iWorld
Series Mania Forum announces ‘Series Mania Buyers Upfront’
Mumbai: Celebrating over a decade of contributions to global content development, Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg announced the launch of the “Series Mania Buyers Upfront,” a new initiative designed for buyers before the Series Mania Forum (25-27 March 2025). The Series Mania Festival will take place from 21-28 March 2025, and the Buyers Upfront event is scheduled for 24 March 2025, at the Chamber of Commerce (CCI) in Lille’s historic city center.
The Series Mania Buyers Upfront is an invitation-only event for buyers, showcasing exclusive excerpts from 12 eagerly awaited series that have strong global appeal. Curated by the Festival’s artistic team, the selection will include high-potential series about to be released or still in post-production. The selection will be based on both artistic merit and broad audience appeal.
The event will kick-off with an exclusive invitation-only brunch followed by the series presentation. Adding to the excitement, a distinguished jury of top buyers will present the Buyers Choice Award for the most promising series. A jury of top buyers will present the Buyers Choice Award for the most promising series, featuring Mediaset Spain, director of cinema, fiction, sales, rights acquisition and distribution, Ghislain Barrois; Sky, group director of acquisitions for UK/ROI & Europe, Katie Keenan; Movistar Plus+, head of series acquisitions, Rubén Fernández Loa; SVT, head of drama, Johanna Gardare; and Arte, commissioning editor & series acquisitions, Virginie Padilla.
“Series Mania Buyers Upfront will serve as a bridge between industry professionals and the Series Mania Festival, offering a top lineup of series selected by our Festival team. This new initiative offers buyers a unique opportunity for exclusive screenings, dedicated meetings and networking opportunities, and a full festival experience. We are designing a tailor-made experience just for the buyers,” commented Herszberg.
“Given the recent changes in the international marketplace, Series Mania is now perfectly positioned as the leading European event for scripted content development, as well as a key hub for distributors and buyers looking for content. With our new initiative, we will be better able to connect these distributors and buyers while further strengthening the Series Mania Forum as the must-attend event of the spring for the scripted community” added Series Mania Forum director Francesco Capurro.
Originally established around its renowned international co-production pitch, Series Mania Forum has evolved into a premier destination for the entertainment industry, expanding its scope to include an IP market, a showcase venue, comprehensive conferences, and dynamic exhibitions. The forum has become a must-visit destination each spring for leading broadcasters, streamers, and major scripted studios worldwide.
iWorld
Universal Music to sell half its Spotify stake, expand buyback plan
Ackman pressure mounts as label posts €2.9bn revenue and strong subscription growth
HILVERSUM: Universal Music Group has unveiled plans to sell half of its stake in Spotify and double its share buyback programme to €1 billion, signalling a sharper capital strategy as investor scrutiny intensifies.
The company said it will launch an additional €500 million buyback after completing the €500 million programme announced in March, taking the total authorisation to €1 billion. Proceeds from the Spotify stake sale will help fund the buyback and will also be shared with artists, in line with long-standing commitments.
The move comes amid pressure from billionaire investor Bill Ackman, whose firm Pershing Square Capital Management holds over 4.5 per cent of UMG. Ackman recently made an unsolicited offer valuing the company at around $64 billion to $65 billion and has argued that the label’s shares are undervalued.
As part of his proposal, Ackman suggested selling the entire Spotify stake to raise €1.5 billion after taxes and artist payouts, while also pushing for a US listing and changes to the company’s financial reporting structure. UMG’s board has instead opted to move independently, approving a partial stake sale on its own terms.
The decision also aligns with what is informally known as the “Taylor Swift clause”, a commitment made when Taylor Swift re-signed with the label in 2018, ensuring that any proceeds from Spotify stake sales are shared with artists on a non-recoupable basis.
With investor pressure building and strategic levers now in motion, UMG appears to be striking a careful balance between rewarding shareholders and reinforcing its long-term growth play in the streaming era.
