Participant Media to Launch Cable Channel in 2013

LOS ANGELES: Participant Media, which is behind such films as An Inconvenient Truth and Lincoln, is planning to launch a cable channel for the U.S. market in 2013 that targets the millennial generation.

The company has purchased The Documentary Channel and entered into a deal to acquire the distribution assets of Halogen TV from The Inspiration Networks. The two services will be combined and rebranded, reaching an estimated 40-million-plus subscribers. The channel is set to launch next summer. The focus will be on 18- to 34-year-olds, delivering a mix of original and acquired programming. Among those creating content for the new network are Brian Graden, Davis Guggenheim, Meghan McCain, Morgan Spurlock, Timothy Scott Bogart and Cineflix Media. The channel will be led by Evan Shapiro.

Jeff Skoll, Participant chairman and founder, said, “The goal of Participant is to tell stories that serve as catalysts for social change. With our television channel, we can bring those stories into the homes of our viewers every day.”

“The creation of this network is a natural evolution for Participant. After nearly a decade of telling compelling, entertaining stories on the big screen, a television channel allows us to build upon our existing film, digital and social action resources to create a continuing conversation with an audience that is interested in staying connected and engaged with the world around them,” added Jim Berk, the CEO. “I am excited that Evan Shapiro, who joined Participant in May after serving as president of IFC and Sundance Channel, will head the new network.”

Shapiro said: “Our content will be specifically designed for the viewers that the pay TV eco-system is most at risk of losing. We all know that Millennials are changing how media is consumed. However, they also have the strong desire and inimitable capacity to help change the world. Our research shows that there is a whitespace in the television landscape and we believe that a destination for ‘the next greatest generation’ will be a win for our affiliate partners, advertisers and the creative community.”