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    NorthSouth partners with Hearst to form content shop Good Kicks Media

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2008 Views
    NorthSouth Productions CEO Charlie DeBevoise
    NEW YORK --

    NorthSouth Productions, the company behind the hit comedy series Impractical Jokers and long-running Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, is bringing its creative and distribution acumen directly to agencies, brands, PR firms, networks and others.

    In partnership with Hearst Entertainment, NorthSouth has formed Good Kicks Media, a hybrid content company offering creative and production services for branded content, network promos, and live activations.

    Good Kicks has already produced brand-related work for Marvel, Progresso, ESPN, and Discovery Networks. “We’ve been building popular media content for networks for 18 years,” said NorthSouth Productions CEO Charlie DeBevoise. “With the launch of Good Kicks, we’re spreading that success directly to brands.”

    Neeraj Khemlani, president of Hearst Entertainment, added, “NorthSouth is one of those rare creative shops that have produced highly-rated and long-lasting formats across various genres, audiences and networks. Charlie and his talented team are now bringing that network quality polish to the branded content, promo and experiential marketing universe.”

    To jumpstart the branded content division, DeBevoise has joined forces with Dean Crago, principal of SharpKnife Productions and former executive producer of Reveal 42, a post house in New York. Crago, who will serve as head of branded content, brings over 20 years of branded content development experience and a long list of top tier clients, including Johnson & Johnson, Listerine, Aveeno, Coca-Cola, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Sylvan Learning, Outback Steakhouse, Oral B, Crest, NASCAR, ESPN, Showtime Networks, HBO and JPMorgan Chase. Good Kicks has also tapped the promo market by hiring veteran artists, directors and editors David Klinkowize and Keith Crago.

    Good Kicks’ live activations arm is a branded adaptation of the events NorthSouth produces for networks. The company produced a high wire act in the middle of downtown Manhattan for an Impractical Jokers season finale that attracted 3,000 onlookers and gave TruTV high ratings and impressions. For another event, the company partnered with Nitro Circus to fill a stadium with 5,000 fans. “We create massive live events that attract thousands of spectators and generate huge media interest,” said DeBevoise.

    Tags:Good Kicks MediaHearst EntertainmentNorthSouth Productions



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

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