TORONTO – Blue Ant Media announced Wednesday it has purchased RACAT Group in a major expansion of its international ambitions.
Included in the purchase are production houses NHNZ (formerly Natural History New Zealand), Beach House Pictures and Northern Pictures, each of whom license their content to digital and traditional channels worldwide. The purchase also includes international children’s nature broadcaster ZooMoo Networks, and Runaway Play, a mobile game developer and publisher. These businesses operate out of Singapore, Dunedin, Sydney, Beijing and Taipei.
A purchase price was not disclosed.
“Blue Ant Media is an ambitious company, well positioned to significantly grow its content production, distribution and channel businesses internationally, notably in Asia Pacific which is why this acquisition is so important for our business,” said Michael MacMillan, co-founder and CEO, Blue Ant Media, in the press release. "I've known RACAT’s CEO, David Haslingden, for many years and he is a seasoned media executive with an impressive history in the industry spanning more than two decades. His expertise will be invaluable as we continue our worldwide expansion.”
"I am delighted that the RACAT companies are now part of the Blue Ant Media family. Our editorial focuses, product lines and territorial presences make us a perfect fit. While the RACAT businesses have achieved a lot in the last five years, there's no doubt those achievements will be dwarfed by what we get done in the next five as part of Blue Ant Media," said Haslingden, in the release.
Prior to launching RACAT in 2012, Haslingden was president and COO of Fox Networks Group, a role he held after serving as CEO of Fox International Channels and National Geographic Channels Worldwide for 10 years. He will remain based Sydney and with this transaction has also become a significant shareholder and member of Blue Ant Media’s board of directors. He will be a key member of the team devising the company’s ongoing international growth strategy, says the company.
As well, effective September 1st, Blue Ant Media will appoint Ward Platt, current RACAT consultant, to the newly created role of CEO, kids and global networks. Platt’s previous leadership roles include COO positions at National Geographic Partners and Fox International Channels and CEO of National Geographic Channels International from 2013-2015. He will be responsible for crafting Blue Ant Media’s global linear and streaming video channels strategy outside of Canada and New Zealand. Operating from Los Angeles, Platt will join Blue Ant Media’s executive management team and will report to Raja Khanna, CEO, television and digital, Blue Ant Media.
NHNZ, based in Dunedin (New Zealand) with an office in Beijing, has been in operation for 40 years “and is one of the largest and most respected natural history and factual production houses in the world,” says the Blue Ant press release. “NHNZ’s storytelling prowess has been recognized with more than 250 international awards including Emmy awards and the prestigious Wildscreen Panda. More recently, the production house’s highly anticipated blue chip series Big Pacific (5×60), co-produced with partners PBS, CCTV, ZDF Enterprises, Discovery International, Channel 9 and ARTE, premiered in Cannes at MIPDOC in 2017 and was met with critical acclaim. NHNZ’s roster of partners and buyers also include National Geographic Channels, Animal Planet and NHK. The company’s team is made up of over 100 highly-skilled filmmakers, craftspeople, media executives, researchers and a dedicated group of technicians. The business will continue to be led by Kyle Murdoch, managing director, who has 15 years of experience working around the globe in factual television as a producer, director and writer.”
NHNZ premiered the highly anticipated documentary, Big Pacific (pictured), at MIPDOC 2017.
For the full release, click here.
