ITV has invested in Zealot Networks, which was founded by ex-Maker Studios’ founder and CEO Danny Zappin in August. As part of the deal, ITV will have a board position with Zealot.
The move marks British broadcaster ITV’s third U.S. digital investment of 2014. Other such investments this year includes minority stakes in Culver City’s Indigenous Media, a producer of scripted digital series, and New York-based Believe Entertainment, which works with advertisers to create multi-platform digital-branded entertainment.
The Los Angeles-based Zealot Networks touts itself as a “digital-first media company and growth accelerator that empowers creative entrepreneurs by delivering multi-platform revenue, distribution and development opportunities.”
Zealot previously acquired Audio Micro Inc., the parent company of AdRev. It has other deals in the pipeline, according to the announcement’s media release.
“Danny Zappin has been at the forefront of digital media in the US for some time and it’s fantastic to be part of this exciting new venture,”Kevin Lygo, managing director, ITV Studios, said. “A key part of ITV’s strategy is to exploit the increasing global demand for quality content across a range of platforms, which closely aligns with Zealot’s own ambitions to not only distribute content across its own sites, but also to third party platforms such as YouTube, Vine and Instagram.”
“A global media company like ITV investing in Zealot demonstrates a shared vision of our mission to transform digital media,” Zappin added.