Broadcast Facilities Inc., a media services company headed by former Pixar Animation Studios executive Simon Bax said Tuesday that it has purchased an HDTV production facility from Playboy Enterprises for about $12 million.
According to a statement, the Los Angeles-based Andrita Media Center is fully equipped to go from live production to on-air distribution from the same building. The 106,000 square foot media facility provides network origination, playback and satellite uplinking and is equipped with three television production stages and two HD/SD production control rooms. The facility also has a radio studio and 70,000 square feet of office, editing, dressing and support facilities.
BFI did not disclose the purchase price of the facility, but in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on April 2, Playboy disclosed that Andrita was sold for $12 million.
As part of the sale, Broadcast Cable Services president Bill Tillson will join BFI as president and chief operating officer. As a consultant to Playboy in 2002, Tillson oversaw the design, construction and start-up of Andrita Studios and has also served as the facility’s general manager.
“BFI is committed to ensuring that Andrita continues as the premier network origination facility in Los Angeles, well positioned to serve the growing demand for HD channel launches,” Tillson said in a statement. “In addition, we will continue to build our SD channel platform and roll out our IPTV services. Our HD stages and our HD post production allow us to provide networks and producers with a turnkey solution under one roof.”
According to BFI, Andrita transmits 21 cable networks, including 5,000 hours of live programming per year via satellite and/or fiber. Andrita’s clients include MGM, Hallmark Channel, SiTV, The Tennis Channel, The Africa Channel, World Championship Sports Network, Here! TV and Playboy.
Before forming BFI, Bax served as executive vice president and chief financial officer at Pixar. Prior to Pixar, Bax was CFO of Fox Filmed Entertainment and president of studio operations.
