• by Sara Guaglione , November 7, 2017

Group Nine Media bought Jash to advance its production of episodic video programming and expand its advertising opportunities.

The parent company of NowThis, The Dodo, Thrillist and Seeker says the acquisition “combines Group Nine’s massive digital scale and iconic brands with Jash’s deep talent relationships and creative depth.”

“The best digital media companies need to build lasting brands by developing high quality that fans love,” stated Ben Lerer, CEO of Group Nine Media.

Lerer told Publishers Daily that Jash “has expertise and relationships and momentum in a handful of areas that are of incredible strategic importance for us,” particularly in its intellectual property and episodic programming.

This acquisition will help cement Group Nine’s efforts to create “repeatable scalable franchises that year in and year out you can bring back,” he said.

Lerer pointed to the recent announcement of NowThis’ upcoming Facebook Watch show, “Home Team: The Vegas Golden Knights,” in partnership with the NHL. In the future, "Home Team" “could be something that is bigger than this one season,” Lerer said. “It could be almost like a platform we could build around to tell stories about teams. It doesn’t even need to be just sports. That’s the way Jash thinks.”

This lends itself to expanding Group Nine's branded content business.

“Within our advertising business, Jash will increase the capabilities we bring to brands from a production perspective,” Lerer said. While NowThis brings in media budgets, Jash brings in production budgets. This diversification will “build deeper partnerships with brand advertisers,” he said.

“Marketers want to partner with digital media companies that excel at video storytelling,” Lerer stated. “The Jash acquisition catapults our brands forward much like the original merger of Group Nine did 11 months ago.”

Group Nine was formed in December 2016, to oversee four digital media brands after Discovery invested $100 million into the company. Group Nine claims to reach over 80% of U.S. adults in their 20s and has over 5 billion monthly video views.

While each of Group Nine’s brands could develop episodic programs “slowly and patiently over time and add talent in those areas,” the company decided to “take a bigger swing” by acquiring Jash and its “creative talent,” as well as its relationships with Hollywood talent.

Jash was created as a comedy collective in 2013 by producers Doug DeLuca, Daniel Kellison and Mickey Meyer, with founding comedians Sarah Silverman, Michael Cera, Reggie Watts, Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. Kellison and Meyer will report to Suzanne Kolb, Group Nine Chief Brand Officer, in Los Angeles. 

No one from Jash will be laid off as part of the acquisition.

Jash has produced digital and linear series and specials for Comedy Central, Netflix, TBS, Snapchat, MTV, Facebook, YouTube and Verizon's Go90. Jash and Group Nine previously collaborated on a series featuring comedians interviewing politicians, such as NowThis’ Bernie Sanders town hall hosted by Sarah Silverman in 2016.