Media and intellectual property company A+E Networks has entered into a strategic partnership with music, film and television management company Range Media Partners.
The deal includes a “strategic minority investment” by A+E in Range Media Partners.
Range says it “continues to be backed” by Point72 Ventures, which remains a minority investor.
The news follows Range Media Partners’ global distribution deal signed with Capitol Music Group (CMG) and Virgin Music & Artist Label Services (Virgin) in June 2021.
Founded in 2020, Range Media Partners Range represents some of the biggest names in entertainment including Bradley Cooper, Keira Knightley, Tom Hardy, M Night Shymalan, Michael Bay, Jack Harlow, PartyNextDoor, Midland, Cordae, Bazzi, Sean Douglas, Wale, HARV and Mariah Carey.
Range says A+E Networks’ strategic investment will further expand its talent representation capabilities and talent-affiliated consumer business incubation, and enable other avenues for growth, including a significant investment in ” the Web3 ecosystem”.
A+E Studios specializes in the creation, production and distribution of scripted entertainment and also serves as the primary provider of scripted programming for the A+E Networks portfolio which includes A&E, Lifetime and The HISTORY Channel.
According to a press release, the strategic partnership appoints A+E Studios, led by Chairman Barry Jossen, as a co-production partner for scripted television projects at Range Media Partners.
The relationship also grants A+E Networks and its affiliated studios a first-look agreement on factual television content for A+E’s unscripted content creation unit (e.g., Category 6 Media and Six West Media .)
Range Media Partners says it will “enrich A+E Networks” by providing its business units with access to Range Media Partners’ talent representation systems and its “extensive” talent relationships.
The companies add that the partnership is expected to accelerate A+E Networks’ global growth and expansion of Range Media Partners’ services in several ways, including expanding the project pipeline for A+E Studios and the creative unit of non-fiction content from A+E Networks. (composed of Category 6 Media and Six West Media) aligning Range customers with strategic partnership opportunities.
Additionally, according to Range, the partnership will address what he calls “the growing desire” for unscripted music-related projects.
A+E Studios and Range Media Partners say they already have several collaborative initiatives underway.
The Raine Group and Joe Gangitano and Adrian Perry of Covington & Burlington advised A+E Networks on the transaction.
Range Media Partners was advised by Robert Benson & Rahul Patel of King & Spalding LLP and the late Jerry Longarzo and Jeff Freid of Longarzo Vance Klevan Freid LLP.
“We are thrilled to partner with Peter Micelli and Range Media Partners, whose passion and creativity in pursuing creating global value for artists and fostering a culture of forward-thinking innovation aligns with our vision for the future.”
Paul BuccieriA+E Networks Group
Paul BuccieriPresident and Group Chairman of A+E Networks, said, “We are delighted to partner with Peter Micelli and Range Media Partners, whose passion and creativity in pursuing the creation of global value for artists and the promotion of a culture of forward-thinking innovation aligns with our vision of the future.
“We were attracted to their impressive team and roster of entrepreneurial-minded talent and believe this investment will create strategic opportunities to accelerate the growth of our scripted and non-fiction content creation unit at scale. world.
“Our investment underscores both our confidence in the trajectory of the industry and more specifically, the role Range will play in it. will reinforce our ultimate goal of becoming a global intellectual property powerhouse.
“We are privileged to be joined by the like-minded team at A+E Networks (some of whom we have worked with for decades), who share our passion for innovation, business strategy and compelling storytelling. , as we enter this next chapter.”
Peter Micelli, Media Range
Range CEO Peter Micelli said, “We are honored to partner with remarkable artists, who are driven by the need to know more and do more.
“We are privileged to be joined by the like-minded team at A+E Networks (some of whom we have worked with for decades), who share our passion for innovation, business strategy and compelling storytelling. , as we enter this next chapter.”
“We are proud to offer our services and creativity as a growth engine for Range’s broad ambitions. Range Media Partners and A+E Studios have White House Doctor in development at Fox.
A+E studios
Barry Jossen, President and Director of A+E Studios, said, “A+E Studios is a recognized provider of high quality television productions.
“We are proud to offer our services and creativity as a growth engine for Range’s broad ambitions. Range Media Partners and A+E Studios have White House Doctor in development at Fox.
“We have a large slate of ready-to-market projects, all of which fit perfectly with the Range Media Partners/A+E Studios strategic alliance of bringing together high-end artists to create and produce in a friendly environment to contribute their visions. . on the screen. We are pleased.”
The music industry around the world
