Picks, Shovels & Television

More mergers in the UK as Rights TV is acquired by Compact Media Group (the company used to be called Compact Collections and specialises in providing royalty management services to the TV industry). CMG is looking to build a TV services powerhouse following the appointment of Richard Green as Executive Chair. He had previously merged his previous company VCI with BBC Worldwide's DVD business to create 2entertain. A private equity company, Lyceum Capital, is also backing the company.

The services end of the TV business is a very neglected area which is becoming more important as the industry consolidates and becomes much more complex thanks to the advent of new technologies.

Most merger activity to date has involved the rollup of independent production companies into 'superindies', but selling the picks and shovels might just prove to be more profitable than digging for gold these days, even if it is less glamorous.