Radio / Television News

Starz Media pulls in its Canadian Anchor


TORONTO – Starz Media, parent company of Anchor Bay Entertainment and Starz Animation will this week purchase Starz Media’s Canadian operations, including Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada.

Starz Media is the new name of IDT Entertainment which was recently purchased by Starz parent company, Liberty Media Corp., and merged with Starz Entertainment, the U.S. premium television company.

Starz Animation operates a major animation studio in Toronto and Starz Media’s Canadian operations employ 230 people nationwide.

“I’m delighted to bring the Canadian operations of Starz Media into our group and consider Canada an important market worldwide," said Robert Clasen, chairman and CEO of Starz Media, in a release. "The alliance between Anchor Bay and Starz Entertainment gives both companies a stronger position to acquire product and distribute that product across all platforms. As well, our company will produce more animation and live action programming in Canada like the Masters of Horror and Masters of Science Fiction series currently in production."

Clasen is no stranger to Canada as he previously worked in Ottawa for Rogers Communications as a vice-president of U.S. operations. His wife Liane (nee Langevin) is a Canadian and former press secretary to the Minister of Justice under Pierre Trudeau.

Anchor Bay Entertainment is a division of Starz Media. Starz Media is a programming production and distribution company operating worldwide. It includes the Film Roman, Anchor Bay Entertainment, and Manga Entertainment brands.

Its units create animated and live-action programming – including theatrical films — and programming created under contract for other media companies. It distributes that programming, and programming acquired from outside producers, through home video retailers, theaters, broadcasters, ad supported and premium television channels, and Internet and wireless video distributors in the U.S. and internationally.

Starz Media is a wholly owned subsidiary of Starz, LLC which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corp. and which is attributed to Liberty Capital Group.

www.starz.com