The new business will have 100+ OB trucks and flypacks and 40 studios and production facilities across Europe, the Middle East, the US, and Australia.
Outside broadcast, studios and production facilities providers EMG and Gravity Media are to combine their businesses.
This will create one of the world’s largest broadcast technology and production companies.
The as-yet-unnamed new venture includes more than 100 outside broadcast trucks and flypacks and 40 studios and production facilities across Europe, the Middle East, United States, and Australia.
The business will have 30 offices across 12 countries, with a total of 2,000 permanent employees.
The venture will deliver broadcast, technology, production, and post-production services across high-profile live events and entertainment programmes.
Summary: The new business will deliver broadcast, technology, production, and post-production services across many of the world’s most-watched live events including UEFA EUROs, FIFA World Cup, Summer and Winter Olympics, Roland Garros, ATP Tour, Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, Formula E, the V8 Supercar Championship, the Australian Open and US Open Tennis, plus major entertainment series including local versions of The Masked Singer, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, The Traitors and Love Island, and big events like the BAFTA Awards, post-production services for The Crown, and state events like the Coronation of King Charles III.
The group will be led by Shaun Gregory (current CEO of EMG, pictured above right), as its global chief executive officer.
John Newton (pictured above left), founder, CEO and majority shareholder of Gravity Media, will be appointed executive chairman of the new group.
Both Gregory and Newton will join the main board of the newly combined group, joining EMG’s existing shareholders PAI Partners, Ackermans & Van Haaren, Watchers & Co and Banijay.
TowerBrook Capital Partners, which currently has a significant shareholding in Gravity Media, will retain a stake in the combined group.
Newton said: “This is the right time to bring together EMG and Gravity Media to create a truly global production and media services business. This combination will allow us to play an increasingly important role for our customers and our people. Together, the group will offer new products, new services and enter new markets. I look forward to working with Shaun and the broader team to grow this exciting new business.”
Gregory added: “This is a pivotal day for the industry, as we bring together two powerhouses to create a truly global business. Both John and I believe this industry needs entities with significant global capability, that are prepared to invest. Our vision is to create a world-class business that sets new industry standards and can seamlessly enter and grow new markets. This is a fantastic opportunity, which in turn gives our customers the best solutions and quality they rightly demand. We’ll be able to invest in global platforms, end-to-end production and, of course, the best people. We’re looking forward to getting started.”
In 2022, EMG consolidated a number of OB brands under the EMG Group name, losing the CTV and Telegenic brands, most recently it unveiled four sustainable OB trucks and ordered a fully electric 19 tonne tender vehicle to add to its fleet.
Meanwhile, towards the end of 2022, Gravity Media opened The London Production Centre White City, a 50,000 square foot facility supporting on-premise and distributed remote production workflows.
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