Blue Ant International Acquires Drive Media Rights

Blue Ant International is acquiring full ownership of the U.K.-based distributor Drive Media Rights, which has a catalog that includes Bangers & Cash.

As part of the deal, Drive’s managing directors, Ben Barrett and Lilla Hurst, will join Blue Ant International as global head of content financing and partnerships and global head of acquisitions and partnerships, respectively. Barrett and Hurst will continue to operate from London and will report to Solange Attwood, executive VP of Blue Ant International.

Through the deal, Blue Ant International has acquired Drive Media Rights’ library of over 900 hours of content, which consists mainly of unscripted programming, across documentary, history, science, crime, lifestyle and paranormal.

Drive has evolved since its founding into a 360-degree global funding, sales and distribution business. Joining forces with Blue Ant International, they will continue to offer a full range of commercial services, working with producers around the world to get their projects funded, produced and distributed.

Attwood said: “As the media ecosystem evolves, a distribution partner that can bring meaningful financing, allowing our partners to realize their creative ambitions, is paramount. Our combined expertise and relationships with Ben and Lilla should help our partners to do more of just that!”

Barrett and Hurst added: “We’re incredibly proud of what we and our team have achieved with Drive over the last nine years, and we’re excited to become part of a larger organization. Blue Ant Media consists of top-quality content producers, established channels and a thriving distribution business, all of which will provide new levels of opportunity and relationships, allowing us to seamlessly grow the combined business.”