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RLJ Equity Partners acquires MarketCast

RLJ Equity Partners has acquired MarketCast, LLC, a provider of strategic insights and analysis to marketers and researchers in the global entertainment industry. 

RLJ Equity Partners, in alliance with GE Asset Management, acquired MarketCast from Shamrock Capital Advisors, a leading media, communications, and entertainment private equity firm based in Los Angeles.

MarketCast works in collaboration with clients across the entertainment spectrum to test and optimise their content, marketing, and distribution strategies. The company maintains long-standing client relationships with all of the major motion picture studios and production companies, as well as a growing number of broadcast, cable, and OTT programmers and networks. Core services, applied worldwide, include testing of marketing materials and messaging as well as strategic research and advisory services related to market positioning, branding, franchise extensions, and sequel development.

"MarketCast is globally recognised as a premier entertainment research firm and today's acquisition by RLJ Equity Partners is an opportunity to invest alongside an experienced team in the growing U.S. entertainment industry," says Robert L Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Chairman of RLJ Equity Partners. "With its comprehensive audience engagement expertise and full-scale data analytics, MarketCast is uniquely qualified to provide a valuable service to motion picture studios to help grow their audience attendance and enjoyment, both domestic and foreign." 

"MarketCast is a leader in its field, with incredibly loyal, blue-chip customers and a tenured team of committed entertainment marketing experts and analysts," says Jerry L Johnson, Managing Director of RLJ Equity Partners. "We are excited to form this strategic alliance with MarketCast management to capitalise on the company's ongoing opportunities for expansion via organic growth and acquisitions."

"This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for MarketCast," says Henry Shapiro, CEO of MarketCast. "RLJ Equity Partners, with its vast global network and long-standing experience in the entertainment business, is the perfect partner for us as we continue to invest in new products and services, and in expanding our footprint into new and emerging forms of entertainment distribution and marketing."

"Partnering with the MarketCast team to carve out the business and establish it as a standalone entity was an important chapter in the company's history," says Will Wynperle, Partner at Shamrock Capital Advisors. "We feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with MarketCast during this critical phase of its growth."

RLJ Equity Partners and GE Asset Management were joined in the transaction by Madison Capital Funding, RLJ Credit Management, LLC, and Brookside Mezzanine. MarketCast was advised by Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc, a leading independent investment bank for the global media, information, marketing, and technology sectors.

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