Content Media Share Discussion Threads

[cardiffian] 08/6/2011 20:39

dj...I think they're due toward the end of July....21st last year, but you never know.

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Confirmation - ('Heartland' - Season 5 and 'Republic of Doyle' - Season 3).

[djderry] 04/6/2011 23:41

I expect we'll get the full year results by the end of the month.What are the odds that Sagansky will have another go?

[cardiffian] 04/6/2011 17:25

I see CMCP have now removed Mr. Woolf from the major shareholders page. Unfortunately they seem to have 'forgotten' to put a date next to McCluggage, which seems very odd considering the last transaction undertaken by him (that we've been notified of) was back in February.

WHY ????

[cardiffian] 03/6/2011 18:25

Peter Cowley joins Enteraction board
Fri, 3 Jun 2011 | By Jessica Davies

[diesel] 02/6/2011 10:59

you're right Pimp....if only the demise of this company was that simple...

[pimp] 02/6/2011 09:32

If you check back when fireworks was taken over i recall part of the `deal ` was the `new` fireworks company were excluded from litigation before the take over.If this is the case i dont know how that may be enforceable.

[cardiffian] 01/6/2011 14:34

I read about this lawsuit last February but then lost the article and haven't been able to find it again, so here's an article dated from yesterday.

This on-going lawsuit probably had a negative impact on the share price also.


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$20 million Lawsuit Drags Paramount Into War Between Film Producers
May 31 10:40 PM 5/31/2011 by Eriq Gardner

Six years ago, Paramount Pictures was informed of a dispute between two production partners involved in making nearly a dozen films together. The studio was warned that it would be subject to a copyright infringement lawsuit if it continued to distribute some of those films. Now, Paramount has been hit with a $20 million lawsuit for allegedly continuing to do so.

The movies involved include Rules of Engagement, An American Rhapsody, The Believer, Who is Cletis Tout? and Onegin.

The films were created more than a decade ago by production partners CineVisions and FireWorks Entertainment, which have been battling over rights to these films ever since. CineVisions maintains it has registered the copyright on the screenplays and/or films, while FireWorks believes they were created as works made for hire.

In the decade since the dispute first erupted, both of these companies have been acquired by others -- Seven Arts Filmed Entertainment now is the successor to CineVisions; Content Media Corporation is now the successor to FireWorks.

In February, Seven Arts got the Ontario Superior Court to affirm its copyright over these films. Since then, Content's motions to set aside that decision have been denied.

Now Seven Arts has turned its attention to Paramount, which it accuses of infringing copyright on the films despite warning letters sent in 2005 to the company's former deputy general counsel David Friedman.

According to those letters, Paramount was informed that FireWorks had no right to the pictures and there was no agreement in place for continued distribution of the pictures. Paramount is said to have considered getting indemnity from an intermediate successor of FireWorks and was warned against such an action.

Nevertheless, Paramount allegedly continued to distribute the pictures.

Now, Seven Arts is suing Paramount for failing to comply with those demands sent six years ago. On Thursday, it filed a $20 million copyright infringement lawsuit against the studio in U.S. District Court in California and also says that it is in the process of filing a companion lawsuit in the UK against the studio.

Paramount was not a party to the Canadian litigation and the enforceability of the Canadian judgment is questionable. It's likely that Seven Arts will need to reprove their copyright claims.

A Paramount spokesperson declined to comment on a pending legal matter.

[djderry] 25/5/2011 20:47

If I were giving management a score out of ten,then I'd award them a 6.5 with a 'must try harder' comment.On the plus side,the purchase of Fireworks was transformational.The outstanding receivables paid down a good chunk of the purchase price.Their ability to pay down debt was excellent up to 2008.The addition of the CBC library was quite an achievment.Notice how other companies complained of a 'sweetheart' deal:Content's connections paid off.Obviously debt increased as a result.The sales agency business has forged a strong link with Harmony Gold.I wouldn't be surprised if they try to buy it.On the minus side,Allumination took far too long to fix.

[diesel] 24/5/2011 19:41

dj...got it bang on....the management seem to have lost any appetite for restoring/growing this business, seems they are happy taking their ludicrous pay considering the market cap, and ticking over to retirement.

[djderry] 23/5/2011 20:50

Thanks again cardiffian.With the share price on the floor (admittedly the least useful piece of information about a stock),I think the full year results take on added significance.If we take Entertainment One as the benchmark (a much larger co.,I know,with greater synergies but with lots in common,big in Canada,etc) then 20% EBITDA and 40% increase in pre-tax profits is a formidable comparison.If Content come nowhere near it,then the vultures will start to circle.Then,the issue will be :do management (or former management in US) or another co. take them out.As a Winchester Entertainment investor,I want the co. to stay independent but we need to start seeing results.Jam today,please!

[cardiffian] 23/5/2011 16:47

Phase 4 Films Signs On-Demand Contract with Rentrak

--Another Studio Taps Rentrak's Database Currency for New Video-On-Demand Offering--

PORTLAND, Ore., May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rentrak Corporation (NASDAQ: RENT), the leader in multi-screen media measurement serving the advertising, television and entertainment industries, today announced that Phase 4 Films, a client of Rentrak's Box Office Essentials service, has chosen to tap Rentrak's multiscreen measurement capabilities by signing an OnDemand Essentials contract in order to manage and grow its on-demand business.

Phase 4 Films is one of the leading full service independent studios in the U.S. and Canada and distributes a catalogue of over 1,500 titles; creating one of the largest independent libraries in North America.

"Phase 4 is now directly distributing video-on-demand, a category that is highly competitive. OnDemand Essentials is our choice for providing timely, accurate and actionable information for our movie titles," said David Richardson, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Phase 4 Films.

"OnDemand Essentials continues to increase its market share of network subscriptions and this latest subscription continues to reinforce Rentrak as the currency for the on-demand platform," said Gordon Jones, Rentrak's Vice President of OnDemand Essentials.

Rentrak's OnDemand Essentials processes daily, census-level on-demand data representing over 80 million set-top boxes from 38 cable, telco and satellite providers and 100% of the top-25 operators offering video-on-demand. Rentrak's extensive on-demand data is used by more than 150 network and studio clients.

About Rentrak Corporation

Rentrak (NASDAQ: RENT) is a global digital media measurement and research company, serving the most recognizable companies in the entertainment industry. With a reach across numerous platforms including box office, multi-screen television, and home video, Rentrak has developed more efficient metrics to be used as database currencies for the evaluation and selling of media. Rentrak is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with additional U.S. and international offices. For more information on Rentrak, please visit www.rentrak.com.

RENTM

About PHASE 4 FILMS

Phase 4 Films distributes feature films and special interest content across all traditional theatrical and new media platforms in North America. The Company recently entered the video-on-demand (VOD) space, with both day-and-date theatrical and VOD releases, as well as VOD World Premieres. Phase 4's previous releases include THE FREEBIE starring Dax Shepard; 50 DEAD MEN WALKING, starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess; and VIDAL SASSOON THE MOVIE, director Craig Teper's revealing, and inspirational portrait of the iconic hairdresser who changed the world with a pair of scissors. Upcoming releases include the U.S. release this Fall of ANOTHER HAPPY DAY, Sam Levinson's dark comedy about a dysfunctional family, starring Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Burstyn, and Ezra Miller; and the Canadian release of Kevin Smith's RED STATE starring Michael Parks, Melissa Leo, John Goodman and Kyle Gallner

[djderry] 21/5/2011 19:31

In my opinion,management need to do three things to restore shareholder value:1,Earn profits,ie,buy tv,film and digital rights at reasonable valuations and sell them at a profit,2,continue to pay down bank debt and 3,initiate a share buy-back.It's not rocket science.

[djderry] 20/5/2011 20:13

Please not another 'Peace Arch Entertainment' style bid for the company.The last one was a fiasco,management falling over themselves to hoist the white flag just as our suitors were shown to wear big hats but had no cattle,metaphorically speaking.This pre-empted the share price collapse.

[cardiffian] 20/5/2011 12:27

For anyone who's interested, Nasdaq ticker EAGLU

[cardiffian] 20/5/2011 10:59

Sloan, Sagansky plan Global Eagle swoop

Former US studio chiefs Harry Sloan and Jeff Sagansky have raised US$190m for their newly created media investment fund.

Global Eagle Acquisition Corp will use the money to invest in and acquire media and entertainment businesses in the US and overseas.

The pair had hoped to bring in about US$175m by selling shares in the new company. The IPO was heavily oversubscribed, however.

Sloan was most recently head of MGM and was the founder of Europe's SBS Broadcasting.

Sagansky was previously president of CBS Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment. He also oversaw Peace Arch Entertainment for a while and has invested in companies including RHI Entertainment and ContentFilm.

"Jeff and I are encouraged by the strong demand for our stock, and are excited to embark on the global search for a dynamic business to acquire for Global Eagle," said Sloan.

"We believe that our substantial experience in acquiring and managing media companies, combined with Global Eagle's flexible company structure, will facilitate a large and attractive acquisition."

Michael Pickard
19 May 2011
© C21 Media 2011

[cardiffian] 18/5/2011 10:44

Phase 4 Films Acquires Canadian Rights to Kevin Smith's 'Red State'
3:16 PM 5/17/2011 by THR staff



or

PHASE 4 FILMS ACQUIRES CANADIAN RIGHTS TO
KEVIN SMITH'S RED STATE

[djderry] 17/5/2011 22:34

I don't know the answer but I guess the preference shareholders would have to be redeemed first.From memory there are about 38 million shares issued at around 22p?

[jaf1969] 17/5/2011 13:20

If the management wanted to take this private can someone confirm how the price is agreed? Is an offer made to the majority shareholders?

I understand the fees and reporting requirements for AIM are no longer viable for some small companies.

[cardiffian] 16/5/2011 21:30

I was going to place a different link re the release date for 'Ironclad' in the US but as this has such a good write-up, I thought I'd put this link up instead. The only thing it fails to mention though, is that apart from the theatrical date of July 8, the film goes VOD first on June 1.

[cardiffian] 16/5/2011 21:18

"BLOODRAYNE: THE THIRD REICH"
Posted by Michael Gingold May 13, 2011

[cardiffian] 16/5/2011 21:16

Phase 4 Has "Another Happy Day"
by Peter Knegt (May 13, 2011)

[cardiffian] 16/5/2011 20:21

The Works Takes 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold' for the U.K. (Cannes)
7:43 AM 5/16/2011 by Stuart Kemp

[cardiffian] 13/5/2011 22:07

My goodness, a film acquisition starring Liev Schreiber.

Well done Jamie and team, now you're talking !! Films seemingly of a better calibre.