Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd.
Public
Traded as LSE: ETO
Industry Music
Film
Television
Distribution
Music Publishing
Founded 1973
Founder Darren Throop
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Key people
 Allan Leighton
(Non-Executive Director and Chairman)
Darren Throop
(Chief Executive Officer)
Revenue £785.8 million (2015)[1]
£60.2 million (2015)[1]
£41.3 million (2015)[1]
Owner Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (19.8%)
Capital Research & Management (10.8%)
M&G Investment Management (7.1%)
Standard Life Investments (5.8%)[2]
(remaining 56.5% publicly traded)
Divisions
Subsidiaries
Slogan A Leading International Entertainment and Content Distribution Business
Website entertainmentone.com

Entertainment One Ltd., also known as eOne, is an international media corporation operating in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.[4] It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

Entertainment One specialises in the acquisition, production, and distribution of film and television content. Its business divisions encompass film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

History

eOne began operations in 1973 in Ontario, Canada, as Records on Wheels (ROW) Limited, founded and operated by Vito Ierullo and Don Ierullo, focusing on retail sales of recorded music. In the late 1970s, ROW, Ltd. began to distribute recorded music for third-party retailers in Canada. For more than 20 years, entertainment content distribution became the company’s primary focus as the company expanded into video, purchasing one of Canada’s largest home entertainment distributors, Video One Canada, Ltd., from its then-parent, Standard Broadcasting Corporation Ltd. In November 2003, the company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange as ROW Entertainment Income Fund. It changed its name to Entertainment One Income Fund. The role of Chief Executive Officer of Entertainment One Income Fund was given to the current CEO of eOne by Vito Ierullo, the President of the company.[5]

In June 2005, Entertainment One Income Fund acquired Koch Entertainment,[6] North America’s largest independent music label and a large U.S. distributor of home-entertainment products. The combined company, renamed Entertainment One, had a comprehensive U.S.-Canadian distribution network and began acquiring rights for specialty content. In 2007, in a move to fund expansion into independent, feature-film distribution and rights ownership, eOne's investors accepted a public equity takeover by a unit of UK-based Marwyn Investment Management valued at $188 million and listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market.[7]

In 2007, the firm acquired Montreal-based film distributor Seville Pictures and UK distributor Contender Entertainment.[8] The same year, the company secured its first film output agreement with Summit Entertainment – a deal which included the future cinematic and home-video Twilight film series (a teen romance about vampires based on a best-selling book of the same name).[9] Acquisitions continued in 2008 with the purchase of the Benelux distributor RCV Entertainment. The same year, eOne created its television arm, purchasing production companies Blueprint and Barna-Alper and international television distributor Oasis International.[10]

On May 28, 2012, the firm placed a bid to purchase Alliance Films from Goldman Sachs Group and Investissement Quebec, similar to the purchase of Maple Pictures a year prior.[11][12]

On January 9, 2013, the firm completed the transaction of Alliance Films for $225 million. With this deal, eOne will distribute titles from Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Weinstein Company and Lionsgate Films as well as Summit Entertainment, and Focus Features in Canada.[13]

On May 28, 2014, eOne announced a strategic investment in interactive agency Secret Location. The deal allowed eOne to broaden its digital offerings, while Secret Location would continue to operate independently under the leadership of James Milward (President, Executive Producer and Founder), and partners Pietro Gagliano (Creative Director and SVP) and Ryan Andal (Technical Director and SVP).[14]

On June 2, 2014, the firm acquired Phase 4 Films.[15] As part of the deal, eOne has placed Phase 4 president and CEO Berry Meyerowitz at the helm of its U.S. film and distribution business. Sean Monson and David Richardson are also joining eOne from Phase 4. The deal also includes kaboom! Entertainment, Phase 4’s dedicated kids and family label.

On July 17, the company acquired Paperny Entertainment.[16][17] Based in Vancouver with operations in Toronto and New York, Paperny Entertainment has produced over 500 hours of television since its inception in 1994.

On August 28, 2014, the firm acquired Vancouver-based Force Four Entertainment, The deal expanded on an existing relationship between the two companies, Force Four partners Rob Bromley, John Richie and Gillian Lowrey all joined the firm as part of the deal. Bromley oversees the business side of Force Four’s slate, while Richie specializes in broadcaster liaisons and creative management and Lowrey is in charge of finance and business affairs.[18]

In January 2015, Entertainment One announced it was buying a majority stake in The Mark Gordon Company (MGC), paying $132.6 million for a 51% stake.[19]

On September 9, 2015, eOne launched Momentum Pictures as a global digital and multiplatform distribution label, and announced a multipicture deal with Orion Releasing. Momentum Pictures is led by President Berry Meyerowitz (who joined the firm with its 2014 acquisition of Phase 4 Films).[20]

On September 30, 2015, eOne announced that it has acquired Astley Baker Davies thus increasing it's ownership in the preschool franchise Peppa Pig. The firm entered into an agreement with Peppa Pig co-owners Astley Baker Davies to purchase a controlling stake in the company.[21]

On January 7, 2016, Entertainment One made a strategic investment in Sierra Pictures[22] and on January 20, 2016, the company acquired Dualtone Music Group.[23]

eOne Films

eOne Films acquires film content rights and distributes these across multiple territories including Canada, the UK, Spin, the Benelux, Austalia, New Zealand and the United States. Distribution channels include theatrical distribution, home entertainment through DVD/Blu-ray rental and retail, television, and digital downloading service.

eOne’s Global Film Group is led by President Steve Bertram, who is based in Los Angeles.

In May 2015, Entertainment One consolidated its feature film creative development, production, and international sales activities under the new banner Entertainment One Features (eOne Features). The division aims to produce and fully finance six to eight films annually, in addition to its existing territorial acquisitions. The division also includes a boutique sales outfit, Seville International, which is based in Montreal. eOne Features is led by President Xavier Marchand, who reports to Steve Bertram.

eOne Television

Main article: E1 Television

Notable Entertainment One television productions include: Hung for HBO,[24] Mary Mary on WeTV, Call Me Fitz on DirecTV, The Bridge on CTV,[25] Rookie Blue on ABC and Global,[26] Haven on Syfy,[27] and Hell on Wheels on AMC, David Spade’s Fameless on TruTV, Nellyville on BET, Rogue on DirecTV, The Book of Negroes miniseries on CBC and BET, Saving Hope on CTV and iOn, and Bitten on Space and SyFy.

Entertainment One’s sales catalogue includes such series as: David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef; A&E’s The Enfield Haunting; and AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead, due to a 2013 multi-year international output deal agreement between the firm and AMC Networks and Sundance Channel.[28]

eOne’s Television division is led by Chief Executive Officer John Morayniss, based in Los Angeles.

eOne Music

Main article: eOne Music

Based in New York City and Nashville, eOne Music US, formerly E1 Music/Koch Records, is generally regarded as the largest independent music label in North America.[29] Since its inception as Koch Records, eOne Music US has charted over 100 albums on Billboard's Independent Chart, surpassing the number of titles charted by all other U.S. independent labels and was the number one independent label according to Billboard for four consecutive years. The music division covers all musical genres from adult-contemporary to rock, urban to country, children's to classical.

eOne Music Canada is a full service record label and distribution company, with its own in-house marketing and publicity team and a sales staff across the country. Artist roster includes Emilie-Claire Barlow, Jason Blaine, Die Mannequin, Matt Dusk, and 2015 Polaris Music Prize winner Buffy Sainte-Marie.

eOne Family & Licensing

Based in the UK and Canada, eOne Family (formerly E1 Kids) creates, produces and distributes children’s entertainment with partners including Nick Jr and Channel 5, in 190 territories including the U.S., Scandinavia, France and Germany. eOne Family’s Peppa Pig franchise is one of the most popular pre-school brands in the UK, surpassing over £100 million in retail sales in the 2009 financial period.[30]

On September 18, 2015, eOne Family’s newest preschool series, PJ Masks, premiered on Disney Channel and Disney Junior in the U.S.[31]

eOne’s Licensing division, based in the UK and Los Angeles and extending to New York and Hong Kong, promotes brands across multiple platforms, reaching all demographics. eOne Licensing manages a full spectrum of branded opportunities at every stage, from product development to launch, through continual brand innovation. eOne’s Family and Licensing divisions are led by Managing Director Olivier Dumont, based in London.

eOne Distribution

eOne's Distribution division delivers, through both physical and digital channels, eOne’s own and third party content to over 3,000 retail partners through its networks across Canada and the U.S.[32] The division provides distribution services to a wide range of content producers, including some major Hollywood studios.

The division manufactures and distributes home media releases in the US, Canada, and Quebec, operating as eOne Distribution US, eOne Distribution Canada, and Videoglobe1, respectively.

Partners

Through various deals and terms, eOne has a distribution deal with the following companies, whether in full or in part:

Film

Television

Recent/upcoming releases

Films

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

TV series

Kids/family

Acquisitions and targets

Since listing on AIM, eOne has made a series of acquisitions.

  • In June 2007, eOne acquired Contender Entertainment Group, one of the largest distributors of TV content in the UK[35] (now operates as eOne UK)
  • In August 2007, eOne acquired Seville Entertainment Inc. for an undisclosed sum[36] (now operates as Les Films Séville)
  • In January 2008, eOne acquired the Netherlands-based distributor RCV Entertainment[37] (now operates as eOne Benelux)
  • In July 2008, eOne acquired TV producers Blueprint Entertainment and Barna-Alper Productions as well as domestic distributors Oasis International and Maximum Films.[38] (Barna-Alper now operating as eOne Television, Maximum Films amalgamated into eOne Films Canada while Maximum Film International was amalgamated into Les Films Séville, all others closed)
  • In April 2011, eOne acquired Australian distribution company Hopscotch for £12.9 million.[39] (now operates as eOne Australia)
  • In January 2013 eOne acquired Alliance Films.[40] and ceased operation of it and its subsidiaries (Momentum Pictures and Maple Pictures, excpet for Aurum Producciones, now operating as eOne Spain)
  • In June 2014 eOne acquired Phase 4 Films.[15]
  • In July 2014, eOne acquired Paperny Entertainment.[16][17]
  • In August 2014, eOne acquired Force Four Entertainment.[18]
  • In May 2014, eOne made a strategic equity investment in interactive agency Secret Location, which continues to operate independently.
  • In January 2015, eOne acquired a 51% stake in The Mark Gordon Company, the production studio behind such TV series as Quantico, Grey’s Anatomy, Army Wives, Ray Donovan and Criminal Minds; and films such as Steve Jobs, Source Code, The Day After Tomorrow, and Speed.
  • In September 2015, eOne acquired a controlling stake on Astley Baker Davies thus increasing it's ownership of the preschool franchise Peppa Pig.

Former Names and Logos

  • Records On Wheels Limited (1970-1980)

  • ROW Entertainment (1980–2005)

  • Entertainment One Income Fund (2005-2009)

  • E1 Entertainment (2009-2010)

  • Entertainment One (2015–present)

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Entertainment One Ltd. Full Year Results for the year ended 31 March 2015" (PDF). Entertainment One. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  2. ↑ "Entertainment One - Entertainment One Shareholder Information". entertainmentone. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  3. ↑ http://variety.com/2015/tv/global/entertainment-one-buys-peppa-pig-producer-1201606076/
  4. ↑ "Entertainment One - Entertainment One Investors Homepage". Ir.entertainmentonegroup.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  5. ↑ "Entertainment One - Entertainment One Investors Homepage". Ir.entertainmentonegroup.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  6. ↑ "CIMA: ROW Entertainment Buys KOCH Entertainment". Cimamusic.ca. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  7. ↑ "Entertainment One accepts Marwyn takeover". The Globe and Mail. TheGlobeandMail.com. Retrieved 23 March 2007.
  8. ↑ "Canada's Entertainment One buys Seville Entertainment". Screen Daily. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Summit signs Canada, UK deal with Entertainment One". Screen Daily. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "Entertainment One Acquires Barna-Alper Productions, Blueprint Entertainment, Oasis Pictures, Maximum Film Distribution and Maximum Film International". Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "EOne confirms talks to buy Alliance Films". thestar.com. 2012-05-28. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  12. ↑ "ENTERTAINMENT ONE INCOME FUND | Entertainment One announces closing of the sale of all operations". Newswire.ca. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  13. ↑ "Entertainment One buys Alliance Films". The Guardian. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "eOne Takes Stake in Interactive Agency Secret Location". Variety. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  15. 1 2 "eOne acquires Phase 4 Films". Deadline. 2014-06-02. Retrieved 2014-06-02.
  16. 1 2 "Acquisition of Paperny Entertainment". July 17, 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Completion of Paperny Entertainment acquisition". August 1, 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  18. 1 2 Bailey, Katie (August 28, 2014). "eOne acquires Force Four Entertainment". Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Entertainment One buys stake in 'Grey's Anatomy' producer MGC". Reuters. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
  20. ↑ "eOne Revives Momentum Pictures and Partners With Orion For Films — Toronto". Deadline. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  21. ↑ "Entertainment One Acquires 70% Stake In ‘Peppa Pig’ Producer Astley Baker Davies". Deadline. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "Entertainment One Invests in Sierra Pictures". Variety. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  23. ↑ "Entertainment One acquires Nashville's Dualtone Music Group". Music Business Worldwide. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  24. ↑ "E1 Entertainment | HBO and Entertainment One get 'HUNG' up together". Newswire.ca. 2009-01-09. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  25. ↑ "CTV | CTV's THE BRIDGE Picked Up by CBS for U.S. Broadcast". Newswire.ca. 2009-02-19. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  26. ↑ "Rookie Blue | TV, eh?". Tv-eh.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  27. ↑ "SyFy picks up Stephen King series 'Haven'". BennyLabamba.com. 2009-11-30.
  28. ↑ "EOne, AMC Networks Ink Multi-Year International Output Deal For Scripted Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  29. ↑ "Entertainment One : About". Kochrecords.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  30. ↑ "Peppa Pig Tops £100 Million - License". Licensemag.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  31. ↑ "Disney to debut eOne's new kids' show PJ Masks". http://www.licensing.biz. Retrieved 2015-10-22. External link in |publisher= (help)
  32. ↑ e1 music news Archived March 7, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ Skywire Ltd, Kings House, 5-11 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 4UA. T: 020 7229 0202. "UK Film release schedule - past, present and future". launchingfilms.com. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  34. ↑ "Mr. Turner". film4.com. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  35. ↑ Mitchell, Wendy (2007-06-14). "Entertainment One to acquire UK's Contender in $97m deal | News | Screen". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  36. ↑ Seville Entertainment
  37. ↑ "Canada's Entertainment One to acquire RCV in Benelux". Screendaily.com. 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  38. ↑ Playback on-line
  39. ↑ Swift, Brendan (April 12, 2011). "Entertainment One buys local distributor Hopscotch for $20.07m". if.com.au. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  40. ↑ "Industry News: Entertainment One Acquires Alliance Films". Retrieved 2013-01-22.

External links

Divisions
Subsidiaries
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