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In June 2012, reports said The Collective, a Hollywood entertainment management company known for representing online-video talent, had acquired Metacafe. The deal’s price and what would happen to Metacafe as a video destination were not disclosed at the time.
Who bought Metacafe?
VentureBeat reported on June 14, 2012, that The Collective had bought Metacafe, describing the buyer as a full-service Hollywood entertainment management company. AllThingsD had reported a day earlier that the transaction was “essentially completed.” VentureBeat and AllThingsD covered the reported acquisition.
Globes also reported on June 17 that the acquisition had occurred, and said The Collective reportedly planned to use Metacafe’s video platform for advertising sales infrastructure. Globes
Why would a talent agency buy a video site?
The reports emphasized Metacafe’s advertising capability and personnel, rather than a disclosed plan to keep it operating as a consumer-facing destination. AllThingsD said The Collective valued Metacafe’s ad sales infrastructure and team. Reporter Peter Kafka summarized the rationale: “The Collective, which has carved out a niche representing breakout YouTube properties/stars like the Annoying Orange and Freddie Wong, is acquiring Metacafe because it values Metacafe’s ad sales infrastructure and team.”
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Metacafe said it had 12 million unique visitors, as reported by AllThingsD in 2012. That is a company-reported figure in the contemporaneous article, not an independent audience audit.
The Collective’s place in online video in 2012
The Collective represented online-video creators and properties including the Annoying Orange and Freddie Wong. AllThingsD placed the acquisition in the context of independent online-video networks such as Machinima and Maker Studios, which were making deals for talent. The transaction therefore brought together two capabilities that were attracting attention at the time: creator representation and advertising sales for online video.
That 2012 context describes how the deal was framed then; it does not establish the companies’ current status or market position.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the reports did not disclose
The contemporaneous coverage did not state the purchase price. AllThingsD also said it did not have the deal terms or know what would happen to Metacafe’s site and staff. The reports establish that the acquisition was reported in June 2012, but do not establish what happened to the destination or employees afterward.
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