ColorTV Buying OTT Search/Discovery Outfit

April 21, 2017
ColorTV has entered into an agreement to acquire Guidebox, an OTT video search and discovery metadata provider to nearly 50 TV brands ...

ColorTV has entered into an agreement to acquire Guidebox, an OTT video search and discovery metadata provider to nearly 50 TV brands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"With Facebook, Google and Apple strongly entering into the TV market, we help ensure TV network revenues and distribution on OTT and mobile do not become eroded by this new competition set," said Giancarlo Maniaci, CEO of ColorTV. "The key to success in the new TV landscape is simple: Increase viewership and retain each customer through a premier personalized user experience while optimizing monetization. This is easier said than done, and combining the Guidebox team and technology with ColorTV creates an even stronger solution for our clients."

Guidebox, which will operate under the "Guidebox by ColorTV" label, provides technology to enable TV viewers to search for and discover TV programming on connected TV platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Google Home, Android, iOS and the web. Guidebox was founded in 2012, and today Guidebox data touches more than 50 million U.S. households.

ColorTV's SDK and suite of analytics tools power more than 300 apps and brands on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire. The acquisition is intended to give the company access to Guidebox's list of customers including Ericsson, Synacor, WWE, Fandor and various Lionsgate streaming services such as Tribeca Shortlist and Comic-Con HQ. It also enables ColorTV to combine its analytics, retention and content promotion with search data.

ColorTV will be exhibiting at the NAB show in Las Vegas.