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Tag: Group Nine Media

  • Lower Ad revenue curtails Discovery Communications Q3-16 numbers

    Lower Ad revenue curtails Discovery Communications Q3-16 numbers

    BENGALURU: An overall 4.1 per cent decline in advertising revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q3-16, current quarter) vis-à-vis the corresponding year ago quarter resulted in flat revenue for Discovery Communications Inc., (Discovery). The company reported overall revenue of $1,556 million for the current quarter versus $1,557 million in Q2-15. Overall Advertising revenue declined in Q3-16 to $670 million as compared to $699 million in Q2-15.

    Discovery’s other major revenue stream – Distribution, reported 3.9 per cent year-over-year (y-o-y) increase in the current quarter at $806 million as compared to $770 million. Discovery’s ‘Other’ revenue declined 2.4 per cent y-o-y to $80 million from $82 million.

    Operating income declined 9.3 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $458 million from $505 million. The company’s adjusted Operating Income before Depreciation and Amortisation (OIBDA) declined 2.4 per cent in the current quarter to $562 million from $576 million.

    Geographical breakup:

    US Networks

    Discovery’s US Network’s revenue increased 1.5 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $793 million from $781 million.  US Networks adjusted OIBDA improved 3.4 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $458 million from $443 million.

    US Networks distribution revenue in the current quarter increased 6.7 per cent y-o-y to $458 million versus $443 million. US Networks advertising revenue declined 3.4 per cent y-o-y to $396 million in the current quarter from $410 million. US Networks ‘Other’ revenues in Q3-16 increased 14.3 per cent y-o-y to $16 million from $14 million.

    Discovery says that Distribution revenue growth was primarily driven by higher rates, partially offset by a slight decline in subscribers. Advertising revenues decreased primarily due to expected ratings declines, partially offset by higher pricing and inventory management.

    US Networks Operating expenses decreased 1 per cent mainly due to lower content amortization, partially offset by higher marketing costs. Adjusted OIBDA increased due to higher revenues and lower operating expenses.

    International Networks

    Discovery’s International Revenue in Q3-16 declined 2.7 per cent to $720 million from $740 million.  International Networks OIBDA declined 16.1 y-o-y per cent in the current quarter to $183 million from $218 million.

    International Networks Distribution revenue increased 1.4 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $425 million from $419 million. International Networks Advertising revenue in the current quarter declined 5.5 per cent y-o-y in the current quarter to $273 million from $289 million. International Networks ‘Other’ revenue in Q3-16 declined 31.25 per cent y-o-y to $22 million from $32 million.

    The company says that changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced third quarter International revenues and adjusted OIBDA growth by 5 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively. Distribution revenues, excluding the impact of currency effects, grew 8 per cent mostly due to higher affiliate rates in Latin America, Northern Europe and CEEMEA as well as higher volume in Latin America.

    Advertising revenues, excluding the impact of currency effects, declined, primarily due to lower ratings and pricing in Northern Europe, partially offset by higher volume in Southern Europe. Other revenues declined primarily due to lower Eurosport sub-licensing revenues.

    Education and Other

    ‘Education and Other’ revenues increased 19.4 per cent y-o-y to $43 million in the current quarter from $36 million. ‘Education and Other OIBDA improved by 80 per cent to a loss of $1 million from a loss of $5 million.

    The company says that Education and Other revenues for the third quarter increased by $7 million primarily due to higher production deliveries at the Studios production business and increased international revenues at the Education business. Adjusted OIBDA improved primarily due to higher revenues, partially offset by additional investments in the Education business.

    Other Developments

    On October 13, 2016, Discovery announced a plan to contribute $100 million and its digital network Seeker and production studio SourceFed in exchange for a 39 per cent minority interest in a new holding company, Group Nine Media. Group Nine Media includes digital companies Thrillist Media Group, Now This Media, and The Dodo. Discovery has the option to buy a controlling stake in Group Nine Media in the future. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016, subject to customary closing conditions.

    Company speak

    “While we faced challenging but expected headwinds this quarter, Discovery is well positioned for long-term growth driven by our well-defined global brands, differentiated content and favourable distribution agreements,” said Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav, “We have continued to strengthen and maximize our traditional pay-TV offering with robust new programming while aggressively exploiting new opportunities to leverage our content across numerous digital platforms around the world. Amid an ever shifting global media ecosystem, Discovery is evolving to reach more consumers on more screens and platforms than ever before.”

  • Lower Ad revenue curtails Discovery Communications Q3-16 numbers

    Lower Ad revenue curtails Discovery Communications Q3-16 numbers

    BENGALURU: An overall 4.1 per cent decline in advertising revenue for the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q3-16, current quarter) vis-à-vis the corresponding year ago quarter resulted in flat revenue for Discovery Communications Inc., (Discovery). The company reported overall revenue of $1,556 million for the current quarter versus $1,557 million in Q2-15. Overall Advertising revenue declined in Q3-16 to $670 million as compared to $699 million in Q2-15.

    Discovery’s other major revenue stream – Distribution, reported 3.9 per cent year-over-year (y-o-y) increase in the current quarter at $806 million as compared to $770 million. Discovery’s ‘Other’ revenue declined 2.4 per cent y-o-y to $80 million from $82 million.

    Operating income declined 9.3 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $458 million from $505 million. The company’s adjusted Operating Income before Depreciation and Amortisation (OIBDA) declined 2.4 per cent in the current quarter to $562 million from $576 million.

    Geographical breakup:

    US Networks

    Discovery’s US Network’s revenue increased 1.5 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $793 million from $781 million.  US Networks adjusted OIBDA improved 3.4 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $458 million from $443 million.

    US Networks distribution revenue in the current quarter increased 6.7 per cent y-o-y to $458 million versus $443 million. US Networks advertising revenue declined 3.4 per cent y-o-y to $396 million in the current quarter from $410 million. US Networks ‘Other’ revenues in Q3-16 increased 14.3 per cent y-o-y to $16 million from $14 million.

    Discovery says that Distribution revenue growth was primarily driven by higher rates, partially offset by a slight decline in subscribers. Advertising revenues decreased primarily due to expected ratings declines, partially offset by higher pricing and inventory management.

    US Networks Operating expenses decreased 1 per cent mainly due to lower content amortization, partially offset by higher marketing costs. Adjusted OIBDA increased due to higher revenues and lower operating expenses.

    International Networks

    Discovery’s International Revenue in Q3-16 declined 2.7 per cent to $720 million from $740 million.  International Networks OIBDA declined 16.1 y-o-y per cent in the current quarter to $183 million from $218 million.

    International Networks Distribution revenue increased 1.4 per cent y-o-y in Q3-16 to $425 million from $419 million. International Networks Advertising revenue in the current quarter declined 5.5 per cent y-o-y in the current quarter to $273 million from $289 million. International Networks ‘Other’ revenue in Q3-16 declined 31.25 per cent y-o-y to $22 million from $32 million.

    The company says that changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced third quarter International revenues and adjusted OIBDA growth by 5 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively. Distribution revenues, excluding the impact of currency effects, grew 8 per cent mostly due to higher affiliate rates in Latin America, Northern Europe and CEEMEA as well as higher volume in Latin America.

    Advertising revenues, excluding the impact of currency effects, declined, primarily due to lower ratings and pricing in Northern Europe, partially offset by higher volume in Southern Europe. Other revenues declined primarily due to lower Eurosport sub-licensing revenues.

    Education and Other

    ‘Education and Other’ revenues increased 19.4 per cent y-o-y to $43 million in the current quarter from $36 million. ‘Education and Other OIBDA improved by 80 per cent to a loss of $1 million from a loss of $5 million.

    The company says that Education and Other revenues for the third quarter increased by $7 million primarily due to higher production deliveries at the Studios production business and increased international revenues at the Education business. Adjusted OIBDA improved primarily due to higher revenues, partially offset by additional investments in the Education business.

    Other Developments

    On October 13, 2016, Discovery announced a plan to contribute $100 million and its digital network Seeker and production studio SourceFed in exchange for a 39 per cent minority interest in a new holding company, Group Nine Media. Group Nine Media includes digital companies Thrillist Media Group, Now This Media, and The Dodo. Discovery has the option to buy a controlling stake in Group Nine Media in the future. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016, subject to customary closing conditions.

    Company speak

    “While we faced challenging but expected headwinds this quarter, Discovery is well positioned for long-term growth driven by our well-defined global brands, differentiated content and favourable distribution agreements,” said Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav, “We have continued to strengthen and maximize our traditional pay-TV offering with robust new programming while aggressively exploiting new opportunities to leverage our content across numerous digital platforms around the world. Amid an ever shifting global media ecosystem, Discovery is evolving to reach more consumers on more screens and platforms than ever before.”

  • Discovery invests $ 100 mn in digital JV with Group Nine Media

    Discovery invests $ 100 mn in digital JV with Group Nine Media

    NEW DELHI: Discovery Communications, owners of TLC and Animal Planet, yesterday announced it’s investing $ 100 million in a digital media company as a minority shareholder. The new media company will comprise Group Nine Media’s Thrillist Media Group, NowThis Media, The Dodo and Discovery’s digital network Seeker (along with its production studio SourceFed Studios).

    Axel Springer will maintain its investment as the second largest shareholder. Thrillist CEO Ben Lerer will become the CEO of Group Nine Media. The merging of these millennial-focused brands will immediately create in Group Nine Media one of the largest digital-first media companies, a statement issued by Discovery in New York stated yesterday.

    “Today marks the start of a strong new company with tremendous brands, reach and scale,” Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav was quoted in the statement as saying. “The merger of these assets will bring together best-in-class management, led by Ben and his team, expertise in data analytics technology and global reach to create one of the world’s largest digital-first content companies attracting young passionate enthusiasts that advertisers want to reach,” he added.

    Analysing the deal, a Bloomberg report said the partnership was another example of traditional and digital media joining forces as TV networks look online to reach younger consumers who may not subscribe to cable or satellite TV. At the same time, online publishers want to team up with TV networks, which can provide the needed funding and professional content to help them compete with Google and Facebook Inc., which are taking a large share of internet advertising.

    Last year, Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal invested $200 million in both BuzzFeed and Vox Media, publisher of the Verge, Eater and Recode. This year, Time Warner Inc.’s Turner, which runs the TNT and TBS cable channels, led a $45 million investment in online publisher Refinery29 and led a $15 million funding round for the news website Mashable, Bloomberg said.

    “This is truly a ‘win-win’ scenario, allowing our brands the opportunity to remain independent and build our own future, while at the same time, having the support of one of the best media and entertainment companies in the world,” Group Nine Media CEO Ben said in a statement, adding, “Each of our brands has found great success independently, but with consolidation of digital content companies around the corner, there is extraordinary value in all existing under one multi-brand roof. We will be stronger brands working together – we will have more influence; we will have better data and insights; we will be better partners to our advertisers; and most importantly, we will be substantial enough to make a real difference and stay ahead of the market.”

    The partnership between Discovery and Group Nine Media will include a commercial agreement that will enable advertisers to reach their desired audience via true 360 opportunities across multiple platforms including linear, digital, social and live events.

    On the closing of yesterday’s investment and partnership, Group Nine Media will expand Discovery’s push into the digital network space targeting millennials, which began with the 2012 acquisition of digital network Revision3 and the subsequent acquisition in 2013 of Internet video icon Philip DeFranco’s portfolio of online video channels and ventures, DeFranco Creative. Now called Seeker and SourceFed Studios, these entities will become part of Group Nine Media. Discovery also led rounds of funding in The Dodo in 2014 and 2015.

    In the future, Discovery will have an option to buy a controlling stake in Group Nine Media, the official Discovery statement highlighted.

    Capitalizing on the company’s strong foundation and capabilities across editorial, tech, data and monetization, Discovery’s investment will fund growth across all of these areas of the business – specifically, the expansion of the sales team and branded content studio, new vertical launches and expansive content development for all of its brands.

    “We are big believers in digital journalism and its very exciting business perspectives. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with the Lerer family through this transaction and to work with Discovery to support the growth of Group Nine Media,” Axel Springer USA and CEO Axel Springer Digital Ventures president Jens Müffelmann was quoted in the statement. Axel Springer will have a seat on the board of Group Nine Media.

    “We’re thrilled to work even more closely with Discovery. They’ve been The Dodo’s lead investor and an incredible partner to us, and this feels like an organic and very exciting next step,” said The Dodo founder Izzie Lerer, who will continue to be responsible for the brand. “I’m looking forward to working with my brother, too. His competence in business makes up for most of his annoying personality traits.”

    Under the Group Nine Media roof are properties like The Dodo, NowThis, Seeker and Thrillist, which are each unique, mission-driven brands and stand-outs in their respective categories. The Dodo has more than 700 million monthly social video views; NowThis is the No. 1 video news publisher on Facebook; Seeker has over 23 million YouTube subscribers across its channels; and Thrillist’s audience has doubled to nearly 20 million monthly uniques on O&O properties. With over 60 percent of its audience consisting of users ages 18-34, Group Nine Media’s brands are built for consumption on the social web where this audience spends the majority of its time.

    The brands will each remain editorially independent and will maintain their individual voice, mission and culture. At the corporate level there will be shared services.

    Thrillist’s sales team and content studio, The CoLab will combine with NowThis Studios, The Dodo and Seeker’s branded content team to create a core advertising solutions group across all Group Nine Media brands. The company will also combine technology capabilities (Thrillist’s Pinnacle and NowThis’ Switchboard) to create a dynamic publishing platform that will power all brands. A centralized long-form video department will be created that will be responsible for creating OTT/on-demand and linear TV programming across all properties. This group will leverage Seeker’s premium production capabilities and SourceFed Studio’s expertise in program development and talent incubation.

  • Discovery invests $ 100 mn in digital JV with Group Nine Media

    Discovery invests $ 100 mn in digital JV with Group Nine Media

    NEW DELHI: Discovery Communications, owners of TLC and Animal Planet, yesterday announced it’s investing $ 100 million in a digital media company as a minority shareholder. The new media company will comprise Group Nine Media’s Thrillist Media Group, NowThis Media, The Dodo and Discovery’s digital network Seeker (along with its production studio SourceFed Studios).

    Axel Springer will maintain its investment as the second largest shareholder. Thrillist CEO Ben Lerer will become the CEO of Group Nine Media. The merging of these millennial-focused brands will immediately create in Group Nine Media one of the largest digital-first media companies, a statement issued by Discovery in New York stated yesterday.

    “Today marks the start of a strong new company with tremendous brands, reach and scale,” Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav was quoted in the statement as saying. “The merger of these assets will bring together best-in-class management, led by Ben and his team, expertise in data analytics technology and global reach to create one of the world’s largest digital-first content companies attracting young passionate enthusiasts that advertisers want to reach,” he added.

    Analysing the deal, a Bloomberg report said the partnership was another example of traditional and digital media joining forces as TV networks look online to reach younger consumers who may not subscribe to cable or satellite TV. At the same time, online publishers want to team up with TV networks, which can provide the needed funding and professional content to help them compete with Google and Facebook Inc., which are taking a large share of internet advertising.

    Last year, Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal invested $200 million in both BuzzFeed and Vox Media, publisher of the Verge, Eater and Recode. This year, Time Warner Inc.’s Turner, which runs the TNT and TBS cable channels, led a $45 million investment in online publisher Refinery29 and led a $15 million funding round for the news website Mashable, Bloomberg said.

    “This is truly a ‘win-win’ scenario, allowing our brands the opportunity to remain independent and build our own future, while at the same time, having the support of one of the best media and entertainment companies in the world,” Group Nine Media CEO Ben said in a statement, adding, “Each of our brands has found great success independently, but with consolidation of digital content companies around the corner, there is extraordinary value in all existing under one multi-brand roof. We will be stronger brands working together – we will have more influence; we will have better data and insights; we will be better partners to our advertisers; and most importantly, we will be substantial enough to make a real difference and stay ahead of the market.”

    The partnership between Discovery and Group Nine Media will include a commercial agreement that will enable advertisers to reach their desired audience via true 360 opportunities across multiple platforms including linear, digital, social and live events.

    On the closing of yesterday’s investment and partnership, Group Nine Media will expand Discovery’s push into the digital network space targeting millennials, which began with the 2012 acquisition of digital network Revision3 and the subsequent acquisition in 2013 of Internet video icon Philip DeFranco’s portfolio of online video channels and ventures, DeFranco Creative. Now called Seeker and SourceFed Studios, these entities will become part of Group Nine Media. Discovery also led rounds of funding in The Dodo in 2014 and 2015.

    In the future, Discovery will have an option to buy a controlling stake in Group Nine Media, the official Discovery statement highlighted.

    Capitalizing on the company’s strong foundation and capabilities across editorial, tech, data and monetization, Discovery’s investment will fund growth across all of these areas of the business – specifically, the expansion of the sales team and branded content studio, new vertical launches and expansive content development for all of its brands.

    “We are big believers in digital journalism and its very exciting business perspectives. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with the Lerer family through this transaction and to work with Discovery to support the growth of Group Nine Media,” Axel Springer USA and CEO Axel Springer Digital Ventures president Jens Müffelmann was quoted in the statement. Axel Springer will have a seat on the board of Group Nine Media.

    “We’re thrilled to work even more closely with Discovery. They’ve been The Dodo’s lead investor and an incredible partner to us, and this feels like an organic and very exciting next step,” said The Dodo founder Izzie Lerer, who will continue to be responsible for the brand. “I’m looking forward to working with my brother, too. His competence in business makes up for most of his annoying personality traits.”

    Under the Group Nine Media roof are properties like The Dodo, NowThis, Seeker and Thrillist, which are each unique, mission-driven brands and stand-outs in their respective categories. The Dodo has more than 700 million monthly social video views; NowThis is the No. 1 video news publisher on Facebook; Seeker has over 23 million YouTube subscribers across its channels; and Thrillist’s audience has doubled to nearly 20 million monthly uniques on O&O properties. With over 60 percent of its audience consisting of users ages 18-34, Group Nine Media’s brands are built for consumption on the social web where this audience spends the majority of its time.

    The brands will each remain editorially independent and will maintain their individual voice, mission and culture. At the corporate level there will be shared services.

    Thrillist’s sales team and content studio, The CoLab will combine with NowThis Studios, The Dodo and Seeker’s branded content team to create a core advertising solutions group across all Group Nine Media brands. The company will also combine technology capabilities (Thrillist’s Pinnacle and NowThis’ Switchboard) to create a dynamic publishing platform that will power all brands. A centralized long-form video department will be created that will be responsible for creating OTT/on-demand and linear TV programming across all properties. This group will leverage Seeker’s premium production capabilities and SourceFed Studio’s expertise in program development and talent incubation.