In what looks like the preparation for serious expansion into TV and online video, the UK-based Future Plc has rebranded its factual TV production company Barcroft Studios as Future Studios.
Future paid £23.5m (9 x EBITDA) for Barcroft in 2019. It was recently commissioned by the UK’s Channel 4 Television to co-produce the revival of GamesMaster, the classic TV show. The Future brand is set to make a return to E4 TV, and also on social media in partnership with Oculus Quest 2 from Facebook.
Following the success of ‘Totally Game’, the original short form documentary series Barcroft produced in collaboration with Future’s games magazine division, the company is in production on three new ‘Future Originals’ – an anthology gaming series, and a new true crime series, in partnership with Future’s Marie Claire brand.
Future Studios says: “We produce content for the world’s biggest TV networks and streamers, having delivered 200+ hours of premium documentary and factual entertainment for the likes of Netflix, Channel 4, National Geographic, Channel 5, the BBC and Discovery. Having started life as a news agency, we continue to stay true to our journalistic roots.”
We might reasonably conclude that Future’s decision now to re-brand Barcroft signals its confidence in the production company and in the strategy which prompted what had looked like a leftfield deal. On that basis, we might expect Future to push some of its lifestyle and sports brands into TV, and also make some bolt-on acquisitions of video-TV companies – perhaps even including broadcast or online channels. It’s limbering up.
