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Participant Media Acquires Equity Position in Cineflix Media
Companies to Partner to Develop Original Television Content for U.S. and International Markets Participant Media, the leading provider of entertainment that inspires and accelerates change, has made an equity investment in Cineflix Media, Inc. a, diversified global media corporation and leader in television production and distribution, it was announced today by Jim Berk, CEO of Participant Media and Glen Salzman and Katherine Buck, Founders and Co-CEOs of Cineflix Media, Inc. Cineflix will partner with Participant in the conception, development, and production of original television programming that will follow Participant’s model of commercial and socially relevant entertainment. “Cineflix has grown over the past decade from an independent production start-up to an international media corporation, and our investment in this innovative company provides Participant with the talent and creative resources to expand our business into television.” said Participant Media CEO Jim Berk. “Co-CEO’s Glen and Katherine share our interest in developing content which inspires and, with Participant’s investment and long-term commitment, Cineflix is poised to continue its rapid growth.” “This is a fantastic opportunity for Cineflix not only as a business but as a creative organization,” said Cineflix Media Co-CEO Glen Salzman. “For a company that is proud of its independence, finding the perfect strategic partner was key for Katherine and I. Combining Participants’ strategy to expand into television with Cineflix’s ability to create and distribute quality programming, makes this partnership a perfect fit. We’ve long been admirers of Participant’s films and their mission and we’re excited about working closely with Jim Berk and the highly talented team at Participant.” Participant‘s 39 films include the current international success, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and the recent Academy Award-winning box office hit The Help, Steven Soderbergh’s thriller Contagion, and such Oscar-winning or nominated titles as An Inconvenient Truth, The Cove, Food, Inc., Good Night and Good Luck, Syriana, The Kite Runner, Charlie Wilson’s War and The Visitor. Both The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Participant’s newest documentary, Last Call at the Oasis, will open in the US on May 4th. Recently, Participant announced Evan Shapiro’s appointment as President of Participant Television and that its digital arm, TakePart, will be debuting TakePart TV, a new impact-oriented channel on YouTube in July. Cineflix Media produces more than 400 hours per year of multi genre factual and scripted programming including such ratings successes as American Pickers, Property Brothers, Mayday, William Shatner’s Weird or What?, and the award-winning Nazi Hunters. Cineflix Studios’ first scripted original series, Copper, premieres on BBC America in the U.S and on Shaw Media’s Showcase in Canada this summer. Recently, Cineflix expanded its New York and U.K. operations and opened an office in Los Angeles. About Participant Media Participant Media (participantmedia.com) is an entertainment company that focuses on documentary and narrative feature films, television, publishing and digital content about the real issues that shape our lives. For each of its projects, Participant creates social action and advocacy programs to transform the impact of the media experience into individual and community action. Participant’s online Social Action Network is TakePart (takepart.com). Participant was founded by Chairman Jeff Skoll in 2004. Jim Berk serves as CEO. About Cineflix Media Inc. Cineflix Media Inc. (cineflix.com) is an international media company that brings together a mix of global broadcast and production partners, top talent and key executives to produce and distribute quality original content for television and other platforms. Cineflix Media was founded by Katherine Buck and Glen Salzman, and is a recognized leader in the industry with offices in Toronto, London, New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Dublin, and its head office in Montreal, Canada.