Sky has invested £300,000 in LA-based start-up TV4 Entertainment which owns a growing portfolio of special-interest TV channels aimed at audiences ‘underserved’ by traditional TV companies.
Distributed across US online platforms including Hulu, Amazon, Sony, Vimeo, YouTube and Roku, TV4’s portfolio includes a dozen channels with 30 new channels in development.
Its current portfolio includes DocComTV aimed at documentary diehards; All Warrior Network for fans of the warrior genre; Motorland, a video network for automotive enthusiasts; the Ultimate Champion Network which has programming for combat sports fans; and The Clarity Project, a channel exploring child illness.
The move is the latest in a long line of investments in start-ups by Sky, which so far includes Whistle Sports, Pluto TV and Sharethrough.
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“This exciting investment will help us develop our understanding of niche content genres and what audiences are most passionate about,” said Emma Lloyd, director of corporate business development at Sky.
“We are committed to developing partnerships right across our business that support and extend our leadership position in content and innovation. We look forward to working with the team at TV4 Entertainment as they continue to grow.”
Jon Cody, founder and CEO, TV4 Entertainment, added: “Our goal in this round of investment was to bring on strategic global investors that could unlock business opportunities as we expand internationally over the next year.
“Bringing Europe’s top entertainment company in Sky into the TV4 Entertainment family is the perfect fit for this mandate. We look forward to growing the value of the company for our shareholders while bringing tomorrow’s television to viewers across the globe today.”
