Music and Youth
MTV Networks acquires IFilm Corp for $49 million
MUMBAI: MTV Networks has acquired IFilm Corp, which is one of the leading video destinations on the web, for $49 million.
The announcement was made by MTV Networks chairman and CEO Judy McGrath.
IFilm is a leading aggregator and distributor of video online featuring programming from Hollywood studios, amateur filmmakers, and user-generated content. The site has the biggest library of short form entertainment video on the web and reaches over 10 million users per month.
The acquisition of IFilm coupled with the recent purchase of Neopets, the world’s fastest growing youth community on the Internet, and MTV Networks’ strong digital offerings, highlights the company’s commitment to being a leading multi-platform entertainment company.
IFilm will continue to be run by CEO Blair Harrison, who will report to MTV Networks senior vice president digital music and media Jason Hirschhorn. The company will remain based in Hollywood.
“We are thrilled about the acquisition of IFilm. This move is at the heart of MTV Networks multi-platform strategy and meshes with our tradition of cultivating independent and creative brands. We’re combining the top brands in all digital media with our global reach and programming expertise to speak to consumers everywhere they live their lives. Additionally, with IFilm’s strong business profile and growing traffic, we see significant opportunities for us to increase our online advertising revenue,” said McGrath.
“IFilm has been a major catalyst of online viral video and allows consumers to become publishers. MTV Networks wants our audience to share the stage and program to one another. The expansive content on the site makes it a must-visit – IFilm is simply one of the most vibrant online destinations out there. We look forward to growing its user base and business opportunities together. We’re also excited about the partnership potential with our established brands like MTV, MTV2, mtvU, the N, Comedy Central, SpikeTV and VH1,” said Hirschhorn.
“IFilm and its audience have spent the last seven years building the largest library of video and the most active community of people focused on creating, sharing and watching it online. In MTV Networks, we have found a partner with ultimate respect for strong independent brands and the resources, expertise and desire to help grow them. Now, together, we will turn IFilm into another household name in the MTV Networks family,” said Harrison.
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
