Group Nine Media, the Discovery Communications-backed parent company of popular digital properties Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo, and Seeker, has announced today the acquisition of Jash.
The comedy-centric production company will not operate as a standalone brand like Group Nine’s aforementioned properties, however, but is instead being integrated into its studios division. The acquisition was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Founded by former Jimmy Kimmel Live! execs Daniel Kellison and Doug DeLuca — as well as Maker Studios vet Mickey Meyer — in 2012, Jash was originally conceived as a comedy collective comprising Sarah Silverman, Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, the actor Michael Cera, and musician Reggie Watts. It was initially funded through YouTube‘s now-defunct Original Channels Initiative.
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Though the terms of the deal were not disclosed, Jash will henceforth work to develop content for Group Nine’s existing portfolio, help Group Nine explore new distribution channels, and grow its branded content business — an area in which Jash has noted expertise. One new series that Jash will produce is a previously announced NowThis series for Facebook‘s Watch called Home Team: The Las Vegas Golden Knights, which is being co-produced by the NHL. Group Nine says that it is currently the most-watched publisher on Watch, and clocks 5 billion monthly video views across all platforms.
“Jash has refined the development process for IP creation,” Group Nine CEO Ben Lerer told the Reporter in a statement. “The talent they work with and the way that they think about content creation are things we want to be our strengths, but traditionally haven’t been.”
Jash’s 35 employees will continue to operate out of its Culver City, Calif. offices under the direction of CEO Daniel Kellison and president and COO Mickey Meyer — both of whom will report to Group Nine chief brand officer Suzanne Kolb. In addition to 121,000 YouTube subscribers on its main channel and the over 4 million subscribers in its overall network, Jash has produced series for go90, Snapchat, TBS, MTV, Netflix, and Comedy Central. Jash and Group Nine first collaborated last year on a town hall event with Bernie Sanders and Sarah Silverman for NowThis.
