GoDigital Media Group (GDMG) is a diversified multi-national conglomerate founded in 2006 by Jason Peterson and headquartered in Los Angeles. GDMG focuses on intellectual property rights management through divisions in music, video networks, and brands (commerce). CEO Jason Peterson's “Content is King” philosophy for GoDigital closely resembles that of Sumner Redstone, the 80's media mogul that grew his father's drive-in theater business into a content-centric empire that included Viacom, Paramount Pictures and CBS.

Background

GoDigital Media Group was founded by CEO and Chairman Jason Peterson in 2006 as a digital music distributor. In 2007 GDMG created a division named AdShare, the first social media monetization business identifying, tracking, and monetizing rights on YouTube. In 2008, Peterson and GDMG created a digital video division eponymously named GoDigital, inc, that specialized in digital movie distribution. In January 2012, GoDigital, inc acquired Might Entertainment for its 800 film catalog creating a combined company with over 1,100 titles. In August, 2012 GoDigital, Inc. was majority sold to Preferred Ventures who made a control investment. Preferred Ventures then merged GoDigital inc with

Variance Films Variance Films is a privately held film distribution company founded in 2008 that uses an innovative model of self-distribution combined with select elements of traditional theatrical distribution to allow filmmakers to achieve quality theatrical ...

in January 2014, forming a new theatrical movie distribution entity, Amplify. In 2010, Peterson and GDMG commercialized their ContentBridge platform to offer cloud based digital supply chain and rights management under a SaaS model to major movie studios and networks. In 2014, ContentBridge won the 2014 Entertainment Merchant Association's “Industry Leadership” Digital Award for software support for the

SMPTE The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) (, rarely ), founded in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture Engineers or SMPE, is a global professional association of engineers, technologists, and executives working in the m ...

Interoperable Master Package (IMP),

CableLabs Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. (CableLabs) is a nonprofit corporation promoting innovation as a research and development lab founded in 1988 by American cable operators. System operators from around the world are eligible to be members. Th ...

and

UltraViolet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nanometer, nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 Hertz, PHz) to 400 nm (750 Hertz, THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than ...

digital supply chain standards. In 2012, GDMG's music distribution business was rebranded Cinq Music and the mandate was broadened to include distribution, publishing and record label activities. In 2016, GDMG's AdShare unit acquired Primo Media to create VidaPrimo, the then largest Latin music only multi-channel network. In 2017, GDMG created Latido Music as a free ad-supported linear Latin music television channel

Acquisitions and Growth

Starting in 2017: * GDMG invested $20 million into its Cinq Music division, hired rap mogul

Master P Percy Robert Miller Sr. (born April 29, 1967), known by his stage name Master P, is an American rapper, record executive, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the record label No Limit Records, which was relaunched as ...

to be President of Urban Music and acquired 3x Grammy Award winning rapper T.I.'s catalog from Warner Music Group. In 2018: * GDMG subsidiary Cinq Music signed Janet Jackson to a record deal and released the single "

Made for Now "Made for Now" is a song by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson and Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee. It was produced by English songwriter, musician and producer Harmony Samuels, with additional production contributions by Jackson's long- ...

" featuring

Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, and actor. Known as the " King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike, he is the artist who coined ...

In 2019: * GDMG invested another $40 million into its Cinq Music division for music rights acquisitions to follow on to existing Latin repertoire from Anuel,

Bad Bunny Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (born March 10, 1994), known professionally as Bad Bunny, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. His musical style is defined as Latin trap and reggaeton. He rose to prominence in 2016 with his song "Diles", wh ...

, Carin Leon, Natanel Cano and others. In 2020: * Cinq Music acquired the Beluga Heights Record Label including the catalogs of Sean Kingston and Jason Derulo for an eight figure sum. * GoDigital then also acquired Hispanic targeted multi-platform network mitu which along with the Latido Music channel forms the programming and production core of their networks division. With mitu, GoDigital and its business units have access to A-level content production. In 2021: * GDMG bought YogaWorks, the largest Yoga studio business in the U.S., out of COVID- induced bankruptcy. The company purchased YogaWorks to transform the business model into a digital first subscription based business for health, wellness and longevity. * GDMG and MEP Capital (“MEP”) acquired Sound Royalties for high eight figures, the leading provider of financing solutions for music creators ranging from emerging artists, songwriters and producers, to platinum hitmakers such as

DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper. Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

Pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...

Rich Robinson Richard Spencer Robinson (born May 24, 1969) is an American musician and founding member of the rock and roll band the Black Crowes. Along with older brother Chris Robinson, Rich formed the band in 1984 (originally called ''Mr. Crowes Garden'' ...

, and

Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, a ...

. Peterson stated in Music Business Worldwide his plans for GoDigital. “We have a vision for a billion dollar balance sheet of rights. We are raising tremendous amounts of money right now, we have a tremendous pipeline of acquisitions. There will be more news about deals and new financing. In 2022: * GDMG invested another $100 million into its Cinq Music division for music rights acquisitions, bringing GoDigital's total investment in Cinq Music to $160 million. * GDMG's Commerce division acquired consumer brand

Eastern Mountain Sports Eastern Mountain Sports (or EMS) is an outdoor clothing and equipment retailer in the Northeastern United States headquartered in Meriden, Connecticut. EMS sells outdoor equipment and clothing from both name brands and its own EMS line. The compa ...

and its physical retail business alongside New England retailer

Bob's Stores Bob's Stores is a chain of retail stores in the northeastern United States owned by GoDigital Media Group. Founded as Bob's Surplus in Middletown, Connecticut, by Robert "Bob" Lapidus in 1954, the chain expanded gradually until it was acquired by ...

for $70 million.

Business Units

Divisions include: Music, Video Networks, and Commerce (named GDMG Brands). Business units within divisions are: Music: * AdShare is a social media (primarily YouTube content) monetization service for entertainment industry rights-holders. * Cinq Music is a distributor, label and publisher known for its Hip Hop/R&B repertoire from

Jason Derulo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer and songwriter.

, T.I., and

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

as well as Latin repertoire from Anuel, Bad Bunny, Carin Leon, Natanel Can and others. * Sound Royalties the leading provider of financing solutions for music creators ranging from emerging artists, songwriters and producers, to platinum hitmakers such as

, and

. Networks: * Latido Music as a free ad-supported linear Latin music television channel * mitu is a HIspanic targeted multi-platform network * YogaWorks is an online subscription Yoga network * '
ContentBridge
'' (ContentBridge LLC) is a

supply chain management In commerce, supply chain management (SCM) is the management of the flow of goods and services including all processes that transform raw materials into final products between businesses and locations. This can include the movement and stor ...

(SCM),

digital rights management Digital rights management (DRM) is the management of legal access to digital content. Various tools or technological protection measures (TPM) such as access control technologies can restrict the use of proprietary hardware and copyrighted works. ...

(DRM), and encoding software provider for the entertainment industry. Commerce: * GoDigital Brands is a vertically integrated brand IP management division of GDMG that manages

, th
mituShop
(the online store on mitú), and the soon to launch line of fitness clothing, mats, blocks and straps from YogaWorks.

References

External links

* {{Official website Film distributors of the United States Digital rights management systems Digital audio distributors Video on demand services Entertainment companies based in California Holding companies of the United States Companies based in Santa Monica, California Entertainment companies established in 2005 Holding companies established in 2005 Mass media companies established in 2005 2005 establishments in California