Manoj Bhargava, the founder of 5-hour ENERGY, announced after market trading Aug. 14 that he is expanding his media interests by creating a significant media holdings portfolio with stakes in print and online media, television and radio broadcast, production and distribution, and digital advertising delivery.
His collected holdings will include:
- Majority ownership of The Arena Group, Inc. (Sports Illustrated, Parade, Men’s Journal, TheStreet, HubPages, Surfer, and more.)
- Two national TV networks distributed over-the-air, streaming, and cable: SportsNews Highlights and NEWSnet.
- 50 over-the-air television station ownership, plus over 50 independent affiliates and dozens of streaming and cable outlets.
- Acquisition of the parent of ShopHQ TV.
- Major stakes in the #2 and #3 radio broadcasters: Audacy, Inc (was CBS radio), and Cumulus Media.
- Acquisition of iMedia Digital Services, or iMDS – programmatic and OTT, software services.
“Media companies have become so enamored of delivery technology that they have forgotten the basics – advertisers (their customers), their most valuable audience and even content gets a back seat. Sounds like a great opportunity to me,” said Bhargava.
Bhargava is the founder 5-hour ENERGY. He is a global philanthropist and has dedicated most of his wealth to helping the poorest third of the world. He also owns Stage2 Innovations (invention shop), and Bleecker Street (entertainment). His global philanthropy is centered around the Billions in Change movement (BillionsInChange.com.)
Merging television broadcast network with The Arena Group
Via Simplify Inventions LLC and its subsidiaries, IV Media LLC and Bridge Media Networks LLC, he has signed a binding letter of intent (LOI) to combine its broadcast networks with The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. (AREN) -), a technology platform, and media company home to more than 265 brands, including Sports Illustrated, TheStreet, Parade Media (“Parade”) and Men’s Journal.
At closing, the company will own a roughly two-thirds majority stake in the combined company.
The Arena Group owns TheStreet.
Acquisition of iMedia Brands
IV Media LLC is acquiring iMedia Brands and its flagship property, ShopHQ TV, via a successful bid for the company. This includes iMedia Digital Services, or iMDS, a global video advertising platform that monetizes over 200 million monthly users for its online publishers, MVPDs and ISPs by using its proprietary technologies and interactive websites to drive engagement, traffic, conversion, and revenue for its publishers.
Major stake in radio broadcast
As reported upon July 21, 2023 SEC Form 13G/D, via the Renew Group Private Ltd., has acquired 829,618 shares (or 5.15%) of Cumulus Media, Inc (CMLS) -) stock, the nation's third-largest radio broadcaster, becoming one of the largest investors in the company, which includes 403 owned-and-operated radio stations across 85 markets, and they deliver nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming.
Adding to the radio portfolio is $60 million of first-lien Term B debt (about 10% Entercom Media debt) of the nation's second-largest radio broadcaster (formerly branded CBS Radio), Audacy, (AUD) -), a leading multi-platform audio content and entertainment company with the country’s best collection of local music, news, and sports brands, a premium podcast creator, major event producer, and digital innovator.
Audacy engages 200 million consumers each month.
Bridge Media Networks owns and operates two 24/7 national headline news and sports networks (through OTA, MVPD, and cable outlets), NEWSnet and Sports News Highlights as well as the automotive and travel properties Driven and TravelHost. Bridge News, LLC also owns and operates 50 TV stations nationally, with an additional over 50 independent broadcast affiliates nationally.
Altogether, these investments create a portfolio of companies and services that is now an end-to-end media ecosystem of production, distribution, and advertising delivery solutions globally.
