Starz Inc.

Starz Inc. (founded as Encore Movie Group in 1991) is an American entertainment company that owns U.S. pay television channels, a media distribution company, and animated television and movie production.[3] The company is headquartered at Meridian, Colorado, and uses nearby Englewood as its location in corporate filings and press releases. On December 8, 2016, it became a subsidiary of Lionsgate.[4]

Starz Inc.
FormerlyEncore Media Group (1991–1999)
Starz Encore Media Group (1999–2001)
Starz Encore Group (2001–2005)
Starz Entertainment Group (2005–2009)
Liberty Starz (2009–2013)
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryPay television
Founded1991 (1991) (as Encore Movie Group)
Headquarters
Meridian, Colorado
,
United States
Key people
  • Jeffrey Hirsch (President/CEO)
  • Audrey Lee (EVP/General Counsel)
  • Scott Macdonald (CFO)
  • Alison Hoffman (President, Domestic Networks)
Revenue$1.631 billion[1]
$445 million[2]
ParentLionsgate
Divisions
Websitewww.starz.com

History

Early history

Starz Inc. (initially Encore Movie Group) started as a wholly owned television programming subsidiary and a joint venture of Liberty Media. Liberty Media split the company (then Liberty Starz) into a separate tracking stock on November 19, 2009. This tracking stock was not a separate company. Liberty Starz was wholly owned by Liberty Media, until January 4, 2011 when The Weinstein Company acquired 25% of one of the operating units.[5] The arrangement included a five-year distribution deal under which Liberty Starz's Anchor Bay Entertainment would release new Weinstein Co. films on DVD and Starz Distribution (formerly Starz Digital Media) would handle online downloads and streaming.[6]

On August 8, 2012, Liberty Media announced that it would spin-off Liberty Starz into a separate public company; the transaction includes about $1.5 billion of debt. The spin-off of the subsidiary was expected to be completed by the end of 2012,[7] but was actually completed on January 11, 2013. As a result of the spin-off, Liberty Starz changed its name to "Starz Inc."[8] Starz Inc.'s businesses and assets consist of Starz Networks, Starz Distribution, and its minority stake in Arc Productions.

Acquisition by Lionsgate

On February 11, 2015, John C. Malone, the majority shareholder in both Starz and its former parent company Liberty Media, swapped a 4.5% stake with 14.5% of the voting power in Starz Inc. for 3.4% of shares in film and television entertainment company Lionsgate while joining the company's board of directors.[9][10] Fourteen days later, Starz CEO Chris Albrecht hinted a possible merger with Lionsgate.[11]

On November 10, 2015, Malone's two other companies, Liberty Global and Discovery Communications, made a joint investment of $195–400 million in Lionsgate and acquired a 3.4% stake in the company.[12][13][14][15][16]

On June 30, 2016, Lionsgate agreed to acquire Starz Inc. for $4.4 billion in cash and stock.[17][18] As part of the acquisition by Lionsgate, Starz Inc.'s home entertainment business have been subsumed into Lionsgate's Worldwide Home Entertainment division, as well as Starz Inc.'s Worldwide TV distribution group being similarly combined.[19] On December 8, 2016, the deal was finalized thus making Starz a subsidiary of Lionsgate.[4]

Starz Networks

Starz Networks currently consists of 17 American cable TV channels. As of December 31, 2012, Starz and Starz Encore serve a combined 56 million subscribers, including 21 million at STARZ, and 35 million at Starz Encore. Starz, Starz Encore, and MoviePlex air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, On Demand, and online offerings through Starz Encore Play and MoviePlex Play.[20]

List of Starz-owned channels
  • MoviePlex
    • MoviePlex
    • IndiePlex
    • RetroPlex
  • Starz
    • Starz
    • Starz Cinema
    • Starz Comedy
    • Starz Edge
    • Starz in Black
    • Starz Kids & Family
  • Starz Encore
    • Starz Encore
    • Starz Encore Action
    • Starz Encore Black
    • Starz Encore Classic
    • Starz Encore Español
    • Starz Encore Family
    • Starz Encore Suspense
    • Starz Encore Westerns

References
  1. "Starz Reports Fourth Quarter And Year End 2012 Financial Results". PR Newswire. February 27, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  2. "Starz Reports Fourth Quarter And Year End 2012 Financial Results". PR Newswire. February 27, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  3. STARZ to Ring The NASDAQ Stock Market Opening Bell "Nasdaq.com" January 24, 2013
  4. Vlessing, Etan (December 8, 2016). "Lionsgate Completes $4.4B Acquisition of Starz". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  5. "Starz Rises During NASDAQ Debut". MultiChannel News. November 20, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  6. "Weinstein Co. buys 25% of Starz Media". Los Angeles Times. January 5, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  7. "Liberty Media to spin off Starz Network". Chicago Tribune. August 8, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  8. "Liberty Media Corporation and Starz Announce Completion of Spin-Off". Reuters. January 11, 2013. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  9. Farrell, Maureen (February 11, 2015). "Malone, Starz, and Lions Gate Join Forces". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  10. Lionsgate, Starz Swap Stock as John Malone Joins Board Brent Lang variety.com February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015
  11. Starz CEO Albrecht Hints at Possible Merger With Lions Gate Jeff Berman thestreet.com February 25, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015
  12. "What's Next for Lionsgate and Liberty Global?". Variety. November 10, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  13. "Lionsgate Strengthens Ties To John Malone: Liberty Global and Discovery Buy Stakes". Deadline Hollywood. November 10, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  14. "Lionsgate sells 6.8% stake to John Malone's Liberty Global and Discovery". Los Angeles Times. November 10, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  15. Merced, Michael J. (November 10, 2015). "Liberty Global and Discovery Take Stakes in Lions Gate". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  16. Vlessing, Etan (November 10, 2015). "Liberty Global and Discovery To Take Stakes in Lionsgate". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  17. Lieberman, David (June 30, 2016). "Lionsgate Agrees To Buy Starz For $4.4 Billion in Cash And Stock". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  18. Schwindt, Oriana (December 8, 2016). "Lionsgate, Starz Close $4.4 Billion Acquisition". Variety. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  19. Aycock, Jason (October 28, 2016). "Filing: Starz CFO to leave as Lions Gate merger wraps". Seeking Alpha. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  20. "Liberty Media Corp (LMCA.O)". Reuters. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
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