A+E Enters Strategic Partnership with Range Media

A+E Networks has entered a strategic partnership with Range Media Partners that includes a minority equity investment, A+E Studios as co-production partner on scripted TV projects and a first-look deal on factual TV content for A+E’s unscripted unit.

The collaboration provides A+E Networks with Range Media Partners’ progressive talent representation systems and extensive talent relationships. A+E provides Range Media with the full force of its global media operations, with breadth of support capabilities that include production studios for scripted, unscripted and independent film; its own array of curated SVODS, FAST channels and podcasts; and sought-after content available across every platform.

The partnership positions Range Media Partners for super-charged long-term growth. It also accelerates the global growth of A+E Networks by developing the project pipeline for A+E Studios and its unscripted unit.

“We are thrilled to partner with Peter Micelli and Range Media Partners, whose passion and creativity in pursuit of unlocking global value for artists and fostering a forward-thinking culture of innovation aligns with our vision of the future,” said Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Networks Group. “We were drawn to their impressive team and roster of entrepreneurially-minded talent and believe this investment will create strategic opportunities to accelerate the growth of our scripted and nonfiction content creation unit on a global scale. Our investment underscores both our confidence in the trajectory of the industry and more specifically, the role Range will play within it. This alignment will enable diversification of our storytelling and content, amplify our efforts to shift from curator to creator and bolster our ultimate goal to become a global IP powerhouse.”

Micelli, CEO of Range Media Partners, said, “We are humbled to partner with remarkable artists who are driven by the need to know more and do more. We are privileged to be joined by the like-minded team at A+E Networks (some of whom we have worked with for decades), who share our passion for innovation, business strategy and compelling storytelling, as we enter this next chapter.”

“A+E Studios is a proven supplier of high-quality television productions,” said Barry Jossen, president and head of A+E Studios. “We are proud to provide our services and creativity as a growth engine for Range’s expansive ambitions. Range Media Partners and A+E Studios have White House Doctor in development at FOX. We have a large roster of projects ready for the marketplace, all of which perfectly fit the Range Media Partners/A+E Studios strategic alliance of bringing together high-end artists to create and produce in a talent-friendly environment to bring their visions to the screen. We are thrilled.”