AMC Networks which owns and operates the comedy network IFC in the US, has acquired a minority ownership stake in Funny Or Die.
IFC and Funny Or Die have a long history of successful collaborations, most recently on the forthcoming IFC series Brockmire, starring Hank Azaria, which began as a Funny Or Die short. The investment will allow IFC and Funny Or Die to work together on larger business and creative initiatives. Possible collaborations are likely to include Funny Or Die-branded programming blocks on IFC and additional original content development for television and digital platforms. Following the investment, Funny Or Die will continue to operate independently, allowing it to invest in its growth by also working with other distributors, networks and studios. IFC president Jennifer Caserta will be joining the Funny Or Die board.
“IFC has established itself as a television network and influential comedy brand able to leverage cultural relevance and both critical and popular acclaim to attract top talent and creators,” Caserta said.
“Both IFC and Funny Or Die have a proven track record of producing breakout content. The ability to work together more closely and increase our commitment to delivering more content on all platforms makes for an extremely significant partnership for both companies, and for the millions of fans of our comedy. It also marks a small, but important, first step towards my ultimate goal of appearing on ‘Between Two Ferns’ with Zach Galifianakis.”
“This is really the perfect partnership for us, because we get to work closely with a brand and team at IFC that we trust and respect, while also staying true to the irreverent, independent vision of our founders, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay,” said Mike Farah, CEO of Funny Or Die.
“This move will be great business for both of our companies as we capitalize on our combined audiences, our complementary platforms, and our premium content. It will also be great for my wardrobe, because AMC Networks’ President and CEO Josh Sapan has been sending me these really nice shirts, and I hope that continues now that we’ve closed the deal.”
