Key Takeaways
- Lighthearted Entertainment, the company behind MTV’s reality series Are You The One?, has been acquired by Canadian company Blink49 Studios.
- The acquisition marks an expansion of Blink49’s unscripted business, with Lighthearted’s Presidents Rob LaPlante and Jeff Spangler becoming Co-Presidents, Formats, at Blink49 Studios.
- The deal allows Lighthearted to take advantage of Canada’s production ecosystem, including incentives and talent, and will enable the company to expand its slate and grow its partnerships.
- Blink49 Studios’ unscripted business produces series such as WeTV’s The Braxtons and Amazon’s Romcon: Who The F**k Is Jason Porter, while its scripted side is behind Wild Cards and Sight Unseen.
- Lighthearted Entertainment produces series including Peacock’s Queens Court, Bravo’s Kings Court, and Netflix’s The Trust: A Game of Greed, and was recently nominated for an NAACP Image Award for its OWN series Ready to Love.
Introduction to Lighthearted Entertainment and Blink49 Studios
Lighthearted Entertainment, the company behind the long-running MTV reality series Are You The One?, has been acquired by Canadian company Blink49 Studios. This acquisition marks a significant expansion of Blink49’s unscripted business, with Lighthearted’s Presidents Rob LaPlante and Jeff Spangler becoming Co-Presidents, Formats, at Blink49 Studios. The move is expected to bolster Blink49’s position in the unscripted market, with Lighthearted bringing its expertise in creating hit reality TV shows to the table.
The Acquisition and Its Implications
The acquisition of Lighthearted Entertainment by Blink49 Studios is a strategic move that will enable both companies to expand their reach and capabilities in the unscripted market. Blink49’s unscripted business, which is overseen by Global President Tara Long, produces a range of series including WeTV’s The Braxtons and Amazon’s true-crime docuseries Romcon: Who The F**k Is Jason Porter. With the addition of Lighthearted Entertainment, Blink49 will be able to tap into the company’s expertise in creating long-running reality TV shows, including Are You The One?, Peacock’s Queens Court, Bravo’s Kings Court, and Netflix’s The Trust: A Game of Greed.
Leadership and Creative Vision
LaPlante and Spangler will report to Tara Long, Global President, Unscripted, Blink49 Studios, and will be responsible for leading the company’s formats business. The two executives expressed their excitement about joining forces with Blink49, citing the opportunity to combine their development, production, and distribution strengths to deliver high-impact unscripted formats around the world. Long also welcomed Lighthearted to the Blink49 family, highlighting the company’s proven track record of creating hit unscripted formats and long-running series, and expressing her confidence that LaPlante and Spangler’s creative vision and leadership will strengthen Blink49’s development pipeline and unlock new opportunities.
Benefits of the Acquisition
The acquisition of Lighthearted Entertainment by Blink49 Studios will also allow the company to take advantage of Canada’s production ecosystem, including incentives and talent. This will enable Lighthearted to expand its slate and grow its partnerships, while also benefiting from Blink49’s global reach and expertise. John Morayniss, CEO of Blink49 Studios, highlighted the importance of the acquisition, stating that it marks an important step in expanding the company’s formats business and broadening the scope of what it can deliver to buyers worldwide.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
The acquisition of Lighthearted Entertainment by Blink49 Studios is a significant development in the unscripted market, and is expected to have a major impact on the industry. With Lighthearted’s expertise in creating hit reality TV shows and Blink49’s global reach and expertise, the combined company is well-positioned to accelerate growth across high-demand genres. As the unscripted market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Blink49 Studios and Lighthearted Entertainment navigate the changing landscape and capitalize on new opportunities. With their combined creative vision and leadership, the company is likely to make a significant impact in the years to come. The deal was negotiated by Nelson Kuo-Lee, COO, Blink49 Studios, and Ron Milkes and Bryan Bowles of Bryor Media Partners on behalf of Lighthearted Entertainment.
