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TV guide data company HWW sold

The company that provides television listings for TV guides has been sold to a US corporate.

2014-10-03_1725The company that provides television listings for TV guides, HWW Limited, has been sold by Mi9 (previously ninemsn) to Gracenote, part of US-based Tribune Media for $US19 million ($21 million).

The metadata company provides listings for both free-to-air and subscription television industry, plus live music listings, restaurant and bar listings and lottery, horoscopes and humour. Its customers include Foxtel, Freeview, Samsung, Telstra, Beamly, Fetch TV, ninemsn, and Yahoo!7.

“We are seeing increasing demand from customers to support Australia and the surrounding region,” said John Batter, CEO of Gracenote. “As new services roll-out around the globe, our customers are seeking an entertainment data provider with knowledge and expertise of the local broadcasters and regional movie catalogs. With the addition of HWW and the recent acquisition of What’s-ON, Gracenote is now in a position to support our customers and help expand their products and services in Australia, India and throughout Asia-Pacific.”

Tribune Media owns 39 US stations and ten newspapers including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, Sun-Sentinel and The Baltimore Sun.

HWW management and staff will be transferring to Gracenote but remaining in Sydney.

2 Responses

  1. Hold on a sec. They sold the very organisation that integrates and provides the Freeview EPG data to the broadcasters?

    It’s almost like Australia’s Freeview is trying to shoot itself in both feet, at the same time.

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