Disney is acquiring Maker Studios, a network of online video content on YouTube, for $500 million, as well as a performance-linked earn-out of up to $450 million if targets are met. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory clearances, is expected to close in Disney’s third fiscal quarter.
Robert Iger (Chairman and CEO, Disney): Short-form online video is growing at an astonishing pace.
Maker Studios will report to Disney CFO Jay Rasulo. The company will remain headquartered in Culver City, Calif., with operations in New York and London.
Maker Studios has more than 55,000 channels, 380 million subscribers and 5.5 billion views per month on YouTube, according to the statement released announcing the acquisition.
[Image courtesy: Maker Studio]