Nbcuniversal Acquires Dreamworks Animation for $3.8 Billion

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Nbcuniversal Acquires Dreamworks Animation for $3.8 Billion NBCUniversal Acquires DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 Billion 04.28.2016 Comcast-owned NBCUniversal is acquiring DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion, the company confirmed Thursday. Many publications reported the deal, expected to close by the end of the year assuming regulatory approval, was in the works on Wednesday. The deal is intended to help NBCUniversal compete more directly with the likes of Disney-ABC, which is dominating the family entertainment space. Disney owns Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm and those entities' respective franchises. Under terms of the acquisition, DreamWorks Animation will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes which includes Universal Pictures, Fandango, and NBCUniversal Brand Development, and is run by Jeff Shell. Comcast has had a lot of success with its own animation studio, Illumination, headed by Chris Meledandri, which has produced such animated movies as Despicable Me, and its spin-off Minions. "DreamWorks Animation is a great addition to NBCUniversal," said Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal, in a statement. "Jeffrey Katzenberg and the DreamWorks organization have created a dynamic film brand and a deep library of intellectual property. DreamWorks will help us grow our film, television, theme parks and consumer products businesses for years to come. According to NBCUniversal, the acquisition gives it greater ability to reach a host of new audiences in the highly competitive kids and family entertainment space, in both TV and film. DreamWorks Animation's library includes such popular film franchises as Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, which already has been converted into a TV series. DreamWorks also owns a "thriving TV operation that is a significant supplier of family programing, with hundreds of hours of original, animated content distributed across linear and SVOD platforms in more than 130 countries," according to NBCU's statement. And DreamWorks Classics is a large library of classic animated characters, such as Where's Waldo, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Casper the Friendly Ghost and Lassie. Once the transaction is complete, DreamWorks CEO Jeffery Katzenberg will become chairman of DreamWorks New Media, which will be composed of the company's ownership interests in digital producer Awesomeness TV and tech company Nova. Katzenberg, 65, also will be a consultant to NBCUniversal. "Having spent the past two decades working together with our team to build DreamWorks Animation into one of the world's most beloved brands, I am proud to say that NBCUniversal is the perfect home for our company; a home that will embrace the legacy of our storytelling and grow our businesses to their fullest potential," said Katzenberg in a statement. READ MORE: The Wall Street Journal, Adweek.
Recommended publications
  • GLAAD Media Institute Began to Track LGBTQ Characters Who Have a Disability
    Studio Responsibility IndexDeadline 2021 STUDIO RESPONSIBILITY INDEX 2021 From the desk of the President & CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis In 2013, GLAAD created the Studio Responsibility Index theatrical release windows and studios are testing different (SRI) to track lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and release models and patterns. queer (LGBTQ) inclusion in major studio films and to drive We know for sure the immense power of the theatrical acceptance and meaningful LGBTQ inclusion. To date, experience. Data proves that audiences crave the return we’ve seen and felt the great impact our TV research has to theaters for that communal experience after more than had and its continued impact, driving creators and industry a year of isolation. Nielsen reports that 63 percent of executives to do more and better. After several years of Americans say they are “very or somewhat” eager to go issuing this study, progress presented itself with the release to a movie theater as soon as possible within three months of outstanding movies like Love, Simon, Blockers, and of COVID restrictions being lifted. May polling from movie Rocketman hitting big screens in recent years, and we remain ticket company Fandango found that 96% of 4,000 users hopeful with the announcements of upcoming queer-inclusive surveyed plan to see “multiple movies” in theaters this movies originally set for theatrical distribution in 2020 and summer with 87% listing “going to the movies” as the top beyond. But no one could have predicted the impact of the slot in their summer plans. And, an April poll from Morning COVID-19 global pandemic, and the ways it would uniquely Consult/The Hollywood Reporter found that over 50 percent disrupt and halt the theatrical distribution business these past of respondents would likely purchase a film ticket within a sixteen months.
    [Show full text]
  • Pr-Dvd-Holdings-As-Of-September-18
    CALL # LOCATION TITLE AUTHOR BINGE BOX COMEDIES prmnd Comedies binge box (includes Airplane! --Ferris Bueller's Day Off --The First Wives Club --Happy Gilmore)[videorecording] / Princeton Public Library. BINGE BOX CONCERTS AND MUSICIANSprmnd Concerts and musicians binge box (Includes Brad Paisley: Life Amplified Live Tour, Live from WV --Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters --John Sebastian Presents Folk Rewind: My Music --Roy Orbison and Friends: Black and White Night)[videorecording] / Princeton Public Library. BINGE BOX MUSICALS prmnd Musicals binge box (includes Mamma Mia! --Moulin Rouge --Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella [DVD] --West Side Story) [videorecording] / Princeton Public Library. BINGE BOX ROMANTIC COMEDIESprmnd Romantic comedies binge box (includes Hitch --P.S. I Love You --The Wedding Date --While You Were Sleeping)[videorecording] / Princeton Public Library. DVD 001.942 ALI DISC 1-3 prmdv Aliens, abductions & extraordinary sightings [videorecording]. DVD 001.942 BES prmdv Best of ancient aliens [videorecording] / A&E Television Networks History executive producer, Kevin Burns. DVD 004.09 CRE prmdv The creation of the computer [videorecording] / executive producer, Bob Jaffe written and produced by Donald Sellers created by Bruce Nash History channel executive producers, Charlie Maday, Gerald W. Abrams Jaffe Productions Hearst Entertainment Television in association with the History Channel. DVD 133.3 UNE DISC 1-2 prmdv The unexplained [videorecording] / produced by Towers Productions, Inc. for A&E Network executive producer, Michael Cascio. DVD 158.2 WEL prmdv We'll meet again [videorecording] / producers, Simon Harries [and three others] director, Ashok Prasad [and five others]. DVD 158.2 WEL prmdv We'll meet again. Season 2 [videorecording] / director, Luc Tremoulet producer, Page Shepherd.
    [Show full text]
  • Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment's
    Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Crackle Plus Contracts with Amagi to Power Upcoming Linear Channels on Growing List of Streaming Platforms November 9, 2020 Crackle Plus Will Utilize Amagi’s Cloud Playout SaaS Platform to Help Create and Distribute Linear Versions of Crackle, Popcornflix and Other Channels on Growing List of FAST Platforms COS COB, Conn., Nov. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (“AVOD”) networks, announced today the collaboration between Crackle Plus and Amagi to power the linear channel experience for Crackle, Popcornflix and other channels on a growing list of FAST (“Free Ad-Supported TV”) platforms. At launch, Crackle and Popcornflix linear channels will be available on platforms like Plex and VIZIO Watch Free, with additional platforms and channels expected to be announced soon. Viewers of these linear channels will have access to a curated selection of Crackle and Popcornflix’s extensive library of studio film titles and classic TV series as well as a growing list of original and exclusive programming that uplifts, entertains, and inspires audiences such as Lennox Lewis: The Untold Story, Robert the Bruce, Spides, Corporate Animals, Blue Iguana, Anything is Possible: The Serge Ibaka Story, Road to Race Day, On Point, Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters, The Clearing , Yelawolf: A Slumerican Life, and Going From Broke, recently picked up for a second season. Amagi, a global SaaS leader in broadcast and streaming TV enables live linear channel creation, distribution and monetization for leading TV networks and content brands.
    [Show full text]
  • Streaming Yujin Luo Final
    The Streaming War During the Covid-19 Pandemic Yujin Luo The Streaming War During the Covid-19 Pandemic 2 home, which is the ideal condition for The Covid-19 pandemic has drastically binge-watching. disrupted all business sectors. The arts, culture, and entertainment industries have To understand how the pandemic is shaping been hit exceptionally hard since the virus’ the streaming industry, it is important to first outbreak in January. In response to the understand its pre-Covid and current status. crisis, businesses have taken immediate The following analysis will divide the actions: transitioning to remote work, timeline into before 2020 and in 2020 based canceling and postponing live events on Covid-19’s first outbreak in January nationwide, shutting down entertainment 2020. venues, etc., resulting in lost revenues from sales, merchandising, advertising, and The Streaming Industry’s Pre-Covid promotions. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 State of the Major Players in the pandemic’s impacts are far more Streaming War permanent for an audience-oriented industry that requires a high level of Early adopters and fast followers used to be engagement. The business model might be the main audiences of streaming services, fundamentally changed and there will or in other words, streaming used to be a certainly be a shift in how content is niche add-on to traditional TV. Now, it is produced and consumed. transitioning to a new stage as a mainstream element in the entertainment While lockdowns and social distancing industry. The major streaming services from measures to contain the pandemic have before Covid are shown in the table below, had a huge impact on the traditional movie except for HBO Max, Peacock, and Quibi industry, the video streaming model seems (RIP) that just launched in 2020.
    [Show full text]
  • Big Names Open Expo
    THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF LICENSING EXPO June 10, 2015 Day 2 Breaking News Cartoon Network Inks ‘Ben Big Names Open Expo 10’ Master Toy Partner Licensing Expo kicked off with multiple conversations with top digital talent such as Playmates Toys will serve as the master toy summits, celebrity appearances, theatrical Andrea Brooks, Amanda Steele, Tati Westbrook, partner for Cartoon Network’s brand-new reveals, educational seminars and much, much Samantha Woolfe, Hanah Hart, Missy Lynn and “Ben 10” series. more. Lia Marie Johnson, The series will premiere on CN channels in On Monday, alongside international territories in fall 2016 and in Licensing Expo executives from North America in 2017. Products will follow. hosted the YouTube, rst-ever Digital AwesomenessTV, Prominent Signs Hagar Summit, part of United Talent New brand management and development the Licensing Agency, The Honest consortium Prominent Brand + Talent has University Company, Style signed on to represent musician Sammy Hagar. educational series Haul, Re nery29 Prominent will look to extend Hagar’s (organized by the and more. Sammy’s Island brand into multiple lifestyle International Licensing Expo categories. Dow Famulak, Global Brands Group; Richard Barry, Toys ‘R’ Licensing Industry Us; Lisa Harper, Hot Topic; and Mike Fitzsimmons, 2015 of cially Merchandisers’ Delivery Agent launched Tuesday Not-to-Be Missed Events: Association). The Digital Summit was opened with a panel-style keynote that included top-level Q Nitro Circus Live performances–11 am, 1 with a keynote Q&A that featured YouTube’s executives Dow Famulak of Global Brands Group, pm and 4 pm, booth #A62 (in the Sports director of content partnerships, Malik Ducard.
    [Show full text]
  • EDITED TRANSCRIPT CMCSA.OQ - Q3 2020 Comcast Corp Earnings Call
    REFINITIV STREETEVENTS EDITED TRANSCRIPT CMCSA.OQ - Q3 2020 Comcast Corp Earnings Call EVENT DATE/TIME: OCTOBER 29, 2020 / 12:30PM GMT OVERVIEW: Co. reported 3Q20 consolidated revenue of $25.5b. REFINITIV STREETEVENTS | www.refinitiv.com | Contact Us ©2020 Refinitiv. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Refinitiv content, including by framing or similar means, is prohibited without the prior written consent of Refinitiv. 'Refinitiv' and the Refinitiv logo are registered trademarks of Refinitiv and its affiliated companies. OCTOBER 29, 2020 / 12:30PM, CMCSA.OQ - Q3 2020 Comcast Corp Earnings Call CORPORATE PARTICIPANTS Brian L. Roberts Comcast Corporation - Chairman & CEO David N. Watson Comcast Corporation - President & CEO, Comcast Cable Jeff Shell Comcast Corporation - CEO, NBCUniversal Jeremy Darroch Comcast Corporation - Group Chief Executive, Sky Marci Ryvicker Comcast Corporation - SVP of IR Michael J. Cavanagh Comcast Corporation - CFO CONFERENCE CALL PARTICIPANTS Benjamin Daniel Swinburne Morgan Stanley, Research Division - MD Craig Eder Moffett MoffettNathanson LLC - Founding Partner Douglas David Mitchelson Crédit Suisse AG, Research Division - MD Jessica Jean Reif Ehrlich BofA Merrill Lynch, Research Division - MD in Equity Research John Christopher Hodulik UBS Investment Bank, Research Division - MD, Sector Head of the United States Communications Group and Telco & Pay TV Analyst Philip A. Cusick JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division - MD and Senior Analyst PRESENTATION Operator Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Comcast's Third Quarter 2020 Earnings Conference Call. (Operator Instructions) Please note that this conference call is being recorded. I will now turn the call over to Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Ms. Marci Ryvicker. Please go ahead, Ms. Ryvicker. Marci Ryvicker - Comcast Corporation - SVP of IR Thank you, operator, and welcome, everyone.
    [Show full text]
  • 2019-MESA-Update-Of-Services.Pdf
    1 Our Mission • Connect our members with their most important customers • Promote thought leadership, industry initiatives and accomplishments of our members • Support service providers in advancing efficiencies in the creation, production and distribution of media and entertainment • Provide measurable sales & marketing value and ROI to its members. 2 Who We Are • MESA is dedicated to advancing the digital transformation of media & entertainment, with strategic focus on: • Content Protection & Cybersecurity • Information Technology • Data, AI, Workflow & Devices • Since 2008 the Media & Entertainment Services Alliance (MESA) has served senior studio/network executives along with their trusted service providers with information services, collaborative meetings, industry events and initiatives. 3 Our Communities & Initiatives MESA represents four, strategic communities through 12 annual face-to-face meetings, 40,000 daily newsletter and journal readers, and 15,000 social media market influencers. The cornerstone of MESA’s value proposition is the strength of increased industry collaboration through our communities and initiative based associations, coalitions and workgroups. MESA activities and services are available to qualified content owners/distributors and service provider members only. Content IT, Enterprise, Metadata, AI, Protection & Data, Analytics Workflow Cybersecurity & Software & Devices 4 Who We Serve MESA represents companies that provide technology solutions and services to media & entertainment leaders, including: • Content
    [Show full text]
  • Illumination Entertainment, Founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, Is One of the Entertainment Industry’S Leading Producers of All-Audience Event Films
    CASE STUDY Illumination Entertainment, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of all-audience event films. ILLUMINATION entertainment Illumination Entertainment Illumination Entertainment, CHALLENGE Sometimes, hardware settings on the system would be the founded by Chris Meledandri in With the enormous culprit, requiring a full machine 2007, is one of the entertainment success of the Despicable reboot for the reconfiguration industry’s leading producers Me franchise, Illumination to take place. of all-audience event films. In Entertainment outgrew July 2010, Illumination, which its editorial infrastructure The editors at Illumination has an exclusive financing and creating challenges in their Entertainment needed to set distribution partnership with studio workflow. Production up for dailies on their Avid Universal Pictures, released its increased, requiring additional systems prior to entering the first film, Despicable Me, starring edit bays and the ability for the review suite and then move editors to swap in and out of Steve Carell, which earned more into the review suite after the review suite for dailies. setup was complete. Each than $540 million worldwide system is comprised of an Avid and launched a beloved global In the past, an editor worked in system, with dual displays, a franchise. the review suite on a dedicated dual link playback monitor, a Avid system tied to a specific keyboard, a mouse, and audio edit bay. Editors working in output. other edit bays would come into the review suite, import When another editor occupied their settings and open their the review suite, the displaced projects on the Avid system editor would either have to tied to that review suite.
    [Show full text]
  • Awards & Nominations
    VICKI HIATT MUSIC SUPERVISOR / EDITOR AWARDS & NOMINATIONS GOLDEN REEL AWARD ALI NOMINATION (2001) Best Sound Editing -Music, Feature Film, Domestic and Foreign GOLDEN REEL AWARD THE ROAD TO EL DORADO NOMINATION (2000) Best Sound Editing-Music, Animation FEATURE FILM THE ARK & THE AARDVARK Keith Kjarvak, Kurt Rauer, prod. Unified Pictures John Stevenson, dir. Music Editor HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 Michelle Murdocca, prod. Sony Pictures Animation Gendy Tartakovsy, dir. Music Editor SURF’S UP 2: WAVEMANIA Toby Chu, Composer Sony Pictures Animation Michelle Wong, prod. Music Editor Henry Wu, dir. HALF MAGIC Alex Wurman, Composer Magic Bubble Productions Bill Sheinberg, prod. Music Consultant Heather Graham, dir. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3 John Powell, Composer DreamWorks Animation Bonnie Arnold, prod. Music Editor Dean DeBlois, dir. LIFE BRIEFLY Tom Howe, Composer Thousand Dream Prods. Erika Armin, James Brubaker, prods. Music Editor Dan Ireland, dir. EMOJI Michelle Raimo, prod. Sony Pictures Animation Anthony Leondis, dir. Music Editor BOSS BABY Denise Nolan Cascino, Ramsey Ann Naito, prods. DreamWorks Animation Tom McGrath, dir. Music Editor The Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency, Inc. (818) 260-8500 1 VICKI HIATT MUSIC SUPERVISOR / EDITOR INDISCRETION Toby Chu, Composer Granfallon Productions Alexandra Baranska, Thomas Beach, Laura Boersma, prods. Music Supervisor John Stewart Muller, dir. SO B. IT Nick Urata, Composer Branded Pictures J. Todd Harris, Orien Richman, prods. Music Supervisor Stephen Gyllenhaal, dir. CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS Teddy Shapiro, Composer DreamWorks Animation Mark Swift, prod. Music Editor David Soren, dir. TROLLS Christophe Beck, Composer DreamWorks Animation Gina Shay, prod. Music Editor Mike Mitchell, dir. FLAWED DOGS Berkeley Breathed, exec. prod. DreamWorks Animation Noah Baumbauch, dir.
    [Show full text]
  • Spinco to Be Known As Greatland Connections Inc
    Filed by Charter Communications Inc. Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933 and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Subject Company: Charter Communications Inc. Commission File No. 001-33664 The following is a joint press release that was issued on September 3, 2014 by Charter Communications, Inc. and Comcast Corporation: SpinCo to be known as GreatLand Connections Inc. STAMFORD, Conn. and PHILADELPHIA - September 3, 2014 - Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) and Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK) today announced the name of the new cable company that will be spun off from Comcast upon completion of the Comcast - Time Warner Cable merger and the Comcast - Charter transactions. The company referred to as “SpinCo” or “Midwest Cable LLC” will be known as GreatLand Connections Inc. “We are pleased to publicly announce the name of this exciting new company we are building,” said Michael Willner, President and Chief Executive Officer of GreatLand Connections. “The name GreatLand Connections pays homage to the rich history and striking geographies of the diverse communities in which the company will operate. It brings to mind our commitment to connecting people and businesses with terrific products and excellent service in the almost 1000 historic communities - large and small - across the 11 states we will serve.” GreatLand Connections Inc., a new, independent, publicly-traded company, will own and operate former Comcast systems serving approximately 2.5 million customers across the Midwest and Southeast. At its inception, it is expected to be the fifth largest cable company in the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • NATO Feb 05 NL.Indd
    February 2005 NANATOTO of California/NevadaCalifornia/Nevada Information for the California and Nevada Motion Picture Theatre Industry THE CALIFORNIA POPCORN TAX CALENDAR By Duane Sharpe, Hutchinson and Bloodgood LLP of EVENTS & The California State Board of Equalization (the Board) recently issued an Opinion on a refund HOLIDAYS of sales tax to a local theatre chain (hereafter, the Theatre). The detail of the refund wasn’t discussed in the opinion, but the Board did focus on two specifi c issues that affected the refund. February 6 California tax law requires the assessment of sales tax on the sale of all food products when sold Super Bowl Sunday for consumption within a place that charges admission. The Board noted that in all but one loca- tion, the Theatre had changed their operations regarding admissions to its theatre buildings. Instead February 12 of requiring customers to fi rst purchase tickets to enter into the theatre building lobby in which all Lincoln’s Birthday food and drinks were sold, the Theatre opened each lobby to the general public without requiring tickets. The Theatre only required tickets for the customers to enter further into the inside movie February 14 viewing areas of the theatres. This admission policy allowed the Theatre not to charge sales tax on Valentine’s Day “popcorn sales.” California tax law requires the assessment of sales tax on the sale of “hot prepared food products.” The issue before the Board was whether the popcorn sold by the Theatre was a hot February 21 prepared food product. President’s Day From the Opinion: “Claimant’s process for making popcorn starts with a popper.
    [Show full text]
  • How Are the Major Streaming Services Reshaping the Film Industry
    How Are the Major Streaming Services Reshaping the Film Industry Master Thesis MSc Strategy, Organization and Leadership Submission: May 9th, 2018 Normal pages: 106 (237.228 characters incl. spaces) Supervisor: Mehran Moghaddas (DVIP, INT) Students: Viktoria Vas & Gerda Binkyte Copenhagen Business School 2018 Abstract The paper examines the effects major streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO have on the Danish film industry, and seeks to identify how individual producers and independent production companies in the country can exploit the rising opportunities. The research used a mix of deductive and inductive reasoning in the analysis, for which twelve semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with industry professionals from Denmark over the course of five weeks. This led to insightful findings that can be used for further researches for both academics and professionals. The analysis built on theories discussed in the literature review; Porter’s five forces (Porter, 1979), supply chain, emerging strategy (Mintzberg, 1987), marketing mix, four trajectories of change (McGahan, 2004). The findings include changes in certain links in the supply chain of film production, such as; affects on producers and film financing, changes in sales and distribution. While for producers SVOD services mainly bring additional financing opportunities, decreasing the power of DFI and the national broadcasters, sales agents and distribution is highly affected. Sales agents will need to adapt to the changing conditions, and transform themselves from traditional sales agents to agents who offer extra services for their clients. Distribution is affected in a way that its release windows system is disrupted and shortening some of these windows might not be avoided in the future.
    [Show full text]