Cinedigm Agrees To Acquire Global VOD Services Viewster and Viewster Anime
Accretive Deal Bolsters Cinedigm’s Extensive OTT Content Portfolio with over 5,000 Films and Series Perfectly Complementing the Company’s Roster of Anime and Fandom-Focused Offerings in over 30 Worldwide Territories
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- announced today the agreement to acquire the global OTT VOD service Viewster and its subsidiary platform Viewster Anime, in an important move that further bolsters the Company’s already-extensive OTT content portfolio while adding an established and well-known property with trademarks in more than 30 countries around the world. Viewster and Viewster Anime’s roster of fandom offerings will be immediately combined into Cinedigm’s library of channels and content, with the Company taking over operation of all content, applications, and social assets belonging to both platforms. Ad sales will be handled in-house and through Cinedigm’s network of partners. Cinedigm expects the acquisition to be consummated in January 2019.
Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 2007, Viewster quickly emerged as a competitive force in the global Video On Demand industry. Cinedigm plans to make Viewster a core part of its ad-based content strategy, integrating the platform’s eclectic entertainment library featuring over 5,000 films and series curated by a community of video creators and pop culture enthusiasts. Viewster offerings span across a wide array of genres, spotlighting cult classics, horror, comedy, gaming, documentaries, action, and more, including Night Of The Living Dead, Fists Of Fury, Gamers: Beyond The Game, American Grindhouse, Visioneers, Maricraft, Sparkles, Honest Trailers, and Happy Tree Friends.
Cinedigm will continue to distribute Viewster Anime as a standalone brand, featuring its impressive selection of acclaimed Anime films and series, ranging from classic favorites to fresh simulcasts delivered straight from Japan, providing viewers with instant access to top-tier premium full-length content. Highlights include hit films such as Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, and Fist Of The North Star, as well as popular series such as Mononoke, From The New World, and Gate, among many others. The platform offers programming in a wide variety of languages, and new content is added every week.
“Viewster and Viewster Anime are the perfect complement to the Cinedigm brand and will be integral in further cementing our impact in the fandom arena,” said Erick Opeka, President of Cinedigm Networks. “In the OTT marketplace, there is an incredibly strong desire for the type of content that they specialize in, and this presents a great opportunity for future growth, especially in the quickly expanding ad-supported realm, where we are focusing much of our growth efforts. Viewster has built a strong and recognizable brand with a massive worldwide footprint on a number of different devices, and we look forward to continuing this proud legacy—integrating their diverse films and series into our premium programming offerings and providing even more quality content specifically designed for the Anime and fandom communities.”
Viewster and Viewster Anime are the latest offerings to join Cinedigm’s rapidly growing Digital Networks Group, which plans, launches and manages both owned-and-operated networks as well as partner networks. Currently, the company operates factual network Docurama, fandom lifestyle network CONtv, K-pop and Asian pop culture outlet HALLYPOP, gaming lifestyle network WHAM, family-focused Dove Channel, and combat-sports network COMBAT GO.
ABOUT Viewster
Viewster is a worldwide online video service with a focus on fandom. The Viewster website and apps are a first-stop destination for anime lovers, with an ever-growing lineup of new and classic titles, and featuring a wider catalogue of niche series and movies across sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, and pop culture. Viewster is free, requires no sign-up, and is available to stream across all devices.
ABOUT Cinedigm
Since inception, Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) has been a leader at the forefront of the digital transformation of content distribution. Adapting to the rapidly transforming business needs of today’s entertainment landscape, Cinedigm remains a change-centric player focused on providing content, channels and services to the world’s largest media, technology and retail companies. Cinedigm’s Content and Networks groups provide original and aggregated programming, channels and services that entertain consumers globally across hundreds of millions of devices. For more information, visit .
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