Candle Media Acquires Faraway Road Productions

Candle Media Acquires Exile Content Studio

May 24, 2022

Media & Entertainment

Candle Media, the media company led by Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs and backed by Blackstone funds, has acquired Exile Content Studio, a Los Angeles-based Spanish-language content studio founded by Isaac Lee. Exile's management will remain in place as the studio continues producing film, scripted and unscripted television, podcasts and digital projects to expand Candle's Spanish-language and creator-driven content capabilities.

Candle Media Acquires ATTN:

May 17, 2022

Media & Entertainment

Candle Media, a creator-focused media company backed by investment from Blackstone-managed funds, has agreed to acquire ATTN:, a Los Angeles-based purpose-driven digital media and creative studio. The acquisition will provide ATTN: with additional scale, capital and expertise to accelerate growth across social, network and streaming platforms while retaining ATTN:'s co-founders and senior management to run day-to-day operations.

The North Road Company Acquires Red Arrow Studios' U.S. Assets

July 6, 2022

Media & Entertainment

Peter Chernin launched The North Road Company and consolidated Chernin Entertainment, Words + Pictures and the newly acquired U.S. assets of Red Arrow Studios to form a global content studio. Providence Equity Partners committed up to $500 million of equity to support expansion and Apollo (through managed affiliates) provided $300 million of debt financing; ProSiebenSat.1 sold the U.S. production business to North Road.

Backstage Acquires FilmFreeway, Coverfly and Voice123

September 14, 2021

Media & Entertainment

Backstage, the freelancer marketplace and application suite for creators, announced the acquisitions of FilmFreeway, Coverfly and Voice123 — transactions supported by investor TA Associates. The deals expand Backstage’s creator tools and talent marketplaces by adding a film festival submissions platform (FilmFreeway), a writers’ discovery and data platform (Coverfly), and a global voiceover marketplace (Voice123).

SP Media Group Acquires Avenue Six Studios

May 20, 2025

Media & Entertainment

SP Media Group, led by producer Steven Paul, has acquired Avenue Six Studios, a production facility in Van Nuys, California. The studio — which includes four sound stages and a New York-style backlot — will be used for film, television, branded content and post-production as SP Media Group expands U.S.-based production capacity.

Future plc Acquires CinemaBlend from Gateway Blend

October 5, 2020

Media & Entertainment

Future plc has acquired CinemaBlend, a US-based digital entertainment publisher and division of Gateway Blend. The acquisition expands Future's reach in its TV & Film and Games & Entertainment verticals—particularly in the US—and provides opportunities to accelerate its WhatToWatch.com offering and diversify CinemaBlend's monetization through Future's proprietary technology.