Electus Acquires Engine Entertainment

By Mansha Daswani

Published: January 18, 2011

NEW YORK: Ben Silverman's Electus has set up a global distribution division with its acquisition of Engine Entertainment, the venture founded by former Power executive Chris Philip.

The new division, Electus/Engine Distribution, will be led by Philip as president. He will oversee day-to-day operations at Electus/Engine Distribution, which will handle worldwide sales for Electus’ content as well as third-party fare. Chris Moreton, currently the COO of Engine Entertainment, will become executive VP of the new division.

"I'm thrilled to have the Engine team on board, led by an innovator like Chris Philip, to build an exceptional new international distribution arm that taps into unconventional models and platforms, bringing outstanding new content to the world,” said Silverman, the CEO of Electus. “The content distribution business is changing, and I believe Chris and his team are a force in international TV distribution with top-level experience in the global TV industry that will prove to be a huge asset to Electus.”

"Ben’s game-changing preeminence in the global TV marketplace consistently raises the bar,” added Philip. “In a very competitive landscape for fresh ideas and product, this deal now puts us at the front of the line.”

http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/28330

Ben Silverman's Electus Acquires Engine Entertainment

The firm is using the purchase to form new global distribution arm Electus/Engine Distribution.

NEW YORK - Ben Silverman's multimedia studio Electus, a business of Barry Diller's IAC, has acquired Engine Entertainment and formed in-house global distribution arm Electus/Engine Distribution.

Financial terms weren't disclosed.

The new division will handle worldwide sales for Electus' content across television, film and digital.

Engine Entertainment CEO Chris Philip will assume the role of president of the distribution arm.

Said Electus CEO Silverman: "The content distribution business is changing, and I believe Chris and his team are a force in international TV distribution with top-level experience in the global TV industry that will prove to be a huge asset to Electus."

Electus and Engine had already worked together on content creation and distribution.

Said Philip: “In a very competitive landscape for fresh ideas and product, this deal now puts us at the front of the line.”

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ben-silvermans-electus-acquires-engine-72794

Silverman's Electus fires up Engine

Ben Silverman's IAC-backed multimedia studio Electus has bought Engine Entertainment, the international distributor owned by former Power Corp sales head Chris Philip.

The acquisition gives Electus a major distribution outlet, to be known as Electus/Engine Distribution, for its television, motion picture and digital titles, with Philip assuming the role of president. Engine's chief operating officer Chris Moreton will become executive VP.

The division will have offices in London, Miami, New York and LA. Since launching last year, Engine has acquired 600 hours of programming, while Silverman's Electus, which is backed by IAC, has entered into a string of partnerships to develop multimedia content.

Last year, Electus and Engine began a partnership when they hooked up to coproduce and distribute a US version of interactive property Thumb Wars, which was brought to Engine by formats consultant and former Distraction Formats boss Michel Rodrigue.

"I'm thrilled to have the Engine team on board, led by an innovator like Chris Philip, to build an exceptional new international distribution arm that taps into unconventional models and platforms, bringing outstanding new content to the world," Silverman said.

"The content distribution business is changing, and I believe Chris and his team are a force in international TV distribution with top-level experience in the global TV industry that will prove to be a huge asset to Electus."

Electus already has one distribution venture, Electus Distribution, a partnership launched with Shine International, the sales division of Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine Group. That division handles worldwide sales for Electus, plus some third-party content. Electus says it will continue with this partnership, which includes titles such as Cuckoo’s Nest, Master of the Mix and PI Moms.

Former NBC co-chairman Silverman launched Electus with IAC's Barry Diller in October 2009. The firm has gone on to strike partnerships with Yahoo!, web comedy company DumbDumb, Israeli prodco Abbot Reif Hameiri Production Company, and most recently AOL.

Engine – launched by Philip before MipTV last year – has assets including a Latin American production-distribution arm, Engine Latino, a joint venture with local Mexican Bross el Cuadrado, which C21 revealed the news of last June.

It also sells programmes such as Bellator Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts show sold Australian pay-TV network Foxtel Main Event, Mexico's MVS Multi Vision, France's AB Media and Finland's Nelonen among others.

Jesse Whittock
18 Jan 2011
© C21 Media 2011

http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?article=59059&area=1

Electus pacts with Engine Entertainment

Ben Silverman firm to form global distribution division

By TOM LOWRY

Ben Silverman can circle the globe now. His multimedia studio Electus said Tuesday it is purchasing Engine Entertainment to help with worldwide sales of TV, film and digital content from Electus.

Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. The buyout will create Electus/Engine Distribution, which will be headed by entertainment vet and Engine CEO Chris Philip. "I'm thrilled to have the Engine team on board, led by an innovator like Chris Philip, to build an exceptional new international distribution arm that taps into unconventional models and platforms, bringing outstanding new content to the world," said Electus CEO Silverman.."The content distribution business is changing, and I believe Chris and his team are a force in international TV distribution with top-level experience in the global TV industry that will prove to be a huge asset to Electus."

The former NBC chief formed Electus last July in partnership with Barry Diller's IAC to create content in large partnerships with marketers.

The Engine deal complements existing distribution agreements that Electus has in place, including one with Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine Group, which purchased Silverman's Reveille production company in 2008. Reports surfaced last week that Shine may be on the sales block. One of the interested parties? Murdoch's father, Rupert, Chairman of News Corp.

Electus and Engine have worked together before. Last year, the two companies co-produced and distributed Thumb Wars, an interactive smart phone treasure hunt game show for the U.S. and global markets, originally brought to Engine by format consultant Michel Rodrigue.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118030423?refCatId=18