Advanced Television

Liberty Global, TPG launch independent prodco

July 17, 2017

TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity platform of alternative asset firm TPG, and international television and broadband company Liberty Global are launching a global television production and distribution studio – Platform One Media.

TPG Growth will fund its investment through Evolution Media, an investment partnership with CAA and Participant Media. Liberty Global will initially be taking a minority equity stake in the business, attributed to Liberty Global Group. Additional terms of the investment were not disclosed.

The independent, start-up studio will curate, develop, produce, and distribute high-quality scripted programming for the US and international markets. Veteran television executive Katie O’Connell Marsh, former CEO of Gaumont Television, has been appointed CEO and will be spearheading the company’s activities.

“TPG Growth has a history of identifying and building companies, such as STX Entertainment, that can redefine their categories,” said Bill McGlashan, Founder and Managing Partner of TPG Growth and Co-Founder and CEO of The Rise Fund. “Working with our partners at Evolution Media, we look forward to leveraging our collective experiences and networks in the entertainment space to build this business with Katie and her team.”

“Platform One Media has the key ingredients Liberty Global values in a strategic asset: great leadership, a clear vision and aligned, well capitalised partners,” said Bruce Mann, Chief Programming Officer at Liberty Global.  “It also gives us the opportunity to work with world-class talent creating high-quality scripted programming which could potentially feature on Liberty Global’s pay-TV platforms in Europe. We are fortunate to have Katie O’Connell Marsh bringing her vision, drive and creative track record, and to be working with TPG Growth, who we view as a natural strategic partner.”

“The explosion of original content globally is creating an opportunity for new, innovative, and diverse ways to engage audiences beyond the series itself,” said O’Connell Marsh. “With Platform One Media, and our partners TPG Growth and Liberty Global, we are perfectly positioned to develop and distribute compelling narratives that are artistic, meaningful and addictive by working closely with innovative, inspiring talent to bring to life their creative visions.”

For the past 20 years, O’Connell Marsh has held senior management positions covering all aspects of entertainment television programming. She spent five years as CEO at Gaumont Television, where she was responsible for launching the studio operation from the ground up in October 2010. While there, she developed and produced leading drama series, including the acclaimed NBC series Hannibal, the Golden Globe-nominated Netflix series Narcos, and Hemlock Grove for Netflix. On the comedy front, she developed F is for Family for Netflix and Gaumont, as well as the Emmy-winning 30 Rock while at NBC and the Emmy-winning Arrested Development during her tenure at Imagine.

Most recently, she was Head of Global Live Action Television for Dreamworks Animation where she was tasked with launching the live action television operation for the company.

As part of its launch, Platform One Media has acquired the portfolio of development projects from Slingshot Global Media and retired the Slingshot brand.

 

 

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