AwesomenessTV to Acquire YouTube MCN Big Frame

AwesomenessTV, a leading multi-platform media company serving the global teen community, announced today that it has agreed to acquire the YouTube multi-channel network Big Frame, a pioneer in digital talent and influencer management. Together AwesomenessTV and Big Frame will become an even more powerful presence in YouTube’s most popular verticals, including beauty, fashion, fitness and music.

Known throughout the industry for its discerning approach to talent development, Big Frame has amassed an impressive stable of top-tier influencers with more than 300 talent-run channels, which deliver more than 39 million YouTube subscribers and 3.4 billion views. Combined AwesomenessTV and Big Frame will deliver 80 million subscribers and close to a billion views a month.

Through this deal, AwesomenessTV gains Big Frame’s talent roster, strong executive team and talent managers. Big Frame’s founders Sarah Penna and Steve Raymond are recognized throughout the industry for cultivating and building top talent. For Big Frame talent, AwesomenessTV will deliver a multi-platform approach to building brands and monetizing content.

“With AwesomenessTV committed to aggressive growth, the acquisition of Big Frame enables us to bring on expertise in talent development as well as a great group of YouTube stars,” said AwesomenessTV Chief Operating Officer Brett Bouttier. “Sarah and Steve have a great track record for identifying and developing talent and we believe that working together we can build talent brands that will transcend YouTube,” added Brian Robbins, CEO and Co-Founder AwesomenessTV.

“We believe that Big Frame's unique ability to build online communities combined with the Awesomeness team's ability to create premium content and tell great stories will be a winning formula for the next stage of the entertainment industry's evolution,” said Raymond, CEO, Big Frame.

Added Penna, Chief Creative Officer, Big Frame, “We're so grateful to have worked with online video’s greatest creators for many years and we're excited about all the new opportunities this merger will bring them.”

AwesomenessTV has agreed to acquire for total consideration of $15 million in cash (including repayment of outstanding debt). The transaction is subject to various closing conditions and is expected to be completed in April 2014.

About Big Frame

Big Frame (www.bigfra.me) was founded in 2011 as a media company and talent management firm that helps creators develop an audience, monetize content and build sustainable career trajectories on and offline. The company was part of YouTube’s Original Channels Initiative in Fall 2011 and launched its first funded channel, Bammo, in April 2012 and the second one, Polished in 2013. The Big Frame network features some of YouTube’s highest performing talent making it a consistent Comscore leader, reaching over 39 million subscribers. Big Frame has worked with hundreds of global brands and ecommerce marketers. For more information visit www.bigfra.me and follow Big Frame on twitter for updates: @bigframeco.

About AwesomenessTV

AwesomenessTV, a leading multi-platform media company serving the global teen audience and one of the most subscribed to teen destinations on YouTube, is a wholly owned subsidiary of DreamWorks Animation (Nasdaq: DWA). Included under the AwesomenessTV banner are AwesomenessTV, a channel featuring scripted and reality series including IMO, Make Me Over, Austin Mahone Takeover, Mindless Takeover, Side Effects and Runaways; AwesomnessX, a channel for guys built around sports, gaming, comedy, pranks and lifestyle; and ATV Network, a community based MCN focused on discovering and supporting the next generation of YouTube stars. Beyond the YouTube platform AwesomenessTV produced and distributed the feature film Mindless Behavior: All Around The World and its first TV series aired on Nickelodeon. AwesomenessTV is headed by Brian Robbins (Smallville, Varsity Blues, All That) and Joe Davola (In Living Color, Smallville, MTV Networks).