Why I'm Still Bullish On MCNs - My Guest Article in Variety

[My article below was first published in Variety yesterday -- this is an excerpt from that article -- click here to read it in its entirety.]

MCNs (or, more accurately MPNs these days) have been getting a bad rap this past week as a result of reports surfacing that Maker Studios' "earn-out" from its M&A mega-deal with Disney will be less than the maximum $450 million (and apparently closer to 1/2 that) -- which still gives Maker execs and investors a nice little $700+ million "win."  Not bad.

The "haters," however, are using this news as Exhibit A in their case slamming the value of MCNs/MPNs -- and slamming what they say are inappropriately lofty valuations to date for relevant acquisitions (which include Otter Media/Ellation's acquisition of Fullscreen for up to $300 million, RTL Entertainment's acquisition of StyleHaul which valued the company at up to $200 million, and ProSieben's recent acquisition of Collective Digital Studio which valued the overall package at about $240 million).

But, as a person closely immersed in the overall video ecosystem who has access to numerous "insiders," I strongly disagree.  Believe they are completely missing the fundamental point (and justification for those deals).  And remain bullish.  Very.

[Click here to read my entire article/analysis in Variety ....]

Media Companies v. 2015: Smartphone-Powered, Digital First

[My post here originally appeared as a guest article in Digiday a few days back; I have updated it to reflect the new $24 million investment in gamer-focused MCN Machinima led by Warner Bros.]

That smartphone in your pocket.  Small form factor.  Massive impact.  That tiny screen is fundamentally transforming (disrupting?) each of our lives, including how we engage with content (movies and television).  That means fundamental transformation of the media and entertainment business right here, right now – with tens of billions of dollars at stake – yet very few media execs “get” this.  This changes in 2015.

A whole new class of mobile-driven digital-first media companies sprouted and blossomed in 2014 – so-called multi-channel networks (MCNs).  MCNs most typically are venture-backed start-ups that aggregate individual YouTube personalities and channels -- frequently for specific niche passionate audiences (think fashion and leading MCN StyleHaul) -- in order to achieve scale, fund video production, and maximize ad dollars.  Sounds benign enough, right, especially when their impact is marginalized by the almost-dismissive and somewhat-faddish acronym “MCN.” 

But, make no mistake, MCNs are media companies with transformative impact.  They simply are a new kind of media company.  Digital-first media companies.  These are media companies by millennials, for millennials.  And, while they do not supplant “traditional” media companies, they most definitely are a necessary extension of them in this new multi-platform media world.  After all, mobile is where the youthful eyeballs that “matter” (at least to marketers) now consume the majority of their video content.

That’s why Disney – the largest traditional media company of them all – slapped down up to nearly $1 billion last year to buy one of the largest MCNs -- Maker Studios.  As vast as its resources are (and the Mouse House certainly has plenty of cheese), Disney had the commendable self-awareness to recognize that it lacked the DNA to play effectively in the smartphone-driven, short-form video, millennial world – a world that demands a very different way of thinking about content development and engagement.  Rather than build it themselves, they bought that expertise and critical mass of short-form content (and the personalities behind them).  They paid up to double down on the MCN world, which was excellent news not only for Maker’s investors, but also for other leading MCNs and the investors behind them. 

Other major studios – and perhaps even technology companies like Apple, Samsung, and Amazon, whose divergent business models increasingly are content-driven – will follow suit in 2015.  This is a classic case where demand for MCNs with scale outstrips supply.  After all, content is increasingly king, and that means big numbers.  Last year, in addition to the near-$1 billion Disney/Maker deal, Otter Media (the joint venture between AT&T and The Chernin Group) paid a rumored $200-$300 million to buy competing MCN Fullscreen, and European-based media company RTL Group recently sewed up fashion-focused MCN StyleHaul for a price that values the company up to $200 million with earn-outs.

These are numbers that make even Northern California VCs – ever-cynical about all things content-driven (especially when they are driven in LA where most leading MCNS are based) – take notice.  They have smartly started to pour tens of millions of dollars into video-driven new media companies.  Case in point, BuzzFeed.  Blue-chipper Andreessen Horowitz invested $50 million to accelerate smartphone-targeted digital-first video production.  And, the accelerating pace of foreign-driven M&A (like RTL with StyleHaul) and investment (like BSKYB and Liberty Global’s recently announced $28 million investment with others in sports-focused MCN Whistle Sports) underscores that this sea change in the media business is not just a U.S. phenomenon.  Digital-first content is borderless and globally shareable.  We live in a new world order of digital media.

Brands too are finally taking notice and fundamentally changing their behavior.  They understand that smartphones – and the millennials who hold them – demand a different and deeper form of engagement.  Pre-roll and pop-up ads simply don’t work anymore.  Millennials demand “authenticity,” a word that is a fundamental part of the new digital-first lexicon.  You hear that word – and the resulting marketing solution of “branded” or “integrated” content -- everywhere.  While that notion certainly is not completely new to marketers as we enter 2015, what is new is that for the first time, they will shift significant marketing dollars away from traditional media to more engaging and measurable digital platforms. 

Yes, there will be blood as digital begins to cannibalize traditional ad spends.  That’s why we have seen an accelerating pace of ad-tech company exits like increasingly video-focused Facebook’s reported $400-$500 million buy of LiveRail and Yahoo!’s recent $640 million acquisition of BrightRoll. 

But it doesn’t end there.  Several brands will go even further and invest big to become millennial-driven, digital-first MCN-like media companies themselves.  Red Bull is the poster child here, aggressively developing and aggregating its own video content for digital consumption whenever, wherever.  GoPro, Marriott, and Pepsi also have proudly announced such ambitions.  Make no mistake.  We are not just talking advertising and marketing here.  We are talking whole new media businesses for brands, bringing them head-on against both studios and other MCNs.  Red Bull, in fact, operates its “Media House” studio as a separate P&L and is measured by its stand-alone success.

Those who listened closely in 2014 heard (and internalized) these smartphone-driven digital-first media transformational winds of change.  So, listen closely now.  Do you hear it?  Yes, that is the “whoosh” of massive mounds of money changing hands all around the video ecosystem.  Just last week, Warner Bros. led an additional $24 million round in gamer-focused Machinima -- and a few weeks before that, BSKYB and Liberty Global formally announced their $28 million Series B round with others in Whistle Sports – a double-barreled MCN big bang to start the year.

In the immortal words of Karen Carpenter (how ‘bout that for a deep reference?), “We’ve only just begun …”.

YouTube V. Facebook, Amazon, Apple - Clash of the Video Titans (& The Role of DNA)

It's a wrap for the Digital Entertainment World (DEW) Expo in LA -- a conference in its second year that celebrates precisely what is happening now in the media & entertainment business -- which is what most call "disruption."  But, I call it "transformation" -- a positive (but authentic, real) "take" on the massive new opportunities to reach, build, and effectively engage with, an audience in our increasingly multi-platform world ... well, at least for those who accept new realities and have the resolve to act.

Yesterday, I moderated an "all about MCNs" panel with nothing but A-list executive talent.  But, MCNs are just one part of the overall digital-first video ecosystem that is at the center of the fundamental media and entertainment transformation in which we find ourselves -- an ecosystem that was birthed by YouTube, which remains the "mother of all video platforms."

Now, for the first time, even mother YouTube faces what seemed to be almost unthinkable just one year ago -- i.e., real formidable challengers.  THESE are the conversations that took place at DEW.  On the stages ... and, even more importantly in the bars of the Hyatt Hotel where liquor flowed and candid discussions followed.

YouTube "challengers" are everywhere.  And many loudly preach (more like screech) their "alternative platform" gospel to every would-be believer.

Who are these contenders?

Well, you have your primarily short-form video-focused MCNs about which I write regularly.  Leaders include broad-based Maker Studios (now owned by Disney), Fullscreen (now owned by Otter Media, the JV of AT&T and The Chernin Group) and Collective Digital Studio; fashion/beauty young female-focused StyleHaul (now essentially owned by Euro-based media company RTL Group); young male gamer-focused Machinima; foodie-focused Tastemade; sports-focused Whistle Sports; Latino-focused Mitu; urban-focused All Def Digital (with the perfect acronym ADD for our short "bite-sized" vid world); and dance-focused DanceOn.  All of these now actively look to find their audiences on as many "off YouTube" platforms as possible.

Next you have young OTT/MCN upstarts like high-profile Vessel which punches above its weight and hopes to open subscription-based distribution exclusivity windows while others (Netflix) try to slam them shut.

You also have social sharing sites like Twitter and increasingly Snapchat.  Snapchat, a media company?  Really?  Just discover "Discover."  And talk to the CEOs from the leading MCNs.  Snapchat matters. A lot.

You now even have your major brands that advertise on all of these platforms.  Lifestyle brands Red Bull and GoPro aim to be your first-choice destination for a certain, specific action/adventure segment of short-form video content that historically has found its home on YouTube.

Then, you have your established major OTTs like Netflix and Hulu who -- at least up to this point -- focus instead almost exclusively on longer-form motion picture and television content.  That will change over time.  It is inevitable.  Each must play more effectively in the mobile space -- and that means short-form video content.  Just trust me on this one.

You also have your major carriers like AT&T (via its Otter Media partnership with The Chernin Group) and Verizon (via the OnCue OTT platform that it acquired from Intel) getting into the OTT game with their own major plays.

And, of course, you have your more "traditional" cable/satellite companies entering the fray (case in point, Dish Networks' surprisingly heavily-discussed new Sling TV service which is getting real "buzz" here at DEW for what it represents).

But, YouTube's biggest challenger right now in the minds of those at DEW clearly is Facebook.  The votes are unanimous there.  Less obvious -- but real, very real -- are the other two 800 pound gorillas known as Amazon and Apple.

When considering the media ambitions of all 4 behemoths -- YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, Apple -- consider this.  While each of their ultimate video ambitions are roughly the same (essentially to "own it all" -- both short form and long form video), their individual core DNA is not.  And, that unique individualized DNA colors each company's particular video offering and opportunity, as well as the video opportunity for both brands and those who buy from them (in other words, us).

To understand what I mean in this DNA discussion of genetics, first, let's recap.

YouTube is a video destination first and foremost.  It was built for our viewing pleasure.  Plain and simple.  Yes, we can (and do) share videos.  But, we primarily come here to find something of interest and watch.  Passively.  And, YouTube makes money from ads served against that watching.

Facebook -- the video challenger on everyone's lips at DEW -- has fundamentally different DNA.  Facebook is all about sharing.  We go to Facebook to share pieces of our lives and pick up the breadcrumbs of others.  Yes, we can (and do) watch videos.  But, we primarily come here (at least up to this point) to share.  Actively.  And, so while Facebook, like YouTube, makes money primarily from serving ads, the path to (and mindset of) engagement with those ads is very different.  And, the numbers related to engagement bear this out.  Check out this excellent analysis from Advertising Age to take a look behind the curtain.

How about Amazon?  NOT a YouTube competitor, you say?  Don't be fooled.  Amazon wants to own it all.  Yes, Amazon Prime is front and center with its premium long-form movies and television.  But, take a closer look.  That's right, there it is -- something called "Amazon Shorts" that looks a lot like YouTube.  So, now we increasingly watch videos on Amazon.  But, let's face it, we still primarily come to shop, because Amazon's core DNA is commerce.  And, Amazon's differentiated genetics put it in a unique position to effectively monetize videos through commerce.  Videos serve as a marketing spend -- digital billboards that drive us into its virtual store.  Intriguing.  Very.

And then there's Apple .... don't forget this $700 billion juggernaut, of course, because although it has laid largely dormant on the video side (causing all of us to occasionally scratch our heads), let's not forget that little thing called iTunes.  And, reports just recently surfaced, once again, that Apple hopes to launch its own OTT streaming service to become our video platform of choice.  Speculation abounds that Apple's OTT play may be akin to DISH's stripped-down programming bundle approach known as Sling TV.

But, here's my guess.  Apple will not launch its OTT service unless and until its OTT package includes ESPN -- THE critical pay TV ingredient.  And, let's not forget that small little detail that Apple has a long and uniquely cozy relationship with ESPN's owner (Disney) (Jobs/Pixar, anyone?).  If Apple were able to score ESPN (just like only iTunes scored The Beatles), that move alone would be a game-changer.

Why would Apple play in the "alternative YouTube" world?  Sure, incremental revenues are nice.  But, that's not it.  Instead, Apple's DNA reflexively drives its actions -- and Apple's core DNA is not like any of the others.  It is hardware pure and simple (Samsung shares that same DNA via Milk Video).  Apple makes its money by selling "cool" metal -- iPhones, iPads, iWatches and the inevitable iTV (and perhaps even ultimately the iTesla?).  We ride the video Trojan Horse into our neighborhood Apple Stores (in the same way Apple bought Beats Music to build it's music streaming Trojan Horse).

So many video players, and oh so little time.

YouTube.  What to do, what to do?  Well, for now, YouTube remains the "must be there" platform for creators.  We also are still very, very early in the overall digital video game.  So, while YouTube's ultimate market share will be chipped away, that reality will be countered by significantly (massively) more volume.  And, just like long-form video platforms like Amazon and Netflix increasingly play on YouTube's short-form turf, YouTube will play on their home courts and seek to steal share from the in the long-form video space.

After all, many of these players' ultimate vision is to own it all -- be your single destination for all your video needs -- short-form, long-form, and everything in between.

Pay TV Packages, Re-Imagined -- “The Great Unbundling” of Fall 2014

2014 is a transformative year for the media and entertainment business.  We will look back several years from now and fully realize this.

And, it’s not just about MCNs and the continuing litany of massive M&A and strategic investment.  Its about fundamental changes in the underlying forces (including the ascension of millennial mobile video consumption and engagement) that drive consumer behavior. 

Case in point Pay TV bundles.  These remarkable past 6-8 weeks mark THE moment in time at which previously sacred traditional cable/satellite pay TV programming bundles -- and the decades old business models behind them -- came under serious fire by concrete strategic actions by central players amidst this accelerating mobile and OTT video reality (and the consumers -- especially millennials -- behind it).  Yes, there has long been talk of such moves.  But, now major players in the overall ecosystem are taking real transformative action.  (For a great discussion about potential “winners” and “losers” in this great unbundling of pay TV packages, read Todd Spangler’s piece in Variety linked here.)

In October, HBOand CBSeach announced in rapid succession that they would offer their own stand-alone over-the-top (OTT) services.  No cable or satellite subscription required.  Competing Starz network later confirmed its own major international-focused strategic initiative to that same end.  And, AT&T – which just recently was integral in the acquisition of leading MCN Fullscreen via its $500 million Otter Media joint venture with The Chernin Group – also just recently entered the unbundling fray.  A few weeks back, AT&T announced a new $39/month U-Verse programming bundle that includes HBO and Amazon Prime video, together with basic cable programming PLUS broadband.  Via this new stripped down efficient package, AT&T smartly targets cord cutters -- and, importantly, the increasing number of “cord nevers” (those, especially young adults, who never subscribed to programming packages in the first place). 

Other cases in point.  Viacom recently licensed 22 of its live and VOD premium networks to Sony for its new OTT service for PlayStation, Sony TVs and other Sony connected devices.  Verizon joined these others and announced an early 2015 launch for its long-anticipated “virtual” MSO that is so virtual, it is wireless -- specifically designed for mobile.  And, critically, core to its new service, Verizon announced a down-sized “bite-sized” cable-lite programming package that features mobile-friendly MCN AwesomenessTV short form video, in addition to big 4 broadcaster content and NFL games (via its existing exclusive smartphone deal).  When announcing its new service, Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam expressly pronounced what was almost unthinkable not long ago – i.e., that “among cable programmers, there’s been an attitude shift among cable programmers toward accepting a new over-the-top model for delivering pay TV.”

Welcome to “The Great Unbundling” of 2014. Transformative times in the media and entertainment business – particularly in the past few weeks.  

Bundle together these disruptive deals of just the past month or so and you have yourselves a digital media revolution ....

Cut This! (The Cable Bundle, NOT The Cord ...)

Welcome to the great unbundling.

2014 is a transformative year for the media business.  We will look back several years from now and fully realize this.  So, internalize that now.

First, anyone who reads my blog knows that we are in the midst of MCN fever.  Not a fad.  But a fever.  A fever justified by the onset of a new world order -- the rapid ascension of millennial mobile video consumption and engagement which, in turn, accelerates the need for (and fuels the development of) compelling premium short form video optimized for that platform.  That means a growing need for media companies successful playing in that world.  And that means the growing importance of MCNs, which explains 2014’s accelerating pace of MCN M&A.  The latest and greatest example, of course, is this past Monday’s Fullscreen/Otter Media mega-deal (here are my predictions of which MCNs may be next).

But, there’s much much more in 2014, particularly in this remarkable month of September.  This month marks THE moment in time at which previously sacred traditional cable/satellite programming bundles -- and the decades old business models behind them -- came under serious fire by concrete actions (rather than talk) amidst this accelerating mobile and OTT video reality (and the consumers -- especially millennials -- behind it).  Yes, there has long been such talk.  But, this month there has been real disruptive action.

AT&T -- no longer your father’s AT&T with all of its remarkable digital moves in 2014 (including its acquisition of MCN Fullscreen noted above via its $500 million Otter Media joint venture with The Chernin Group) -- is leading the charge.  Yes, THAT AT&T.  Earlier this week, AT&T announced its new $39/month U-Verse programming bundle that includes HBO and Amazon Prime video, together with basic cable programming PLUS broadband.  That’s right.  HBO!  Via this new stripped down efficient package, AT&T smartly targets cord cutters (“come on back”) -- and, importantly, the increasing number of “cord nevers” (those, especially young adults, who never entered the fold in the first place due to traditional bundle pricing).  Sure this news got some real press.  But, am not sure it is fully appreciated.  This new bundle is a very big deal.  And, make no mistake, others will rapidly follow suit.

Other cases in point.  Earlier this month, Viacom licensed 22 of its live and VOD premium networks to Sony for its new OTT service for PlayStation, Sony TVs and other Sony connected devices.  And, in rapid succession, Verizon announced an early 2015 launch for its long-anticipated “virtual” MSO that is so virtual, it is wireless -- specifically designed for mobile.  And, critically, core to its new service, Verizon announced a down-sized “bite-sized” cable-lite programming package that features mobile-friendly MCN AwesomenessTV short form video, in addition to big 4 broadcaster content and NFL games (via its existing exclusive smartphone deal).

When announcing its new service, Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam proudly exclaimed the almost unthinkable -- that “among cable programmers, there’s been an attitude shift among cable programmers toward accepting a new over-the-top model for delivering pay TV.”  And, Verizon’s McAdam was not alone.  CEO Jeff Bewkes of Time Warner emphasized the company’s growing interest in offering HBO Go as a stand-alone OTT service -- absolute heresy ... until now (as I indicated previously).

2014. Transformative times in the annals of the media business.  A time of massive new opportunities for those brave enough to pursue them (and strong enough to withstand the pain of the current disruption).

Otter Media Buys Fullscreen -- Was #1 On My Prediction List Back in April

BREAKING MCN News -- Otter Media (JV between The Chernin Group and AT&T) buys leading MCN Fullscreen at a deal reported to be valued between $200-$300 million.

Back in April, I predicted this.  In fact, Fullscreen was #1 on my MCN “hit” list in my post titled “MCNs -- And Then There Were None ... My Predictions.”

Who’s next?  MCN activity certainly isn’t stopping any time soon ...

MCN 101 - A “Cheat Sheet” for Key Multi-Platform Video M&A, Strategic & VC Investments, Partnerships

The overall multi-platform video/media and multi-channel network (MCN) space continues to be white hot, with accelerating M&A, strategic and venture capital investments, and an ever-growing list of significant strategic partnerships.  Tough to keep up with it all, but my team and I at Manatt Digital Media follow the space very closely.  To help, here is a scorecard/“cheat sheet" of key representative (1) M&A, (2) strategic investments, (3) VC investments, and (4) strategic partnerships -- all in reverse chronological order (most recent first, so that you can get a sense of the accelerating pace, even during the purportedly slow-moving dog days of summer):

I.  MCN M&A

StyleHaul (the leading fashion-focused MCN) heavily rumored to be up for sale right now – potential buyers said to include Hearst, Conde Nast, Amazon and 21st Century Fox

Rightster (London-based digital video distribution company) acquired European-based Base79 in early August 2014 for up to $85 million

Legendary Entertainment acquired Geek & Sundry (geek culture) in late July 2014 for an undisclosed sum

Otter Media widely rumored in late July 2014 to be mulling over taking a majority stake in leading MCN FullScreen for a sum reported to be between $200-$300 million (no updates since initial reports)

Otter Media (the $500 million joint venture of The Chernin Group and AT&T) acquired Creativebug (DIY videos) from Demand Media for $10 million mid-July 2014

Relativity Media was widely rumored to have bid for leading horizontally-focused Fullscreen for an amount reported to be between $500 million to $1 billion in early May 2014 (since that time, Otter Media is rumored to be the leading contender -- as discussed above)

DreamWorks/AwesomenessTV acquired boutique MCN and YouTube talent agency Big Frame for  $15 million in early April 2014

Disney acquired Maker Studios in the mid-March 2014 mega $500-$950 million deal that fueled and accelerated all of this year’s MCN activity

DreamWorks acquired AwesomenessTV for $100 million+ in the first major MCN deal in early May 2013

Consider all other major vertically-focused MCNs to be in “play” at this point, given all of the M&A activity (here are my predictions about likely M&A targets from a few months back).  

II.  MCN Strategic Investment

As opposed to M&A, this category represents major media companies who have taken significant equity stakes in (but not outright acquisition of) leading MCNs:

Scripps and Liberty Media invested $25 million in leading foodie-focused MCN Tastemade in late June 2014

AT&T and The Chernin Group committed $500 million in April 2014 to fund the new Otter Media joint venture to acquire, invest in and launch OTT services (including leading anime-focused MCN Crunchyroll

Warner Bros invested $18 million in leading and pioneering young male and gamer-focused MCN Machinima in early March 2014 (just before Disney’s acquisition of Maker Studios)

German media powerhouse ProSieben acquired a 20% stake in Collective Digital Studios for an undisclosed 8 figure sum in March 2014

AMC Networks invested $4 million in leading dance-focused MCN DanceOn in October 2013 (NOTE -- Manatt Digital Media is an investor in DanceOn)

III.  MCN Venture Capital Investment

As opposed to the strategic corporate investments discussed above, here are key multi-platform video/MCN-related venture capital investments:

Blue-chip Silicon Valley based VC Andreessen Horowitz invested $50 million to fund premium video development in BuzzFeed in early August 2014

Russel Simmon’s urban culture-focused All DefDigital raised $5 million from Greycroft, AdvancitCapital, E.ventures, and Nu Horizons in early August 2014

German-based MCN Mediakraft Networks raised $23 million from Iris Capital, Capnamic Ventures, Shortcut Ventures in early July 2014

Leading Latino-focused MiTu Networks raised $10 million from Upfront Ventures and existing investors mid-June 2014

Leading sports-focused MCN The Whistle raised $10 million ($18 million to date) from SeventySix Capital and “name brand” long-time media execs Bob DuPuy, Garry Laybourne, Bob Pittman in mid-May 2014

Tastemade earlier raised $10 million from Raine Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Comcast Ventures in August 2013

Fullscreen previously raised an undisclosed 8-figure sum from The Chernin Group, Comcast Ventures, and WPP in June 2013

StyleHaul previously raised $17 million from Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, RTL Group, RezVenPartners 

IV.  MCN Strategic Partnerships

As opposed to outright M&A or investment, MCN growth also is fueled by strategic partnerships.  Here are a representative few:

The Whistle just announced a major new distribution partnership with Xbox which included a major branded content component with Suburu (August 2014)

Mitu Networks just announced a major new content development and multi-platform distribution partnership with Spanish language media giant Televisa (August 2014)

FC Barcelona will use Dailymotion’s video player on their site and Dailymotion will launch FC Barcelona channel, dedicated to soccer (announced early August 2014)

Fox Sports Digital is partnering with Sporting News Media to share and swap libraries of editorial and video content (announced late July 2014)

Conde Naste launches pioneering brand-focused The Scene with content partners including AOL, ABC News, Forbes, BuzzFeed, Vox Media (announced mid-July 2014)

The Whistle announces continuous string of mega-content co-creation, co-distribution and co-promotion deals with the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, PGA Tour, AVP Beach Volleyball, Harlem Globetrotters (ongoing throughout 2014)

Maybelline announced a deal with StyleHaul in June 2014 for branded content in its YouTube channels (with StyleHaul videos also appearing in Maybelline’s content hub and on TV)

Leading media company Lionsgate and Freddie Wong’s RocketJump Studios agree to a multi-year film, TV and digital content alliance (announced April 2014)

Mediakraft and British Pathe announce a major content deal in April 2014 to bring 85,000 videos to YouTube from their historical film archives of to YouTube – 4/14

NOTE -- these certainly are key strategic MCN/multi-platform video “moves” -- but certainly not all of them.  

And, the action is still in its early innings ...

Leading video “pub” VideoInk also published this article, under a different name.