Silvergate Media Limited, operating asSony Pictures Television – Kids (formerly known as Silvergate Media), is a television production and brand licensing company based in New York City and London.[1] The company was founded in 2011 by Waheed Alli, Elizabeth Dampier and William Astor and was acquired by Sony Pictures Television in 2019.
History
Silvergate Media was created in 2011 as part of a management buyout, when Alli purchased the rights to Octonauts and The World of Beatrix Potter from Chorion, a company he was previously chair of.[2]
In 2016, Netflix and Silvergate agreed to a three-year multi-territory deal for Octonauts, Silvergate's series about underwater explorers.[3]
The company signed a deal with Netflix, in collaboration with Mercury Filmworks to produce Hilda, an animated television adaptation of comic Hilda by Luke Pearson. Season 1 was released on September 21, 2018.[4] Season 2 was released on December 14, 2020. The series is available in 130 countries.[5]
Silvergate also produced Sunny Day for Nickelodeon, which started airing on August 21, 2017.[6]
In 2016, the investment fund Shamrock Capital Advisors acquired a 51% equity of the company,[7] with the valuation reported to be "between £70 and £80 million".[8]
Silvergate Media logo (2011–2022)
On December 10, 2019, Sony Pictures Television announced that it would acquire Silvergate Media for US$195 million. The deal marks SPT's first in-house studio devoted primarily to children's animation since Sony Pictures Animation's diversification into television.[9]
In February 2022, former Disney Junior Senior Vice President of original programming and Sony Pictures Family Entertainment Group executive Joe D'Ambrosia was named Executive Vice President and General Manager of Silvergate Media, succeeding co-founder Waheed Alli, who stepped down as CEO the following summer.[10]
In November 2022, Silvergate Media's trading name was changed to Sony Pictures Television – Kids,[11] although the company name was not changed.[12]
In December 2023, the company's valuation was reduced to US$50 million in impairment charges.[13] In addition, co-founder William Astor stepped down as chairman at the end of the month.[14]
On September 19, 2024, the studio relaunched their "Octonauts & Friends" content hub channel as Kidzuko, which offers content from other Sony-owned properties in addition to properties already held by SPTK.[15][16]
^"Production of Sunny Day ramps up with Season Two". Silvergate Media (Press release). April 5, 2016. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Silvergate Media (Silvergate), the international TV production and licensing company focused on pre-school children's entertainment based in New York and London
