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SeaChange International, a leading global multiscreen video software provider, has entered into an agreement to acquire privately-owned Timeline Labs in a transaction valued at $14 million in cash. Timeline is a California-based SaaS company that enables local broadcasters, local and national news organizations, cable news channels and other media companies and brands to analyze social media messages in real-time, find and broadcast newsworthy social trends and insights, and measure viewing audience engagement across television, mobile and PC.
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According to a statement by Timeline Labs, all Timeline Labs employees, including the CEO and senior leadership team, will join SeaChange as part of the transaction. Timeline’s customers include FOX Television Stations, Sinclair, Media General and Tribune broadcast television stations, as well as online providers such as 120Sports.com. The company provides a rapidly deployed content management platform that enables its customers to discover, curate and display geographically targeted news stories that are trending across social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) with visualizations that are ready for air on television and over-the-top. Timeline’s major investors include former executives of television networks ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and Guggenheim Digital Media.
Jay Samit, SeaChange CEO
Timeline Labs’ success demonstrates that social media can be captured for the advantage of the television industry, bringing concrete, new value by truly reflecting and serving the current mindset of their specific audiences. While the broadcast segment represents an accretive growth opportunity for SeaChange, the Timeline Labs platform will allow us to extend the social news paradigm to multiscreen television service providers, so they can easily launch ready-made and differentiated live or on-demand content packages tailored to the interests of their subscribers.
Malcolm CasSelle, Timeline Labs CEO
Unlike its competitors, Timeline Labs provides best-of-breed search capabilities across multiple social networks to surface breaking and trending news for top media organizations. It also features visualization tools that let broadcasters and other news teams do what they do best: tell stories and break news. Our teaming with SeaChange is an exciting stage for Timeline Labs. We anticipate cross-selling opportunities that will help us to extend our platform to new customers including multiscreen and OTT service providers in new geographies.
