Tag: Matchpoint

Cinedigm Partners With Founder of Urban Brand FUBU for Launch of FAST Network

Cinedigm March 6 announced plans to become a provider of streaming content for African-American culture by entering into a partnership with J. Alexander Martin, co-founder of the urban fashion brand FUBU, and producer Roberto Evans, to launch the For Us by Us Network. The new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service will feature movies and related content around issues, personalities and trends related to the hip-hop culture and lifestyle.

There are reportedly only 34 FAST channels focused on African-Americans comprising just 2% of all available FAST channels according to third-party data from Cinedigm.

Martin created fashion trends in the late 1990s with partner Daymond John, who is now a regular on the ABC reality series “Shark Tank,” netted $350 million in sales across 5,000 retail stores, and eventually grossed more than $6 billion dollars globally.

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The (FUBU) For Us By Us Network apps will be available across Web, mobile and connected TVs and will be powered by Cinedigm’s Matchpoint Blueprint v2.0 platform. The For Us by Us Network will have access to the complete set of video streaming capabilities offered by Matchpoint, which will allow the network to expand into the U.S. market as well as other emerging markets.

“As one of the founders of FUBU, I have gained a very deep comprehension and awareness about the urban consumer and what appeals to them not only in fashion, but entertainment as well,” Martin said in a statement. “We created the For Us by Us Network so that we can provide high quality, positive content for our culture.”

“We are excited to partner with FUBU to bring their seminal lifestyle brand to the rapidly growing FAST market and establish them as a leader in video streaming services that meet the needs of the African-American community,” Marc Rashba, EVP of partnerships at Cinedigm, said in a statement. “We will bring our extensive expertise in enthusiast channels … to create a compelling service for this discerning brand.”

Cinedigm OTT Video Channels Top 102,000 Subscribers, 2.4M AVOD Viewers

Home entertainment distributor Cinedigm announced several milestones for its portfolio of over-the-top video services – including an estimated 2.4 million monthly active ad-supported viewers and 102,000 active subscribers.

The Los Angeles-based distributor’s OTT channels, which include Dove Channel, CONtv, Docurama, CombatGo and Wham Network, offer nearly 12,000 hours of movie, television and live entertainment.

Pending services include Korean, Chinese and South East Asian pop culture network HallyPop and Bambu, offering Chinese action movies, serial dramas, romantic comedies, sci-fi, horror, as well as music and reality series to American audiences.

Cinedigm said it facilitated channel launches across 10 new distribution partners over the last two quarters, including Dish Network, Sling TV, Comcast Xfinity, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo, Pluto TV, Sinclair’s Stirr, Vizio Watch Free TV, and The Roku Channel, representing a total base of more than 126 million customers and devices.

“Our accomplishments in the last few months demonstrate Cinedigm’s vision of effectively delivering premium OTT entertainment content globally, no matter the device or business model,” Erick Opeka, president of Cinedigm Digital Networks, said in a statement.

Opeka said the company would continue to focus on launching new channels, investing in technology, growing the user base, monetizing ad-supported offerings and expanding its footprint of addressable devices.

Indeed, Cinedigm OTT services achieved 370% year-over-year growth in ad-supported user base across linear and ad-supported VOD platforms. Achieved over 205% quarter-over-quarter growth in connected television ad-requests. Grew content library by 6,200 film and television assets – more than 116% year-over-year.

Grew total social media footprint to 857,000 followers across YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Cinedigm also acquired ComicBlitz, a subscription digital comic service, and announced the acquisition of Viewster, a pop-culture ad-supported streaming service. These acquisitions add more than 7,100 movie, television and digital publishing assets from more than 70 content partners.

It launched Matchpoint, an OTT platform and application framework that speeds time to market, while reducing the total operating expense for channel operators and content distributors.