP, development. Maira […]

Chernin’s Otter buying MCN Fullscreen

Peter Chernin is adding leading multichannel operator Fullscreen to its growing media empire. Otter Media, which is a joint venture of The Chernin Group and US telco AT&T, have agreed to buy the company for an undisclosed amount. Otter was established to invest in, acquire and launch OTT services. Recode, which originally linked Otter to […]

ITV, WPP back new Avnet digital producer

UK broadcaster ITV and advertising giant WPP are the main investors in Indigenous Media, a digital production group from filmmakers Jon and Jake Avnet and Rodridgo Garcia. For ITV, the launch comes less than a week after it invested in New York-based digital prodco Believe Entertainment Group, while WPP has had a major effect on […]

Kantar Media partners with Twitter for UK TV analytics

Kantar Media, a market research firm owned by ad giant WPP, has partnered with Twitter to develop a new suite of tools for TV planning and analytics in the UK. Kantar said it would combine social TV data from Twitter with its own audience research expertise to let broadcasters assess the performance of programmes, plan […]

Machinima looking for funding to boost originals slate

Videogame-focused online video network Machinima is reportedly looking to raise a new round of funding after hiring financial advisors Allen & Co. According to an All Things D report, Machinima is aiming for a “mega-round” of financing that could reach the “US$70 million-plus” range, in order spend more money licensing original shows. It is also […]

Middle Eastern ‘Netflix’ preps summer launch

A new Middle East-based on demand service has scored deals with Hollywood studios, Arabic content houses and Bollywood film providers ahead of its launch in June, TBI has learned. Dubai-headquartered icflix will be a hybrid SVOD/TVOD service launching across platforms in the Middle East and North Africa, and will also target Arabic ex-pats around the […]