Also crossing the line just before the end of 2019 was Hasbro’s deal to acquire media group Entertainment One (eOne). The acquisition closed on 30 December, with Hasbro paying $3.8bn in cash for the home of Peppa Pig and The Walking Dead; artists including Wu-Tang Clan, The Lumineers and Jax Jones; and production-music firm Audio Network. “Our businesses are highly complementary with substantial synergies and a great cultural fit. The addition of eOne accelerates our blueprint strategy by expanding our brand portfolio with eOne’s beloved global preschool brands, adding proven TV and film expertise, and creating additional opportunities for long-term profitable growth,” said Hasbro boss Brian Goldner in a statement. He notably didn’t mention music, so we’ll see how those parts of eOne fit with Hasbro’s strategy. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced in November that it was investigating the planned acquisition, with a deadline for its decision on whether to continue on 21 January.
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Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…