The consolidation wave continued to spill across the second screen video industry Wednesday as Viggle announced it had acquired Dijit Media, a startup that helps consumers find and set reminders for TV shows via the Web and on mobile devices.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but Viggle will get Dijit's NextGuide, a platform that delivers search and alerts via the combination of TV listings as well as content from over-the-top sources such as Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video and Netflix, as well as the Dijit Reminder Button, a TV tune-in tool that can be plugged into Web sites, banner ads and mobile apps.
Viggle said it plans to integrate NextGuide and allow those users to check into shows and acquire Viggle Points that can be redeemed for coupons and other rewards. Dijit’s products will also be tied into Wetpaint, a company acquired by Viggle late last year that provides TV-focused entertainment and celebrity news. By way of example, Dijit’s Reminder Button could eventually be added to Wetpaint articles, explained Dijit Media CEO Jeremy Toeman.
With all of its acquisitions factored in, Viggle said it will had a reach of more than 17 million users as of December 2013.
Toeman said Dijit and Viggle share a common mission to “help entertainment companies market their products, mainly TV shows and movies, to audiences that want to see them.”
Last fall, Dijit announced it had scored deals to power recently launched Reminder Buttons embedded into the Web sites run by BBC America, Fox Broadcasting Company and truTV, and claimed to have at least another eight programmers on board to license its technology. On Tuesday, the company said its platform is linked with more than 80 shows from its four TV network partners, with another 15 networks and other “entertainment properties” in testing.
Dijit, which has launched an app for iOS devices and still has plans to launch one for Android, has also completed integrations that let Comcast, DirecTV and Dish Network customers set up DVR recordings via the app. Last month, Dijit partnered with Rovi, whose new Rovi Cloud Services platform enables service providers and third-party developers to build apps for smart TVs, smartphones and tablets that can control set-top boxes. The first app from that project allows for the remote turning of the ste-top and remote management of the box’s DVR.
According to Toeman, he and Dijit’s eight-person team will be joining Viggle and retaining its base of operations in San Francisco. Toeman said he will also remain in charge of Dijit’s product line and future roadmap and help to weave products into into Viggle’s platforms.
“The addition of Dijit’s exclusive features that can help audiences search for and then be reminded of what is on and when, and even control their DVR from anywhere, means fans never have to miss their favorite shows or movies,” said Viggle president and COO Greg Consiglio, in a statement.
The Viggle-Dijit deal marks the latest in a string of M&A moves that have hit the second screen TV sector.
GetGlue, a company that Viggle failed to acquire last January, was acquired by i.TV last November. Earlier this week, i.TV announced it had dropped the GetGlue brand in concert with the launch of a new social television app called tvtag.
