Elation Media Acquires Video Assets of OTV Media Group, "Crown Jewel" of Body-Mind Content per Levin
Los Angeles CA and Jackson MS, July 9, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Century City-based OTV Media Group has agreed to sell its video library, trademarks, copyrights and other related intellectual properties for cash and stock to streaming media start-up Elation Media, Inc. based in Jackson, Mississippi and New York City.
Elation Chairman Gerald Levin called the 200 hour library “the crown jewel of body-mind content. It will give us a substantial initial inventory to launch our new programming services 90 days from closing our Series A round of financing.” Levin was one of HBO’s founders and its CEO before serving for a decade as Chairman/CEO of Time Warner.
"The sale comes at a perfect time since OTV Media is now focused purely on developing a select number of long form media properties. That enables me to focus full-time on growing Elation Media and its two consumer media brands, OTV Live and OTV On Demand," Schnitzer said.
Robert Schnitzer, CEO of Elation Media, Inc.
OTV Media Group founder and CEO Robert Schnitzer has assumed the CEO post at Elation Media as part of its acquisition of OTVMG’s library. “The sale comes at a perfect time since OTV Media is now focused purely on developing a select number of long form media properties. That enables me to focus full-time on growing Elation Media and its two consumer media brands, OTV Live and OTV On Demand,” Schnitzer said.
The video library consists of documentaries, interviews with authors and thought leaders, new age and fusion music concerts, rare footage of personalities from the genre’s past, yoga and exercise tutorials, as well as entertainment from a body-mind perspective.
Included are two recently-produced series of 50 webisodes each, which will premiere on OTV Live and OTV On Demand, as well as syndicated as sponsored content: “The Alternative Medicine Cabinet” with Kathy Gruver, PhD, a world-renown holistic health educator, and “The Cosmic Comic Hotline,” in which the satirical “Swami Beyondananda” answers life’s most profound questions in his flippant, playful style. The Swami’s creator, writer/comedian Steve Bhaerman, appears before sold-out audiences at holistic events worldwide. In the intro of each episode, he boasts, “If you have an answerable question, I have a questionable answer.”
OTV Live is a 24/7 linear service streaming exclusive body-mind news, cutting edge information and enlightened entertainment. OTV On Demand offers clips from OTV Live programming, full-length programs and pay-per-view coverage of live events, all in the body-mind, holistic lifestyle genre.
To complement its Series A crowdfunding strategy, Elation has chosen EquityNet.com as its lead crowdfunding platform. In addition, Schnitzer and Levin are engaged in discussions with several venture capital funds in the media sector. Website: ElationMedia.com.
According to Levin, “OTV Media Group was able to demonstrate proof-of-concept through a series of short-term, on demand carriage agreements with MSN, Charter, Cox, Time Warner, Dish and other multi-channel providers. Now Elation Media will use that library to jumpstart its business plan going forward, with sufficient marketing dollars and the stellar management team we are attracting.”
Schnitzer indicated Elation Media will be announcing those senior management appointments at the close of its current funding round.
Elation Media, Inc. is a vertically integrated content provider connecting advertisers and brands with highly engaged holistic consumers worldwide. The company delivers exclusive body-mind news, cutting edge information and enlightened entertainment to English language markets worldwide. It’s two consumer media brands are OTV Live and OTV On Demand. Website: http://www.ElationMedia.com.
OTV Media Group, Inc. develops, represents and packages select literary properties for motion pictures, TV movies and series and Internet TV webisodes and other programming content. Based in Century City in Los Angeles, California, the firm’s CEO is film producer and former director Robert Schnitzer.
Gerald Levin is the former Chairman/CEO of Time Warner Inc. He was the prime mover in the merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications in 1990, Time Warner’s merger with Turner Broadcasting and CNN in 1996, and with AOL in 2001. Before assuming leadership of Time Warner, he was CEO of HBO and was responsible for the startup of the network which he launched on cable and satellite. In addition, Levin has served as a Director of both the New York Stock Exchange and the New York Federal Reserve Bank. Earlier in his career, Levin was an attorney with Simpson Thacher and Bartlett. Levin graduated from Haverford College, and received a legal degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California and Rockport, Maine.
Robert Schnitzer is a media executive operating in both the creative and financial aspects of the global media business. In 1996, he founded holistic production company Oasis TV, Inc. and in 1997, its successor-in-interest OTV Media Group, Inc. Schnitzer came to prominence as a producer, director and screenwriter of several independent motion pictures and dozens of TV programs. In addition, Schnitzer has sold and arranged funding for various media ventures and is often called upon to speak at conferences and other industry events. A native of New York City, Schnitzer currently resides in Jackson, MS and maintains an office in Los Angeles, California and New York City.
Press Contact: Steve Allen, Steve Allen Media
(661) 255-8283
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Tags: Angel funding, Crowdfunding, Elation Media, Gerald Levin, holistic health, LOHAS, media investments, online TV, Private Equity, seed investors, Series A, venture capital
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