---
title: Cosmo DeNicola Companies News | Chicken Soup for the Soul
description: Chicken Soup for the Soul |
---

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# Cosmo DeNicola Companies News

 Monday, March 6, 2023

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## Fast Forward Awards 2023: Bill Rouhana — AVOD Pioneer

**Cos Cob, CT -** Bill Rouhana walks into the conference room of his modest office suite in Cos Cob, Conn., out of which he runs Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE), the biggest AVOD network not owned by a major media or technology conglomerate.

A spry 70, he extends his hand and flashes a warm smile, the sincerity of which is echoed in his piercing blue eyes. He appears genuinely glad to meet a visitor. It’s this trait, along with a sharp mind and a keen, strategic vision, that has helped keep him relevant in media and telecommunication circles for more than 40 years.

A Brooklyn, N.Y., native, Rouhana began his career in entertainment law, developing new financing models for film producers such as Blake Edwards. Later, he founded Winstar Communications, an early broadband services provider known for the huge promotional blimp that flew over trade shows. After going public in 1994, the company saw a 600% stock gain, only to collapse during the dotcom bubble. In 2008 he bought a small book publishing company called Chicken Soup for the Soul, the cornerstone for the pioneering ad-supported streaming network that includes Crackle, Chicken Soup for the Soul and Popcornflix. Chicken Soup also acquires and distributes video content through its Screen Media and 1091 Pictures subsidiaries and produces original video content through the Chicken Soup for the Soul Television Group. Last August, CSSE acquired Redbox, which brought it more than 145 free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels, a transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) service, and a network of more than 34,000 disc-rental kiosks, all supported by original film and television production and distribution divisions.

For his groundbreaking efforts in AVOD as well as his legacy as an innovator in media, tech and broadcast, Rouhana is being honored with the fifth *Media Play News* Fast Forward Award, which is given out to people, technologies, organizations, products or services that move the home entertainment industry forward.

“Bill is an amazing executive with the foresight to accumulate a disparate set of puzzle pieces and assemble them into an aggressively competitive model enabled to support the future of media content and distribution,” says Mark Fisher, president and CEO of streaming trade association OTT.X. “He also has the instincts to assemble a super-talented leadership team to support and further develop his vision for Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

 

“Bill Rouhana has assembled an interesting group of companies whose combined potential portends a sweet spot of growth,” adds Amy Jo Smith, President and CEO of digital entertainment trade association DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group. “We’re all looking forward to seeing what the Chicken Soup for the Soul team does next.”

The Redbox acquisition, Rouhana says, was a key cog in his overall game plan, which is “to build the best AVOD network that there can be.”

“And that means the greatest quality of content, the best user experience, serving people what they want to watch, instead of what they might want to watch, and creating an experience that is really seamless and perfect for the consumer,” he says. “So that’s our overall game plan.”

AVOD is currently on a roll, with usage skyrocketing and both Netflix and Disney+ recently rolling out cheaper, ad-supported streaming plans to complement their existing subscription streaming models. A report released last November by British research firm Digital TV Research projects that global AVOD revenue for movies and TV series will soar to $91 billion in 2028, up from $38 billion in 2022.

“If you look at the history of the media business, it’s been crystal clear that you need a variety of sources of revenue in order to have a sustainable business, one that’s able to deliver quality on an ongoing basis,” Rouhana says. “And advertising is a key part of that. When the subscription video players decided to abandon the advertising business and think they could replace that with just subscriptions and avoid monetizing content in other ways, it was obvious that wasn’t going to work. It was only a matter of time before that became obvious.”

Some observers question the longevity of AVOD, noting that for years consumers have been weaned off of watching commercials, first through the videocassette rental business and, later, through DVD, Blu-ray Disc, TVOD and subscription streaming. But Rouhana remains confident he’s on the right path.

“I’d argue with the premise that we weaned people off of watching commercials,” Rouhana says. “Some people stopped watching commercials, and that’s fine. But even the people who are watching subscription video services were also watching other services with commercials on them all through that period of time. No one’s been weaned off of watching content with commercials — you need to pay for the content, and there’s got to be a way to pay for it. We can’t afford to pay for it out of pocket. We need advertisers to help. It’s really critical.”

The $375 million Redbox acquisition, Rouhana says, was prompted by a desire to acquire more high-quality content, as well as the company’s diversified revenue stream and huge database of value-conscious consumers.

“That was an obvious fit from the very first time we saw it,” Rouhana says. “We first started talking about this over two years earlier. And if you looked at what Redbox had and what they were building, and compare that to what Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment had, you could see it was a perfect fit. There were operating synergies, there were capital savings, there was an acceleration of the business plan implicit in it. Plus, I believe the kiosks are really a perfect way for us generate working capital and cash flow that will help us grow the AVOD business over time.”

Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter agrees. “We don’t cover CSSE yet, but their model is unique,” he says. “I don’t see disc rental going away as long as there are people behind the tech curve and as long as the studios keep making them, so they [CSSE] have a good source of cash for the next several years.”

Integration plans are proceeding smoothly, Rouhana says. Last November, three months after the acquisition of Redbox closed, entertainment and streaming industry veteran Phil Oppenheim was appointed to the newly created role of chief content officer. He is charged with leading all facets of content strategy across physical and streaming brands, including Redbox and Crackle. Then, in January, former Redbox CEO Galen Smith, who had helped engineer the sale, left the company, paving the way for further streamlining.

“The first thing you’ll see is that we will have the Redbox app — what I call the ‘super app,’ the app that has TVOD in it, the free live-TV channels in it, and the Redbox AVOD service — also include the Crackle, Popcornflix and Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming services,” he says. “They’ll be inside of that app as well. They’ll also all be available separately, as they are today, on all the different as we call them touch points, places where people can go to watch television. But the first thing you’ll start to see is we’ll have that super app have even more stuff in it for people, and it’ll be an even more valuable app.”

Rouhana’s blueprint for building Chicken Soup for the Soul into the premier AVOD network is built around the premise that the No. 1 mistake paid-subscription streamers have made was “abandoning the window strategy that people use for content to maximize the value of content. When they tried to accelerate everything onto subscription services and avoid other ways of monetizing their content, they made it economically unviable. It couldn’t be done. You can’t run it that way. You need to maximize the return on content in every way possible. You see them coming full circle now — you see them starting to emphasize the fact that they need to monetize their content in different ways. You can’t be in the content business without getting as much money as possible from every single way it’s exploited.”

Rouhana maintains Netflix “never had a viable business plan to begin with, if you want to get right to the heart of it. There was never a way to get a return on an $18 billion-a-year content spend, when the content would be watched for two months, and then not be watched ever again. That’s not a viable business. And yet that was the business that Netflix was in. I don’t care how many countries you go and do it in, you’re not going to get a return on your investment. You can’t do it.”

Netflix’s rise to dominance, even over traditional Hollywood, “is basically Wall Street’s fault, because Wall Street does this all the time,” Rouhana says. “Wall Street overfunds fads, big, fad ideas. They reward behavior that’s not fundamental, that’s not long-term; they get excited by eyeballs, or monthly active viewers, or whatever metrics they find that get them excited, that get their juices flowing, and they overpay. And that causes managers to not think long-term, too, because they want the stock to go up today. They want it to go up tomorrow. And it’s really a problem in business in general.”

Chicken Soup for the Soul, Rouhana says, “has taken a very different approach to growing our business, which has been to grow it in a very thoughtful and methodical way without paying much attention to what the current view is of what we’re doing, Redbox being the ultimate example of that. We scared our investors to death when we bought Redbox because they had no idea what it really was. They didn’t understand it. They didn’t understand how it fit. They didn’t understand what it did. All they could see is DVDs, and that has to be going away in their minds because they live on the coasts and all that matters is what people do in their neighborhood. So it’s a very different philosophy we’ve had from the beginning.”

He pauses. “I want to come back to the physical media thing, because I have some friends who really like vinyl records, for example. And those people have brought this full circle — we’ve gone from digital streaming of music, the end of the record business, and back to vinyl records being current.  
“There’s a value to physical media that doesn’t go away. So let’s not lose sight of that just because it’s not fashionable to talk about it.

“There is a value to physical media. It actually delivers a higher-quality product. And that’s been true, really, for all time. And it’s been proven to matter in the music business. But forgetting that for a moment, the Redbox kiosks are a critical part of our future. They’re a place where we can generate meaningful cash flow, we have a marketing capability that’s represented by those 34,000 kiosks across the country, and that group of people are perfect adopters for our AVOD business. So we are using the customer loyalty program to reach out to those people, learn what they like. And to try to give them the opportunity to find the kinds of things they want to watch in the digital world more easily than they would otherwise is really the key to this. The biggest problem that there is in VOD is it’s hard work to find something to watch. And that’s not why people watch TV — they don’t watch TV to do work, they watch TV to enjoy, to be entertained. We managed to make a big mess out of that, the VOD guys. Discovery is horrible.”

As a result, he says, consumers turn to Google, “and the problem with that is that you have to already know what you want to watch because you’ve got to put something in to get the search back. You can’t just say ‘good TV show.’ I mean, you can, but you’re not going to get much of a response from that. A good VOD system would show you, when you came to the home page, only choices that it already knew you liked — things that were interesting to you because they were in the genres you like that you’ve shown from prior experience that you were interested in. In order to get to that, we have to know a lot about the people, and we have to have the artificial intelligence, and we have to have a dynamic home page that actually can be created, so that you get a different home page than someone else with different tastes.”

Big subscription streaming services such as Netflix, Rouhana says, have a basic problem: “They know what you do on Netflix, but nowhere else. And I’m pretty sure that nobody lives exclusively on Netflix, despite their hope that you would. People engage in reality in a lot of different ways, not just through Netflix — and you also watch and consume entertainment in a variety of ways. All Netflix knows is what you consume on Netflix — that’s it. So the best they can do is give you stuff that they have that’s like stuff you’ve consumed with them before, but it’ll never be complete. They’ll never have a root view of what you actually like to see because they’ll only see one subset of your life. One of the great things about the Redbox acquisition for us is the customer loyalty program, the kiosks, TVOD, AVOD, FAST —we see what people are interested in across a whole series of viewing experiences in a way that most people never see. If we learn how to handle that information, we could deliver a dynamic home page that was much more in tune with what you like to watch. But that’s a big if — we have a lot of work to do. Everybody does. But that’s our goal.”

Bill Rouhana

William J. Rouhana was born June 23, 1952, in Brooklyn, N.Y. His father was an importer and distributor of fine wine. As a boy, Rouhana loved baseball and fantasized about one day playing professionally. “But I couldn’t hit, so that would be a limiting factor,” he says. “And I couldn’t pitch. So that would be pretty fatal to that aspiration.” He decided to pursue a career in law, instead, and after earning an undergraduate degree from Colby College in 1972 Rouhana set off for Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a law degree in 1976. He went into business as a founding partner of the New York City law firm of Beinhauer, Rouhana & Pike, and for the next eight years maintained several partnerships and private practices in the Big Apple.

His entry into entertainment, Rouhana says, “was an accident. I never really thought about it one way or the other. I was a lawyer. I was practicing law in Manhattan. A friend of mine became the president of Blake Edwards Entertainment — Blake Edwards being the famous director of the “Pink Panther” movies, *Days of Wine and Roses, 10, Breakfast at Tiffany’s*, just a fantastic director. He called me one day and said, ‘Bill, I’ve got to get $200 million for Blake, can you help me?’ I said, ‘Well, first of all, what are you talking about? Blake Edwards, who’s that?’ I had no idea. He explained it to me, and I said, ‘Sure, I’ll get you 200 million bucks.’ I was in the corporate finance law practice, so I knew lots of investment bankers. But I had no idea what I was taking on. But it turned out that at that moment in time, and this is a long time ago, HBO and Showtime were competing for programming. And they needed really top-notch movies to come through their systems so that they could attract viewers. And so they were both willing to compete to get Blake’s movies on their networks. And we used that, with a company called First Boston Corp. that was subsequently called Credit Suisse First Boston, to raise the money for Blake. And once that got done, the next thing I know, we had a parade of people who wanted money to make their own movies coming through my door in New York, and I was an entertainment finance lawyer from that moment forward.”

Rouhana was on the cusp of a new way to finance movies. “Well, it was interesting,” he says. “The idea of breaking up rights in movies — it was just beginning to happen for the first time.

“Up until that point, the studios made movies, and rich people made movies. But nobody ever made what you call independent films because there was no way to finance them.

“But as a result of the work we did, foreign pre-sales started to happen on independent films, pre-sales to cable started to happen. And then pretty soon thereafter, there was this idea called home video that came along. And the next thing we knew there was another revenue stream we could tap into, so we could fund independent movies that way, too. So it was a gradual breaking up of rights into various windows that allowed the financing of independent films.”

One day in 1984, Rouhana recalls, a lawyer friend, Peter Dekom, called and said, “You know, one of these days, you’re going get all of your movies over your telephone.” “And I’m looking at my phone and thinking, ‘I don’t see how I’m going to get movies over this thing — this is like a little black, circular thing,’” Rouhana says. “So I asked him, ‘Peter, what are you talking about?’ and he said, ‘They’re building these big networks all across the country that are capable of moving all kinds of information, and these things are going to be huge. This is going to be the future.’ I said, ‘OK, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but let me think about it.’”

Rouhana had already decided to shift his focus from law to investing, and was in the process of starting his own merchant bank. After several months of research, he says, he began to dabble in media investments. Some five years later, he says, “I started this little initiative inside of my firm to understand how you would take these big networks that were being built across the country, and actually connect them to people.

“They were going from one big switch in a city to another big switch in a city. Unless you were a switch, you had no broadband. So the question became, how do you extend this to people? How do you extend this broadband network — it wasn’t called that, back then — this big pipe to where people actually were living and working? And it was pretty clear that it would take 100-plus years to actually extend it if you tried to do it with wires because you’d have to undo the cities — you’d have to break them up and dig stuff and put things under them. So I was trying to figure out how you would accelerate what they call that the last mile.”

In 1993, Rouhana says, “I came across some licenses in a super high frequency called 38 gigahertz. And as a lawyer, of course, I had no idea what that meant. But in reading the business plan for them, there was a line in there that said, ‘This is the functional equivalent of fiber optics in the air.’ That’s what I had been looking for. And the more I investigated the super-high frequencies, the more it became clear to me that you could use them in a different way than people thought — and that was to extend this fiber optic network to at least big buildings and businesses.”

Rouhana bought the licenses and created Winstar Communications, which he says “became really the cutting-edge company in the use of wireless to deliver broadband. Today, pretty much every handheld device that you have is a grandchild of what we did at Winstar because we were looking at and creating the ability to use wireless to extend broadband. And it started as super-high frequencies and it came down — the frequencies — until finally it arrived at the places where cellular would work. And we drove every bit of that — we were an integral part of that from 1993 to 2001.”

Winstar went public in 1994. The following year, the company acquired a home video distributor, Fox Lorber Home Video, from New Video and became a familiar presence at the annual Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) convention, generally held in Las Vegas, where its huge promotional blimp (think Goodyear) would tower over the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Ultimately, Winstar owned and operated a broadband network in 60 major markets throughout the United States and another 15 markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The company ended 1999 with a market capitalization of more than $4.4 billion and revenues of $445.6 million.

The end came in 2001. Despite its impressive growth, Winstar wasn’t generating enough sales to cover the huge capital expenditures incurred in building out its infrastructure. The company turned to outsiders for money, including banks, investors and other large telecoms, including Lucent Technologies. When Lucent pulled the plug on a partnership agreement, the company had no choice but to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2001. That same month, Winstar filed a breach-of-contract suit against Lucent and laid off half its workforce. The cuts weren’t enough, and in January 2002 the Chapter 11 filing was converted into a Chapter 7 liquidation.

In December 2005, a federal bankruptcy judge ruled in favor of Winstar and awarded the bankrupt company $244 million, plus other costs. His ruling was based on his finding that Lucent had induced Winstar to purchase unneeded telecommunication equipment. But it was a hollow victory, Rouhana says, both too little and too late.

The whole saga, Rouhana says, “was so unnecessary and so sad. When I first met Lucent’s CEO, they were the third-most-valuable company on Earth. And they gave us $2 billion to help us accelerate the rollout of our business because they really believed in our business plan and thought it was fantastic. We used that to build a major network in 70 countries and 100-plus cities. We had millions of customers, we really had a good, good business going. And then they got into trouble. And they never told anybody. The way they handled it was by not meeting their commitments. One of their commitments was to us, and when they didn’t meet it, they destroyed us. And while we ultimately won the lawsuit, it was too late to bring the company back to life.”

Rouhana still looks back with pride on Winstar Communications.

“It was truly an innovator,” he says. “We had a lab in Vienna, Virginia, with about 1,400 engineers. And in that lab, in 1996, 1997, 1998, you could have found video conferencing equipment, you could have found small cell phones that were capable of video conferencing, you could find prototypes of pretty much every single device that you use today. We had an amazing engineering team, fantastically talented people, and a view of the future. And that’s something that really matters in business — you have to have a view of the future. You have to know you’re going somewhere, and you have to know where that somewhere is.

“And I think we’ve deployed that same concept as we built Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. We had a view of the future, that AVOD would be important, and that it could be just as good as any other part of the media business and more valuable and more accessible for consumers, being free.

“And I really think that if you do this right, you can create value from the advertising, not just cash flow.

“Over time, AVOD should give us the ability to deliver people only ads that they are actually interested in seeing, good ones, and they should be more interactive, more value adding. We have the ability to create a superior customer experience over broadcast because broadcast doesn’t have the capability of creating a one-to-one relationship between the viewer and the programming.”

The Winstar blimp

After the unceremonious collapse of Winstar in 2001, Rouhana says, “I spent a good number of years, probably three or four, trying to buy another company because I really enjoyed building Winstar. There’s something about building a business that just makes me feel great. I like it. I enjoy it. You put the team together, you create the resources, you have a plan, you do a lot of great things. I wanted to start with something interesting, so I looked around telecom, I looked around media, but it was very hard to buy anything. Between 2002 and 2007, these things were incredibly expensive. Companies were really overvalued, and there were a lot of crazy things in the economy.”

Then, in 2007, Rouhana says, “I was invited to a barbecue at one of my wife’s friends’ houses. I was drinking a glass of red wine in the backyard, watching a guy cook the lamb chops on the barbecue. He started telling me about Chicken Soup for the Soul. And he said I can buy Chicken Soup for the Soul. And I didn’t exactly know what to say. … Congratulations? Shortly thereafter, he made it clear what and why he was telling me — he wanted to buy the company, but he didn’t have the money. And that’s when I realized I had been invited to the barbecue because I’m a potential source of capital. And that was great, because I was looking for something interesting.”

The two sat down and had a serious conversation about Chicken Soup for the Soul, which at the time was a small book publishing company that also owned a pet food line. “It’s the craziest thing in the world — books and pet food,” Rouhana says with a laugh. The more he researched the company, he says, the more he found that “not only has it been a source of so much inspiration and hope and reassurance for people, but it was also a decent business, with millions of books sold every year, profitably, and a big pet food license.”

With an eye toward a connected world that would consume more and more content, making brands “increasingly important because they would help people filter what it is that’s coming at them,” Rouhana wound up buying the company himself, in April 2008, just before the collapse of the housing market and the Great Recession.

“We leveraged it, and about six weeks later the world came to an end,” Rouhana says. “Lehman collapsed, the dollar was worthless, everything was worthless, nobody went to stores anymore. We all thought the world was coming to an end, the thin veneer of civilization was deteriorating, and we didn’t know whether we were going to live together, kill each other, or what we were going to do.”

Bill Rouhana (left) with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (right) and Don Cheadle at the 2011 Global Creative Forum.

The first few years of owning Chicken Soup were tough, Rouhana says, “because even though people needed Chicken Soup for the Soul more than ever, they also didn’t go to stores and spend money, and so we struggled. Happily we were able to right-size things, get things going, and gradually build from there.”

At the time, Rouhana says, he knew he wanted to grow the company, but he had no idea into what. “I certainly didn’t think we were going to be in the media business the way we are,” he says. A chance conversation with Peter Dekom, the same entertainment lawyer who had sparked Rouhana’s concept for Winstar, set the wheels in his friend’s head spinning once again.

“He calls me one day and he says, ‘You know, all these guys have these subscription companies, and they’re not right. Advertising is the answer.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about, Peter?’ And he says, ‘You know, this video-on-demand stuff. You’ve got to do advertising.’ I said, ‘Nobody’s doing that.’ He said, ‘You’ve got to do it.’ So I hung up, and I said, ‘Peter’s always right, so let’s figure it out.’ And on a very high level, a billion feet, he’s always right. It’s just that there’s a lot of distance between the billion-foot level and Earth, and making things real is really tough to do.

“But as I looked around, I began to believe that, in fact, he was right once again because, if you look at the media business, you just can’t get around the fact that you have to have multiple ways to monetize content to stay in business. And advertising is just a part of it. The more I looked at the SVOD business model, the more convinced I was of that.

“There is not a business model that supports just putting content straight on SVOD and never monetizing it anywhere else. That business model does not exist.

“And so that caused me to really start to try to understand what AVOD would look like, and to construct a company that I thought would be sustainable. So I set out to find the right pieces of the puzzle.”

The first piece, acquired in 2017, was Screen Media, a film distributor with a more-than-20-year history, a library of 1,300 movies, and a solid distribution network. The plan, Rouhana says, “was to use that monetization capability that they had to sell things in all media across the globe as a way to reduce the risk of stuff we have to eventually get for our own AVOD services — which, by the way, at the time only existed in my head. But I knew what I was trying to build. And so we bought Screen Media, and that turned out to be an unbelievably good deal. We paid $6 million for it, and last year it generated $40 million of EBITDA for us.”

The next big purchase, in March 2019, was a majority stake in Crackle, which Chicken Soup for the Soul acquired from Sony Pictures. The two companies established a new joint venture, Crackle Plus, to house the ad-supported streaming service, which would be bolstered by the ability to license movies and TV series from the Sony Pictures Entertainment library and also incorporate six of Chicken Soup’s own ad-supported networks, including Popcornflix and Truli.

Sony had been wanting to sell Crackle for some time, Rouhana says, and yet getting the company to the negotiating table was a challenge. “We were a new company, and nobody had even heard of us,” Rouhana says. “But it turns out we actually had a good plan for Crackle once we saw the books and realized we could run it more efficiently, that it could be run in a different way, that it could be grown, and that with our library and our ability to monetize content and our ability to make things happen, maybe there was really a big opportunity there. And we convinced them to basically become our partners in the company they owned.”

The next big acquisition was in April 2021, when Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment bought the assets of Sonar Entertainment, the production company built by Robert Halmi Sr., for $19.5 million. According to the deal announcement, about $1 billion had been invested in film and TV projects controlled by Sonar.

Its current series include “Mysterious Benedict Society” on Disney+ and Prime Video’s “Hunters.”

“That’s another really interesting company, a terrific, first-class production organization with a beautiful, deep library of award-winning movies and television shows,” Rouhana says.

“But they were in trouble because of the way the industry had changed. The company had been built on the premise that you could deficit-finance television and still make money doing it. And as the market shifted on them, they were out over their skis.

“And so we were lucky enough to get to be the people the bank chose to work with to work through that and create value out of that set of assets. So we ended up with all that library, basically for free. I think the most interesting thing about that transaction was not only was it great financially, but it gave us the base on which to start our Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service. We always viewed the Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service as a combination of Lifetime and Hallmark and HGTV — you know, good, wonderful, nice movies, combined with a lot of really cool unscripted programming, and travel and home and family and things of that sort. And there were 700 Lifetime and Hallmark movies in the library of Sonar. So that gave us a great base on which to launch that network.”

A little more than a year later, in August 2022, Chicken Soup for the Soul acquired Redbox, which had gone public in the fall of 2021 and soon encountered a series of financial challenges that sent its stock price plummeting. An acquisition made sense, Rouhana says, because not only was the price right — $375 million — but Redbox also was in the process of a digital transformation that played right into Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s strategy of getting gobs of content while minimizing the risk through monetization diversification.

What’s next? “We will always keep an eye on acquisitions, so long as the industry is in the state of flux that it’s in,” Rouhana says. “It really comes down to opportunities. Whenever there’s disruption, there are winners and there are losers, and we are trying to be on the winner side of that as much as possible. If you take a look at every transaction we’ve done, it’s kind of remarkable in that we were always taking advantage of some abrupt change that was causing the sellers to need our help in some way. And then getting compensated in the way we purchased these assets, for bringing help, really goes all the way back to Screen Media — every one of them has been a similar formula. In the case of Screen Media, we bought a company for $6 million that people were looking at for $100 million-plus a year earlier. In the case of Crackle, we were helping somebody straighten out something that was hard for them as an organization to get right because of cultural issues. The studios are not entrepreneurial, venture-funded type organizations, and that’s the kind of culture they needed in Crackle. In the case of Sonar, we were helping mid-cap straighten out a balance sheet issue that needed somebody else to help.

“And in the case of Redbox, we did the same thing, didn’t we? We went in at a time when Redbox needed help because it had been in default on its bank line, because the SPAC transaction that they engaged in didn’t work, and because of COVID. We provided the pieces of the puzzle they needed to be OK, which we are, we’re OK, we’re in good shape. But it required a combination of assets and a moment in time to be able to do that transaction and the way we did it. We had tried two years earlier to buy it. And we had offered to pay much more money for the company. We ended up buying it for less and getting it at a better moment in time. Just because we took advantage of the disruption, it was good for everybody.

“You notice I never say take advantage of the seller because that’s not really what we’re doing. We’re actually helping the seller in these situations. But the disruption has done something to damage what they’re selling. And we’re able to help them reposition it in a way that it’s valuable. It’s worked well for us. So the answer is, of course, we’re going to do more of that. If we can find more of that, we’re going to do more of it.”

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 Thursday, March 2, 2023

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/Chicken%20Soup/CSSE%20Twitter%20Banner-1-1-1.png) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment-and-kc-global-media-ink-business-agreement-to-expand-internationally-across-streaming-platforms)

## CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT AND KC GLOBAL MEDIA INK BUSINESS AGREEMENT TO EXPAND INTERNATIONALLY ACROSS STREAMING PLATFORMS

 

NEW YORK/ SINGAPORE – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest providers of premium content to value-conscious consumers and Asia’s leading entertainment network and multi-channel operator, KC Global Media, today announced an agreement for the expansion of the companies' international reach across free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) and ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD). The agreement further enhances growth across Asia, featuring a fresh volume of curated genres, including hit series, movies, and factual titles such as *Lionel Messi: The Greatest, BTS: Global Takeover, Adele: Homecoming*, and many others. The companies anticipate launching additional FAST channels and licensing AVOD rights in 2023.

 

“One of our areas of focus in 2023 is to grow the availability of our owned content globally – and monetize it in every way possible,” said Elana Sofko, Chief Strategy Officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “We always seek to work with prominent media companies already successful in the markets we are entering. KC Global Media is a company with deep relationships throughout Asia, and we know we can continue to scale our international business together.” 

 

Andy Kaplan, Co-Founder and Chairman of KC Global Media, said, “As we head into 2023, one of our key strategic goals is to increase our volume and diversity of premiums content in our current portfolio. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is one of the largest content providers, and this strategic partnership gives us an edge as we provide more value to our partners and affiliates in the region. This, in turn, will also enable us to reach out to new audiences and new territories and create more opportunities around the world as we continue to grow our business with our affiliates and streaming platforms. “ 

 

This strategic agreement strengthens Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s international presence as it joins KC Global Media’s extensive portfolio in Asia, through AVOD licensing with its wide variety of content across multi-genres and the launch of FAST Channels in Asia. As one of the largest AVOD companies in the United States, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s streaming services, Crackle and Redbox, are currently distributed through over 160 touchpoints on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, VIZIO), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com and Redbox.com. 

 

**About KC Global Media**

KC Global Media Entertainment LLC is a global multi-media company based in the United States. The brainchild of former Sony executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien, KC Global Media Asia (KCGM Asia) is Asia’s leading entertainment hub through the production, distribution and programming of quality, ground-breaking content. Backed by more than two decades of industry experience, KCGM Asia boasts an impressive portfolio of premium pay-TV channels in South-East Asia and Korea, including English-language general entertainment network AXN, anime channel Animax, South Korea’s ONE and Japanese entertainment channel GEM. By combining award-winning and well-loved entertainment formats with extensive knowledge and insight of the Asia Pacific market, KCGM Asia is paving the way for a new standard of entertainment in Asia and beyond.

 

Facebook: @KCGlobalMedia | Instagram: @KCGlobalMediaAsia | LinkedIn: @KCGlobalMediaAsia

 

**About Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment**

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) provides premium content to value-conscious consumers. The company is one of the largest advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) companies in the US, with three flagship AVOD streaming services: Redbox, Crackle, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. In addition, the company operates Redbox Free Live TV, a free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST), with over 160 channels as well as a transaction video on demand (TVOD) service, and a network of approximately 34,000 kiosks across the US for DVD rentals. To provide original and exclusive content to its viewers, the company creates, acquires, and distributes films and TV series through its Screen Media and Chicken Soup for the Soul TV Group subsidiaries. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, which publishes the famous books series and produces super-premium pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand name.

 

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 Thursday, November 17, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/phil-oppenheim.webp) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment-names-entertainment-industry-veteran-phil-oppenheim-as-chief-content-officer)

## CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT NAMES ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY VETERAN PHIL OPPENHEIM AS CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER

*In his role, Oppenheim will lead physical and streaming platform content strategy across all Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment brands *

*Former programming executive for MGM’s Epix Networks, Oppenheim also held senior roles with Lionsgate and Turner Broadcasting  *

**NEW YORK, NY –** Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) streaming services, today announced the appointment of entertainment and streaming industry veteran Phil Oppenheim, as chief content officer. In this newly created role which begins on November 1, Oppenheim will lead all facets of content strategy across physical and streaming brands, including Redbox and Crackle, helping to grow revenue and profits. He will report to Jonathan Katz, president, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

Oppenheim was previously Senior Vice President of program scheduling at MGM’s Epix Networks. He led the programming team and successfully stewarded Epix’s linear and SVOD premium linear services and their streaming extensions under the Epix banner. Oppenheim also was responsible for the streaming content and branding for ScreenPix’s suite of ad-free channels, as well as Epix Now. Before Epix, he was Chief Curator and Pop Culture Officer and Senior Vice President, Programming for Lionsgate where he led the content launch of Comic-Con HQ, a multi-platform SVOD service, as well as Kevin Hart’s LOL AVOD service. Prior to Lionsgate, Oppenheim spent several decades at Turner Broadcasting in ascending roles, beginning his career driving the launch of TCM, and ultimately ending as Senior Vice President, Programming for TNT and TBS, overseeing content strategy, linear programming and scheduling, as well as the digital content team responsible for streaming and Video on Demand (VOD).

“Phil is a true unicorn. He’s an executive with wide-ranging experience across multiple streaming brands and business models, along with vast experience leading some of TV’s most successful linear networks,” said Jonathan Katz, president of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “Phil has helped grow audience and revenue at every point in his career, and we’re incredibly lucky to have him as part of the team.”   
**

**

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 Thursday, November 17, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/crackle.jpeg) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/hisense-and-vidaa-usa-team-up-with-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment-to-add-a-crackle-branded-button-to-millions-of-remote-controls-and-add-crackle-st-1668706754634)

## HISENSE AND VIDAA USA TEAM UP WITH CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT TO ADD A CRACKLE-BRANDED BUTTON TO MILLIONS OF REMOTE CONTROLS AND ADD CRACKLE STREAMING SERVICES TO THE VIDAA PLATFORM

*Starting in early 2023, consumers will be able to easily access tens of thousands of free movies and TV shows through the Crackle app at the touch of a button

Deal also includes distribution of Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, further scaling their distribution footprint*

**NEW YORK, NY –** Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) streaming services, along with VIDAA USA, the company developing and managing the VIDAA platform on Hisense Smart TVs, today announced an agreement to add Crackle streaming services and a Crackle-branded remote control button – providing immediate access to the popular ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) service on devices powered by VIDAA OS. The button will be available starting early next year on millions of Hisense TVs sold in the US.

The companies also announced today that the Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul free ad-supported television (FAST) channels will launch on the VIDAA platform. In the coming weeks, the channels will give consumers in the US free access to the best movies and TV series streaming 24 hours a day – including originals such as *Wedding Talk* and *Going From Broke*. The channels will be available on the channel guide of the TV, which reduces the need to toggle between applications while accessing content from different providers. The Crackle AVOD app is now available on the VIDAA service.

“Hisense is known for its high-quality televisions, which are affordable to cost-conscious consumers,” said Adam Mosam, chief digital officer, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The addition of the Crackle app on the VIDAA TV operating system and the remote button will help bring a whole new audience to our service. We have a wide range of amazing content which I know their consumers will enjoy.” 

“Providing the best free content in the simplest way to consumers is our mission at VIDAA. Which is why the partnership with Crackle is a great addition to our already large lineup of free VOD content as well as FAST channels,” said Nick Ruczaj, VP of Content at VIDAA USA. “We’ve also made the content easy to discover in our platform’s search engine and will be placing the streaming channels right alongside the broadcast TV networks in the programming guide,” he added.

The VIDAA Smart TV OS is a Linux-based smart TV operating system, powering millions of Smart TVs, including Hisense, Toshiba, Loewe, Supersonic, and hundreds of other Smart TV brands, globally. The independent company VIDAA USA was established in 2019, and it has become a strong global contender in the Smart TV platform category. 

Crackle Plus’ recent releases include season 2 of the murder mystery series *The Wall, *the home renovation series *Pet Caves*, plus-size mountain climber documentary *Kili Big*, season 2 of the hit college thriller series *In the Vault*, the sci-fi series *Salvage Marines* starring Casper Van Dien, and the award-winning BBC series *Sherlock*, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

The Crackle Plus and Redbox streaming services are currently distributed through over 140 touchpoints in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at [Crackle.com](https://www.crackle.com/) and [Redbox.com](https://www.redbox.com/) with plans to expand to over 160 touch points this year.

**ABOUT VIDAA**

Established in 2019, VIDAA USA is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and is the developer of Smart TV operating systems. Its flagship product, VIDAA TV OS, is currently in its sixth generation and provides advanced solutions to a multitude of leading Smart TV manufacturers globally, including Hisense, JPE, BOE, and TP Vision. Its award-winning Linux based licensed operating system with voice control, applications store, billing, and payments capabilities provides a turnkey solution to factories and brands, including licensed access to leading global and local premium streaming video content providers. VIDAA USA partners include over 100 Smart TV brands and over 400 content providers globally.

For more information, visit @vidaatv Instagram, @vidaatv Facebook, @VIDAATV Twitter, vidaatv Linkedin. 

 

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 Thursday, November 17, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/Logos/CSS%20Entertainment_White%20BG.png) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment-partners-with-apx-content-ventures-to-develop-new-reality-series-starring-comedian-j.b.-smoove)

## CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH APX CONTENT VENTURES TO DEVELOP NEW REALITY SERIES STARRING COMEDIAN J.B. SMOOVE

*Dirty Pool with J.B. Smoove would premiere in the fall of 2023 on Crackle and Redbox streaming services *

*Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and APX Content Ventures extend existing deal to create quality content that elevates diverse voices and storylines

Program is being funded through Publicis Media’s $25 million “Inclusion Investment Fund’ to increase diverse content creation *

**NEW YORK, NY –** Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) streaming services, and Publicis Media’s APX Content Ventures, a global offering dedicated to investing in quality and mission-driven programming, today announced an extension to their current agreement to expand the companies’ content financing partnership and elevate the voices of underserved audiences. The first project greenlit under the extended agreement is the reality series *Dirty Pool with J.B. Smoove*, starring comedian J.B. Smoove (*Curb Your Enthusiasm*), which will premiere exclusively on Crackle and Redbox streaming platforms in late 2023. 

Publicis Media’s APX Content Ventures is a next-generation unit within Publicis Media that seeks to find, fund, and elevate partners and properties that amplify diverse voices, empower women and build community, connection, and trust. APX and Publicis clients will have the exclusive opportunity to be featured prominently in the series via deep brand integrations, custom content, sponsorships, and other show-adjacent segments. The companies previously came together to produce the original series *Inside the Black Box*, which features revealing conversations, exciting performances, workshops, and discussions about the role race plays in the entertainment industry.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is the latest partner to receive funding through APX Content Ventures’ $25 million Inclusion Investment Fund, which is [part of Publicis Media’s Once & For All Coalition](https://www.publicisgroupe.com/sites/default/files/press-releases/2021-07/Publicis%20Media%20Launches%20Once%20%26%20For%20All%20Coalition.pdf) initiative and has funded over 20 content ideas with more than 10 diverse-owned, operated and/or targeted companies.

*Dirty Pool with J.B. Smoove *is *Dinner for Five *meets *Celebrity Poker *over a pool table. Hosted by J.B. Smoove, he will be joined by his celebrity friends who talk shop around the pool table. No topic is off limits, including current events and other celebrities. The series will premiere in the fall 2023 on Crackle and Redbox streaming platforms. 

“APX Content Ventures has been a phenomenal partner and we are very excited to continue creating series together,” said Philippe Guelton, chief revenue officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The brand integrations into these series are an organic way for companies to reach audiences that are no longer watching linear TV. We look forward to announcing additional projects soon.” 

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment in bringing quality diverse-owned, operated, and targeted programming to air. Our partnership on *Inside the Black Box *embedded our client in a seamless and authentic way that also reflected who they are as a brand,” said Kerry Bianchi, Global CEO, APEX Exchange. “Finding quality programming that engages consumers and naturally ties to the ethos of our clients’ brands is a win-win for everyone.”

Crackle’s recent releases include season 2 of the murder mystery series *The Wall, *the home renovation series *Pet Caves*, plus-size mountain climber documentary *Kili Big*, season 2 of the hit college thriller series *In the Vault*, the sci-fi series *Salvage Marines* starring Casper Van Dien, and the award-winning BBC series *Sherlock*, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

The Crackle and Redbox streaming services are currently distributed through over 140 touchpoints in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at [Crackle.com](https://www.crackle.com/) and [Redbox.com](https://www.redbox.com/)with plans to expand to over 160 touch points this year.

**ABOUT APX CONTENT VENTURES**

APX Content Ventures is a global unit dedicated to investing in quality, and mission-driven programming. Part of Publicis Media, its purpose is to find, fund and elevate partners and properties that amplify diverse voices, empower women and build community, connection and trust. Live in the UK, US, Germany and Italy, it has generated hundreds of programs across all genres, from ground-breaking documentaries to global entertainment formats and world-class scripted series.

 

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 Tuesday, September 13, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/Bill%20Photo%20.jpeg) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/next-tv-innovation-awards-2022-william-j.-rouhana)

## Next TV Innovation Awards 2022: William J. Rouhana

*The **Next TV Summit** on September 13, part of the 10th annual **NYC TV Week**, will for the first time include the **Next TV Innovation Awards**, recognizing CEOs, technologists, strategists, creatives, marketers and other executives leading some of the most innovative companies in the video business. Each day from Sept. 2-13, our **Next TV SmartBrief** will profile one of our seven 2022 Innovation Awards honorees. (You can sign up for the SmartBrief *[*here*](https://www.smartbrief.com/signupSystem/subscribe.action?campaign=in_brief_signup_link&pageSequence=1&briefName=nexttv)*.) For more information about the summit and the award winners and other NYC TV Week events visit nyctvweek.com.*

**William J. Rouhana **

*Chairman and CEO Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment *

The name Chicken Soup for the Soul conjures feel-good self-help books in big-box retailers. But increasingly, the name should evoke the fast-growing streaming-video company that William J. Rouhana also heads. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment just pulled off another notable deal, buying struggling Redbox Entertainment to fill in most of what Chicken Soup still needed to achieve Rouhana’s vision of an AVOD-centered powerhouse precisely positioned for the future of TV. The deal has one overlap: It’s adding yet another small AVOD channel. 

The company already has Crackle, Popcornflix and, yes, Chicken Soup for the Soul. The new channel will expand ad inventory. But the deal also brought 36,000 video-rental kiosks, a transactional VOD service and a loyalty program with 40 million entertainment-loving customers. 

It also swelled the company’s library to 51,000 assets. In a techmedia market full of giant fish devouring smaller ones, Rouhana finds ways to keep on building. 

“We wouldn’t be the first company to use a legacy business to finance a new-age business,” he said. “This gives us an underlying stability. I like the combination of underlying businesses, in this case, as a way to reduce risk.”

*Previously announced Next TV Innovation Award honorees:*

[**Todd Achilles**](https://www.nexttv.com/features/next-tv-innovation-awards-2022-todd-achilles) *Co-founder, CEO and President, Evoca*

[**Meredith Brace**](https://www.nexttv.com/features/next-tv-innovation-awards-2022-meredith-brace) *Chief Marketing Officer, Samba TV*

[**Matt Duarte**](https://www.nexttv.com/features/next-tv-innovation-awards-2022-matt-duarte) *VP of Strategy and Business Development YES Network* 

[**Shalini Govil-Pai**](https://www.nexttv.com/features/next-tv-innovation-awards-2022-shalini-govil-pai) *GM and VP of TV Platforms, Google*

[**Erick Opeka**](https://www.nexttv.com/features/next-tv-innovation-awards-2022-erick-opeka)  *Chief Strategy Officer, Cinedigm*

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 Thursday, September 8, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/PetCaves.webp) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/crackle-plus-unleashes-streaming-series-pet-caves-for-petsmart)

## Crackle Plus Unleashes Streaming Series ‘Pet Caves’ For PetSmart

Makeover show launches on Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD service September 1

Cats. dogs, bunnies and more are coming to [Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s](https://www.nexttv.com/tag/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment) ad-supported VOD service in *Pet Caves*, a new series created with sponsor PetSmart.

*Pet Caves *is hosted by pet behaviorist Kayla Oliver and celebrity design architect Nina Ferrer, who help animal lovers makeover rooms in their homes to accommodate their mostly furry family members.

In each episode, Oliver–who once worked at PetSmart no less–and Ferrer go to a PetSmart store for items and accessories they need to provide critter comforts.

The show will debut exclusively on the [Chicken Soup for the Soul free streaming service](https://www.nexttv.com/news/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-launches-video-on-demand-app-on-vizio-sets), which is available on Vizio and Samsung smart TVs, starting September 1. Pet Caves will also be available for free on Sept. 15 via the company’s Crackle service. [Redbox, recently acquired by Chicken Soup for Soul Entertainment](https://www.nexttv.com/news/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-agrees-to-acquire-redbox), will also stream the show later this fall.

Darren Olive, executive VP of national sales and strategy for Crackle Plus, the Chicken Soup for the Soul division responsible for its streaming business, told *Broadcasting+Cable *that the idea for the show grew out of an annual meeting with PetSmart, already an ad client.

Chicken Soup for the Soul’s family-friendly programming over-indexes with pet owners and PetSmart was looking to reach audiences that no longer watch traditional television.

Crackle Plus hatched its Chicken Soup for the Soul AVOD network earlier this year, and “it really fit well into their initiative to target families in an environment that’s brand safe and trusted,” Olive said.

With streaming, Crackle is able to use pet ownership as a behavioral target to zero in on the consumers PetSmart is looking to reach.

In its discussions with Crackle Plus, PetSmart also said it was interested in integrating its brand direction into original programming, Olive said.

“We had been in development of the show *Pet Caves* kind of serendipitously as part of a push to do more branded content on our AVOD and fast channels,” Olive said. The show was a doggone good fit with the PetSmart tagline “Anything for Pets.”

“We said 'hey, we’ve got this show. It aligns really well with your tagline and what you’re looking to do.' It was an aha moment for us,” he said.

On top of that, Chicken Soup for the Soul has its own brand of pet food, which is sold at PetSmart. The Chicken Soup for the Soul brand pet food is being integrated into the series as well, Olive said.

“At PetSmart, we’re always seeking innovative ways to connect with pet parents and share our unrivaled expertise and love for pets,” says PetSmart senior vice president and chief marketing officer Will Smith. “Home is truly where our pets are, and what better way to show we’ll do anything for pets than by shining a light on the stories of people who revitalize their homes just for their furry, feathered, or scaly family friends? That’s exactly what *Pet Caves* does.”

In addition to being integrated into the show, PetSmart will be presenting the show with limited commercial interruptions. It will also get other show-adjacent opportunities, including custom billboards and pause ads (paws ads?) that show a static message from PetSmart when viewers pause the show.

Petsmart will also be featured in custom tune in ads and its commercials will run on Popcornflix and Red Box in addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul and Crackle Channels.

Crackle Plus is also providing PetSmart with 20 short-form clips from the show it will distribute over its own social channels and internally to its employees.

Crackle Plus and PetSmart mutually agreed to have the show produced by TeamSheed Productions, a black-owned production company Crackle Plus had worked with before.

TeamSheed helped Crackle Plus and PetSmart showcase a diverse set of families as well as a broad range of pets, including a bearded iguana.

“We saw *Pet Caves* as a great opportunity to work with two beloved brands, Chicken Soup for the Soul Studios and PetSmart,” said Rasheed J. Daniel, principal and executive producer for Teamsheed. “As a black-owned business, we were also attracted to the diversity not only reflected in the show but also the values reflected in both of these esteemed organizations.”

It was also a stroke of luck that co-host Kayla Oliver had once worked at a PetSmart. “She had a great understanding of the brand and the company, so it was just this perfect marriage and perfect partnership,” Olive said. “We're hoping to springboard into a whole, a whole series of new shows and movies.”

Olive declined to say how much PetSmart is spending on *Pet Caves*, but said the retailer is now the company’s largest media partner in the pet category.

*Pet Caves i*s executive produced by Rasheed J. Daniel of TeamSheed Productions and Michael Winter for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Corey Noll and Lexi Brown serve as co-executive producers, and the series is distributed globally by Screen Media.  

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 Wednesday, May 18, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-17%20at%201.48.38%20PM.png) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment-to-acquire-redbox-creating-premier-independent-entertainment-company-1)

## Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment to Acquire Redbox, Creating Premier Independent Entertainment Company

**Cos Cob, CT - **Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) streaming services, and Redbox Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: RDBX), a leading entertainment company, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment will acquire Redbox. 

 

The combination of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and Redbox will create a leading independent, integrated direct-to-consumer media platform delivering premium entertainment for value conscious consumers. The combined company will have increased scale across content production and distribution, with a massive content library, more than 38,000 kiosks nationwide, extensive digital capabilities in AVOD, TVOD, PVOD, and FAST, and access to millions of targeted customers, including nearly 40 million Redbox Perks members.

 

Together, the combined companies will have the industry’s premier, independent AVOD platforms, one of the fastest growing segments of the overall entertainment industry. According to a recent study by IAB, ad spending on connected TV platforms increased 57% from 2020 to 2021 and is expected to increase another 39% this year. 

 

“Today marks a transformative moment for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and an inflection point for the ad-supported streaming industry,” said William J. Rouhana Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “Our acquisition of Redbox will accelerate the scaling of our business as it combines complementary teams and services to create the streaming industry’s premier independent AVOD. Redbox has 40 million customers in its loyalty program and high-potential digital television assets including carriage of over 130 FAST digital channels on its Free Live TV platform, as well as a robust TVOD and PVOD platform. Together, we will build a fully developed AVOD and FAST streaming business: proven branded streaming services, formidable content and production capabilities, and a strong AVOD and FAST ad sales operation.”

 

“We believe that Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is the ideal partner for Redbox. By joining forces, we will accelerate Redbox’s transition from a physical to high growth digital media company and be the only entertainment provider truly focused on value for consumers,” said Galen Smith, chief executive officer of Redbox. “This all-stock transaction provides Redbox stockholders with the opportunity to participate in the significant near- and long-term upside potential of a diversified and growing company with greater scale and resources. With our footprint of more than 38,000 kiosks, diverse content libraries and combined streaming platforms, we will be well positioned to deliver consumers a wealth of high-quality entertainment options.”

Rouhana continued, “More and more viewers are embracing ad-supported streaming offerings in a content environment characterized by cord-cutting and saturation of high-priced subscription services. Near term, these conditions are even more acute against a macro backdrop of rising inflation and economic uncertainty. With the combination of a large content library, digital AVOD and FAST channel capabilities, and an expanding global audience, we believe that we will be able to deliver more exciting premium entertainment for millions of value conscious viewers and drive further growth and value creation for our stockholders.”

** **

**About Redbox**

Redbox Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: RDBX) is a leading entertainment company that gives consumers access to a large variety of content across digital and physical media. The company operates a rapidly growing digital streaming service that provides both ad supported (AVOD) and paid movies from Hollywood studios and hundreds of content partners, as well as over 130 channels of free ad supported streaming television (FAST). The Redbox app is available on major entertainment platforms that include Roku devices, connected TVs, gaming platforms, the web as well iOS and Android devices. Redbox also operates its popular kiosks across the US at thousands of retail locations – giving consumers affordable access to the latest in entertainment. The company produces, acquires, and distributes movies through its Redbox Entertainment™ label, providing rights to talent-led films that are distributed across Redbox’s digital and physical services as well as through third-party digital services. Headquartered just outside of Chicago, Redbox has offices in Los Angeles and Seattle. For more information, visit [www.redbox.com](https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.redbox.com&esheet=52697282&newsitemid=20220425006002&lan=en-US&anchor=www.redbox.com&index=1&md5=e3c7d8afb251cdb9c17b340b00107bec).

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 Monday, May 16, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/CosmoDenicola_Jan2017_files/images/chicken-soup-logo.jpg) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/samsung-launches-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-and-popcornflix-streaming-service-apps)

## Samsung Launches Chicken Soup for the Soul and Popcornflix Streaming Service Apps

*Thousands of Hours of Content, Including Original and Exclusive Programming, Now Available to Stream for Free*

 

**New York, NY – **Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) company and one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) streaming services, announced today the Chicken Soup for the Soul** **and Popcornflix streaming service** **applications is now available on Samsung.

 

With something for everyone, the Chicken Soup for the Soul streaming service offers a mixture of unscripted lifestyle programming, Hollywood blockbusters and classic scripted TV series, thoughtfully curated with the mission to encourage, inspire, and entertain viewers of all ages.

 

The Popcornflix streaming service offers the adventure escape viewers crave. The service includes Westerns, Sci-Fi, martial arts, military history TV series and movies and more. For viewers looking for an explosion, they’ll find it on Popcornflix. 

 

“We are excited to bring the Chicken Soup for the Soul and Popcornflix streaming services to millions of Samsung viewers. We plan to provide a unique blend of entertainment from content and distribution partners who share our vision,” said Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus.  

 

Crackle Plus streaming services are currently distributed through 70 touch points in the U.S. with announced plans to expand to over 90 touch points including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, VIZIO), gaming consoles (PS4 and XBoxOne), Plex, iOS and Android mobile devices and on desktop at [Crackle.com](https://www.crackle.com/). Crackle is also available in approximately 500,000 hotel rooms in the Marriott Bonvoy chain

 

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 Tuesday, March 15, 2022

[![](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/hubfs/Chicken%20Soup/CSSE%20Twitter%20Banner-1-1-1.png) ](https://www.cosmodenicola.com/news/acquisition-of-1091-pictures-completed-by-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-entertainment)

## Acquisition of 1091 Pictures Completed by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment

**COS COB, CT –** Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) (“the Company”), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (“AVOD”) networks, today announced the closing of the previously announced acquisition of the assets of 1091 Media, LLC comprising its distribution business known as “1091 Pictures”. The purchase price was approximately $15.6 million in cash, Series A perpetual preferred stock and Class A common stock.

 

Salem Partners acted as the exclusive financial and investment banking advisor to 1091 Pictures, with Stephen Prough and Ivar Combrinck leading the process and negotiations. Lisa Weiss from Chatillon Weiss acted as exclusive legal advisor to 1091 Pictures. Brian Ross from Graubard Miller acted as exclusive legal advisor to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc.

 

 

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