Mergers and acquisitions continue to heat up in the online video market and consolidation in the space is not just happening to video technology companies. In a strategic move that merges two hot web TV news and promotion properties, LA-based web television company Tubefilter, Inc. has acquired New York-based web televsion news and media company Tilzy.TV, LLC, according to paidContent who broke the story last night. Respected leaders in web television news industry, both companies have been leading authorities in covering episodic web television and web series and passionate advocates of the space. Tubefilter and Tilzy have each spent considerable time and energy over the past few years working to grow the audience of web television through industry events like first annual the Streamy Awards, which they co-produced with NewTeeVee, Tubefilter's Hollywood Web Television events and Tilzy’s annual Onfronts, which matches online entertainment executives with the press and major advertisers and the creation of the International Academy of Web Television.
Tilzy was founded by Jamison Tilsner and Joshua Cohen in early 2007 and have both reported on the growth and guided the web video scene. In a joint statement on Tilzy.TV, Jamison and Joshua said:
"Though our form has changed over time, our goals today are much the same as when we launched. The industry and artistry that we've watched develop look much as Josh and I anticipated when we began our conversations about the medium in 2006. Though it has taken longer than we ever expected, the efforts of those devoted to online video have brought upon a seismic shift that benefits both creators and consumers. We're proud to have grown up with this community. The combination of Tilzy.TV and Tubefilter — under the Tubefilter brand — will allow the five founders to best serve the community of creators devoted to the advancement of open entertainment. "
Founders of both companies will be taking on new roles with official corporate titles.
(Left to Right) Brady Brim-DeForest, Marc Hustvedt, Jamison Tilsner, Josh Cohen and Drew Baldwin (Photo by Wm. Marc Salsberry)
- Tubefilter co-founder Drew Baldwin will serve as Senior Vice President, Product
- Tubefilter co-founder, Brady Brim-DeForest, has been named CEO of Tubefilter, Inc.
- Joshua Cohen is the new Chief Information Officer,
- Tubefilter co-founder Marc Hustvedt will serve as Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Tubefilter News
- Jamison Tilsner is the new Chief Operating Officer
Now as one company, things just got interesting, as Marc Hustvedt said:
"Going forward, Tubefilter is now a bi-coastal media company, with offices in Los Angeles and New York. This allows us to expand our operations and with that our News coverage, adding a strong crop of writers with solid backgrounds in web entertainment. And in terms of events, the Web TV Meetups will now be signature events on both coasts, bringing together online creative communities for some quality face time."
Congratulations to Brady, Drew, Marc, Jamison and Josh! Thanks for your tireless efforts in growing the audience of web television and building out the online entertainment ecosystem!
About Tubefilter, Inc.
Tubefilter is the definitive source for industry news, program reviews, events and online entertainment market intelligence services for the Web Television industry. Properties include Tubefilter News, the leading authority for Web television industry and Web series news; Onfronts, the annual upfronts for professional Web TV creators and advertisers; and business services, including entertainment industry market intelligence. The company is a pioneer in the digital content ecosystem and co-founded the annual Streamy Awards, which honors excellence in web television programming. Tubefilter is headquartered in Los Angeles and has offices in New York.
Email: info@tubefilter.tv
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See Marc Hustvedt next month at Streaming Media West moderate, Web Television Comes of Age, on Tuesday, November 17, 2009.
Tubefilter also kicked off Web Television Week Fall, a full week of web television and digital entertainment related events from October 19-23, 2009 in Los Angeles.
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