BATH, U.K.—Future Plc, which is the parent company to TV Technology, has announced that it has acquired Barcroft Studios, an award-winning digital media company that creates and distributes television and video content.
Barcroft’s mission is to celebrate incredible true stories that are aimed at 16-35 year olds. It primarily does this through its flagship brand Barcroft TV, a YouTube channel with 9 million subscribers and 63 million followers on social media. Other brands include “Born Different” and “Hooked on the Look,” but Barcroft Studios also produces content for broadcasters and streaming services, including Netflix, Channel 4, BBC, National Geographic and Discovery Network. Its content is also shared globally through platforms like Facebook Watch, Snapchat, MSA and Amazon.
In the last year, Barcroft has reported that its brands have achieved 1.4 billion views and were awarded Best Original Web Channel at the 2019 Broadcast Digital Awards. Channel 4 also recently commissioned the studio to create a series of new digital shorts.
Reports say that the deal is for $30.1 million and is expected to close by the end of November.
“I am so excited to welcome the team at Barcroft Studios to Future, especially after such an amazing year for both companies,” said Zillah Byng-Thorne, CEO of Future, in the official announcement. “Future is a platform with pioneering media at its heart, and I believe this aligns perfectly with Barcroft Studios’ vision of making content that disrupts and inspires. Through melding Future’s multiplatform brands and expertise in SEO and technology with Barcroft Studios’ exceptional video content, I believe we will create a unique opportunity.”
“We’re delighted to be joining the Future family,” said Sam Barcroft, Barcroft Studios CEO. “Combining Future’s world-class editorial teams and iconic media brands with our expertise in the creation and distribution of amazing TV and video is an exciting proposition. We have so many things in common, not least that journalism and innovation is also in our DNA and we’re excited to be taking our next step forward as part of future.
Barcroft Studios has more than 60 full-time staffers across London, New York and Delhi, with the majority in East London.
