Google Play Acquires Tricon Content

TORONTO: Google's digital platform Google Play has picked up the youth competition series The Next Star, among other titles acquired from Tricon Films & Television.

The singing reality show currently airs on Canada's YTV network, where it's entering its seventh season this month. The series is part of the 2,000-plus hours of programming that Google Play nabbed from Tricon's several divisions, including Tricon Kids & Family.

Other pickups include titles from the company's scripted-comedy catalogue, including Maron and The Spoils of Babylon, as well as one-off documentaries and doc series. Google Play is set to eventually premiere Tricon’s range of unscripted factual and lifestyle series.

“We’re very pleased to forge a new global partnership with Google and help kick-start the Google Play service into Canada with our diverse catalogue of scripted and unscripted content,” said Jon Rutherford, the senior VP of distribution and business development at Tricon Films & Television. “This is an important next step for Tricon as we continue to grow our digital and transactional business across all platforms.”