Expanding its streaming portfolio with the addition of 3,000 titles an estimated 10,000 individual film and TV episodes and two successful linear streaming networks, Cinedigm has agreed to acquire content distributor and streaming channel company The Film Detective.
Since launching in 2014, The Film Detective has distributed its library through digital, television and streaming platforms such as Turner Classic Movies, NBC’s Cozi TV, EPIX, Pluto TV, Amazon, MeTV, PBS and others. With the exclusive representation of an additional five film libraries, The Film Detective will also bring to Cinedigm an additional 1,000 movies available to license to leading media companies. The company’s library offerings include the following key movie genres: Classic Westerns, Horror, Mystery, Family, Martial Arts, Film Noir, Cult Classics, Silent Films, Classic Cartoons, Documentaries, Shorts and many rarely and seldom seen Lost Classics.
Cinedigm’s two new linear streaming channels include The Film Detective eponymous classic movie streaming channel launched in 2018 and available on Dish Network’s Sling TV, Sinclair Broadcasting’s STIRR, Plex TV, Distro TV and Vizio, as well as Lone Star, a classic western channel launched earlier in 2020.
Once the deal closes — subject to closing conditions, including completion of the parties’ due diligence — The Film Detective will continue to operate independently under the leadership of founder and CEO Philip Hopkins, under the Cinedigm umbrella, with a focus on the continued acquisition of library content and the launch of additional streaming channels.
Cinedigm also expects to use the company’s Matchpoint technology platform to accelerate The Film Detective’s distribution across Cinedigm’s network of more than 100 digital retail partners. Cinedigm also plans to expand the distribution of The Film Detective’s two current channels across its network of more than 820 million consumer devices. The companies will also use Cinedigm’s technical and operational capabilities to launch several new genre channels in the coming quarters.
“Phil Hopkins has been a leading long-term industry champion for independent film and TV content, particularly classic programming, building The Film Detective into a content powerhouse. In addition, he has proved to be an aggressive innovator in the explosively growing streaming business,” said Chris McGurk, Cinedigm chairman and CEO commenting on the deal. “We are very proud to welcome Phil and The Film Detective to the Cinedigm family and look forward to Phil’s continued strong leadership as we grow the business together. The Film Detective’s library is currently profitable, and with synergies and expanded distribution we believe we can quickly and significantly increase both revenues and profits from both the library and The Film Detective’s two streaming channels.”
“I am thrilled to reach this acquisition agreement with Cinedigm, which will give The Film Detective the firepower to grow our content library and streaming channels much faster than before,” added Hopkins. “Cinedigm has been a long-term independent leader in quality content distribution and streaming and I believe their capabilities will help take this business I have built over the years to an even higher level.”
Cinedigm’s two new linear streaming channels include The Film Detective eponymous classic movie streaming channel launched in 2018 and available on Dish Network’s Sling TV, Sinclair Broadcasting’s STIRR, Plex TV, Distro TV and Vizio, as well as Lone Star, a classic western channel launched earlier in 2020.
Once the deal closes — subject to closing conditions, including completion of the parties’ due diligence — The Film Detective will continue to operate independently under the leadership of founder and CEO Philip Hopkins, under the Cinedigm umbrella, with a focus on the continued acquisition of library content and the launch of additional streaming channels.
Cinedigm also expects to use the company’s Matchpoint technology platform to accelerate The Film Detective’s distribution across Cinedigm’s network of more than 100 digital retail partners. Cinedigm also plans to expand the distribution of The Film Detective’s two current channels across its network of more than 820 million consumer devices. The companies will also use Cinedigm’s technical and operational capabilities to launch several new genre channels in the coming quarters.
“Phil Hopkins has been a leading long-term industry champion for independent film and TV content, particularly classic programming, building The Film Detective into a content powerhouse. In addition, he has proved to be an aggressive innovator in the explosively growing streaming business,” said Chris McGurk, Cinedigm chairman and CEO commenting on the deal. “We are very proud to welcome Phil and The Film Detective to the Cinedigm family and look forward to Phil’s continued strong leadership as we grow the business together. The Film Detective’s library is currently profitable, and with synergies and expanded distribution we believe we can quickly and significantly increase both revenues and profits from both the library and The Film Detective’s two streaming channels.”
“I am thrilled to reach this acquisition agreement with Cinedigm, which will give The Film Detective the firepower to grow our content library and streaming channels much faster than before,” added Hopkins. “Cinedigm has been a long-term independent leader in quality content distribution and streaming and I believe their capabilities will help take this business I have built over the years to an even higher level.”
