Canada’s Bell Media has completed its investment in compatriot producer Blink49 Studios.
The deal was first unveiled in June, and sees broadcaster Bell become a shareholder in John Morayniss’ Blink49 alongside Fifth Season. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Blink49 said the deal would help it supercharge a slate of premium scripted and unscripted projects across Canada and international markets.
“We’re thrilled to officially close this deal and launch the next chapter of our collaboration with Bell Media,” said Morayniss, CEO, Blink49 Studios. “This partnership brings not only financial resources but also shared vision and strategic alignment, allowing us to grow our slate and reach new audiences at home and abroad.”
“Our collaboration with Blink49 will help Bell Media further our content and distribution goals and help us to deliver meaningful storytelling with domestic and global impact,” added Sean Cohan, President, Bell Media. “We look forward to working with John and the excellent Blink49 team.”
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Founded in 2021, Blink49 has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles, and makes shows such as Wild Cards and Beast Games, which it co-produces with Amazon MGM Studios.
Bell and Blink49 have already worked together on the likes of unscripted series Queen of the Castle and scripted series Don’t Even, Late Bloomer, Sight Unseen, and The Trades. Upcking are as Blue Collar and Yaga.
Bell has been active on the acquisitions front this past year, acquiring a majority stake in UK-based distributor Sphere Abacus, which already counted Bell-backed producer Sphere Media as an investor. It struck the deal for the Blink49 stake through investment arm Bell Ventures.
As for Blink49, the deal comes soon after it struck a strategic joint venture production partnership with Wild Cards co-producer Piller/Segan, as we first reported last month. It has stakes in the likes of Front Street Pictures and digital comedy studio Stapleview, and acquired Pier21 Films.