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Madvision Entertainment Acquires Legendary Soul Train Franchise From Founder Don Cornelius
June 17, 2008
(Los Angeles, CA) June 17, 2008 – Founder Don Cornelius today announced he has sold the Soul Train media franchise to MadVision Entertainment, Inc. MadVision Entertainment, Inc. is a multimedia company specializing in branded urban content and production, founded by respected industry professionals Kenard Gibbs, Peter Griffith and Anthony Maddox, and backed by private equity firm InterMedia Partners, L.P.
MadVision Entertainment’s acquisition of the iconic franchise, founded in 1970 by Don Cornelius, includes the brand and the production rights for the weekly Soul Train series, one of the longest running programs in television history, along with a catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage spanning the show’s legendary 37-year run.
“The Soul Train legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to Soul Train’s millions of fans. After years of offers, I feel the time is now finally right to pass the torch,” says Soul Train creator and executive producer Don Cornelius. “The MadVision team understands and respects my vision, and they share my own commitment to seeing the brand rise to the next level.”
“As one of the longest running shows in TV history, Soul Train has brought African-American music, its artists and the celebration of dance to the forefront of American popular culture,” says MadVision founder and principal Kenard Gibbs. “From James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson to Puff Daddy, Alicia Keyes and Justin Timberlake, the depth of talent that has crossed the Soul Train stage is without peer. Our goal is to preserve that legacy and expand the brand for the generations to come.”
Soul Train continues to air in syndication today, and MadVision sees numerous opportunities for the Soul Train franchise in multiple distribution platforms. “Soul Train has never been distributed in Home Video, Broadband and VOD,” says MadVision co-founder and principal, Peter Griffith. “There are still hundreds and hundreds of hours of iconic music, fashion and dance that are not being viewed today…but now will be. It is our intention to strategically distribute the library across multiple platforms and simultaneously create new branded content.”
Since its founding in 2006, MadVision has created “White Boyz in the Hood” for Showtime and numerous other shows and events, and is currently in production on “The Proving Ground” and “Extreme Comedy” with Lions Gate Films. InterMedia Partners, led by Leo Hindery and Peter Kern, is the primary investor in MadVision Entertainment, Inc.
Leo Hindery, Managing Partner of InterMedia Partners, said, “We are delighted that the amazing and amazingly gifted Don Cornelius, who created, nurtured and protected the Soul Train brand to its deserved place of prominence, has found the perfect successors to shepherd Soul Train into the future. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with three of the brightest young stars in urban media to preserve and expand Don’s legacy”.
About MadVision Entertainment, INC.
MadVision Entertainment is a multimedia company whose mission is to acquire and create content that can be branded and exploited across multiple media platforms. Founded by urban media industry executives Kenard Gibbs, Peter Griffith and Anthony Maddox, MadVision is deeply rooted in the urban cultural experience.
Principal and co-founder Kenard Gibbs currently serves as Group Publisher of Ebony and Jet Magazines and as President of the newly formed Ebony/Jet Entertainment Group. He previously served as President of VIBE Magazine.
Peter Griffith has served as executive producer for a series of projects for Lions Gate Films and Showtime Networks, among others. Griffith’s experience also includes Entertainment Consultant to Vibe Magazine and Founder/Chairman and CEO of the urban Internet portal Hookt.com.
Anthony Maddox has been ’Vice President of Bad Boy Films where he produced a variety of shows including Diddy Runs the City, Bad Boys of Comedy and Making the Band. Prior to joining MadVision, Maddox was the founder of MADMAN Entertainment where he developed and produced an E! Entertainment red carpet special for the VIBE Awards as well as projects for Lions Gate Films and Showtime.
About InterMedia Partners, L.P.
InterMedia Partners, L.P. is a private equity investment firm that makes control investments in media companies. Currently investing its seventh fund, InterMedia is focused on media content catering to underserved audiences. InterMedia, managed by co-managing partners Leo Hindery, Jr. and Peter Kern, is led by a group former media industry executives from the television, cable, print and Internet industries. InterMedia has ten portfolio companies in its current fund, including cable networks, magazine and book publishers, and Internet and content creation businesses.
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