DHX Media Appoints Jon Gisby as Managing Director of its Rapidly Growing WildBrain Kids' Network
Entrepreneurial digital media executive to drive WildBrain's next phase of growth
HALIFAX, July 20, 2018 /CNW/ - DHX Media (or the "Company") (TSX: DHX, NASDAQ: DHXM), a global children's content and brands company, has appointed Jon Gisby to the position of Managing Director at WildBrain, its rapidly growing digital kids' network and studio, located in London, UK. WildBrain's branded YouTube network is one of the largest of its kind, featuring more than 110,000 videos for over 600 kids' brands in 22 languages. From July 2017 through June 2018, WildBrain grew annual watch time on its network by 134% to 129 billion minutes, across 25 billion views, while more than doubling subscribers to over 50 million.
Mr. Gisby brings twenty years of experience in the media sector, having held senior executive roles with video-on-demand platforms and broadcasters, such as leading music-video platform Vevo, the BBC and Channel 4, Yahoo! Europe, and Swedish streaming service Magine TV. Mr. Gisby has a proven track record of driving growth by distributing and monetizing content in new online markets.
Michael Donovan, Executive Chair and CEO, DHX Media, commented: "We welcome Jon as an excellent addition to our team and look forward to working with him as we continue to build momentum in the digital space for our content. Jon has the right mix of entrepreneurial energy, business acumen and creative spark to drive WildBrain to its next level of growth."
Jon Gisby added: "WildBrain is a great business run by an excellent team who are passionate about engaging kids all over the world with content from our brands and partners. I'm very excited to be joining at a time of such rapid growth, and to help build on their success."
Connecting kids' content owners with advertisers in the Advertising Video-on-Demand (AVOD) space, the WildBrain network features popular third-party brands such as Fireman Sam, Curious George, Shopkins and Ben 10, as well as much of DHX Media's world-renowned library of 13,000 half-hours of kids' and family content, including Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Degrassi, Yo Gabba Gabba! and many others.
About Jon Gisby
Jon Gisby, Managing Director, WildBrain, has spent twenty years leading, building and advising major companies that create and distribute premium digital content. He was one of the many architects of the BBC's strategy for online and on-demand services. As Managing Director of Freeserve, he built and monetized one of the UK's largest online audiences via a portfolio of hundreds of partnerships in media, technology and ecommerce. He became Managing Director of Yahoo! UK and later ran their media and communications products across Europe. As a Director at Channel 4, he transformed the broadcaster's digital services and culture by building 4oD into the UK's leading VOD business. He has subsequently helped launch several OTT video ventures including Rightster in the UK and Magine TV in Sweden and Germany. He was Head of Europe at Vevo, the joint venture between Sony Music and Universal Music Group which delivers 25 billion video views a month via OTT services and major partnerships. He also chairs the British Screen Advisory Council (BSAC), the UK's leading forum for senior commercial and policy executives in TV, Film, Games and Digital Media, whose members include the major broadcasters, studios, platforms and producers. He started his career in strategy consulting having graduated from Oxford, Johns Hopkins and Harvard Business School.
About DHX Media
DHX Media Ltd. (TSX: DHX, NASDAQ: DHXM) is a leading children's content and brands company, recognized globally for such high-profile properties as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, and the acclaimed Degrassi franchise. One of the world's foremost producers of children's shows, DHX Media owns the world's largest independent library of children's content, at 13,000 half-hours. It licenses its content to broadcasters and streaming services worldwide and generates royalties through its global consumer products program. Through its subsidiary, WildBrain, DHX Media operates one of the largest networks of children's channels on YouTube. Headquartered in Canada, DHX Media has offices worldwide. Visit us at www.dhxmedia.com.
Disclaimer
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" under applicable securities laws with respect to DHX Media including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential growth of WildBrain and the business strategies and operational activities of DHX Media. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on information currently available to the Company. Actual results or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, among other things, include risk factors discussed in materials filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time including matters discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form and annual Management Discussion and Analysis, which also form part of the Company's annual report on Form 40-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
SOURCE DHX Media Ltd.
Investor Relations: Nancy Chan-Palmateer - Director, Investor Relations, DHX Media Ltd., [email protected], +1 416-977-7358; Media: Shaun Smith - Director, Corporate & Trade Communications, DHX Media Ltd., [email protected], +1 416-977-7230
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