Wow Unlimited Media
Public | |
Traded as | TSX: WOW.A |
Industry |
Animation Media |
Founded | October 26, 2016 |
Headquarters | Toronto |
Key people |
Michael Hirsh (CEO and Chairman) Bob Ezrin (Vice Chairman) Fred Seibert (CCO and Director) Neil Chakravarti (COO and President) John Vandervelde (CFO) Michael Hefferon (President, Rainmaker Studios) |
Owner | Fred Seibert (controlling shareholder) |
Subsidiaries |
Rainmaker Studios Frederator Networks Ezrin Hirsh Entertainment |
Website |
www |
Wow Unlimited Media (stylized as WOW! Unlimited Media) is a Canadian animation and media holding company. It was formed as a result of a merger between Rainmaker Studios, Frederator Networks and Ezrin Hirsh Entertainment (EHE).
History
On October 26, 2016, a three-way merger was announced between Rainmaker and Frederator, with the addition of EHE.[1] On December 16 of that year, the merger was completed.
On June 7, 2017, the company announced its intent to acquire an unspecified category B specialty television service from Bell Media, later revealed by company president Randy Lennox to be Comedy Gold,[2] to form a television channel that will carry programs targeting children and young adults. The company also entered into agreements to provide content for Bell Media's over-the-top content services (including CraveTV). In exchange for the channel, Bell Canada will acquire 3.4 million common voting shares in the company.[3] Bell confirmed the deal in September 2017, further stating that it had agreed to provide operational services for the channel, and co-develop content.[4]
The sale of Comedy Gold to Wow Unlimited Media was approved on July 9, 2018,[5] and CraveTV launched "Wow! Preschool Playdate" and "Wow! World Kids" collections in September.[6]
Assets
- Rainmaker Studios
- Rainmaker British Columbia
- Rainmaker Los Angeles
- Mainframe Studios
- Frederator Networks, Inc.
- Frederator Studios
- Channel Frederator Network
- StashRiot
- Cartoon Hangover
- Frederator Flux
- The Leaderboard Network
- Cinematica
- MicDrop
- Átomo Network (Spanish-language YouTube channel joint venture with Ánima Estudios)[7]
- Frederator Books
- Thirty Labs
- Ezrin Hirsh Entertainment (EHE)
References
- ↑ "American, Canadian Animation Digital Studios Merge to Create Wow! Unlimited". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
- ↑ "The Cartt.ca Interview: Bell Media president Randy Lennox talks rich uncles, teeter-totters and Ty Cobb". Cartt.ca. Retrieved 2017-10-30.
- ↑ Reid, Regan (June 8, 2017). "Wow Unlimited to acquire channel from Bell Media". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ↑ "Bell confirms Wow channel deal". C21media. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
- ↑ "Comedy Gold – Acquisition of assets". CRTC. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
- ↑ "CraveTV adds two new collections filled with content for kids". MobileSyrup. 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
- ↑ Spangler, Todd (18 February 2016). "Frederator, Anima Estudios Launch Spanish-Language YouTube Animation Network (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 18 February 2016.