Radio station conglomerate Clear Channel Communications Inc. recently transformed a former “Tonight Show” stage in Burbank into a theater used for album premiere parties.
Called iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles, the space opened late last month with a performance by Katy Perry, who was promoting her album “Prism.” The second event will feature boy band One Direction on Nov. 25.
It’s an effort by Clear Channel to create content it can syndicate across hundreds of its 850 radio stations, while also boosting ad and sponsorship revenue. For example, the live portion of Perry’s show was sponsored by Sony’s electronics division.
Tom Poleman, president of national programming platforms at Clear Channel Media + Entertainment, said the theater will also forge stronger bonds with listeners and give artists additional promotion for their albums.
“If someone is in Los Angeles listening to KIIS, they can win tickets to see Katy Perry or hear it on the air,” he said. “It’s a way to expand the connection.”
The 450-seat theater is across the street from Clear Channel’s cluster of eight stations, which include KIIS-FM (104.7), KBIG-FM (104.3) and KOST-FM (103.5).
The Perry performance was streamed on the company’s digital music service, iHeartRadio, and syndicated to about 175 of Clear Channel’s pop stations around the country. It was also televised on the CW network.
It’s the second iHeartRadio theater. The first is a 250-seat venue in New York that has hosted performances from artists such as Jay Z and Green Day. Clear Channel also operates the annual iHeartRadio music festival in Las Vegas.
Clear Channel began looking into an L.A. site two years ago to capitalize on the steady stream of artists that come through town or are based here. The company signed a 10-year lease and invested more than $10 million to refurbish the space, which now has giant TV monitors and stage lights beaming from the rafters.
Poleman said the pitch to artists is for major exposure to help sell more records. Perry’s album topped the Billboard charts in its first week of release, and Poleman said the venue is off to a good start.
“I like to think that all the promotion that we gave her was a big reason for that,” he said.
Sino Streams
Santa Monica independent studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. is bringing its “Twilight” films to a popular streaming service in China – just the latest example of how American film producers are entering the burgeoning Chinese marketplace.
Lions Gate announced last week that it’s licensing the “Twilight” films and past releases including “The Princess Bride” and “Dirty Dancing” to the state-run streaming entertainment website M1905.com. Some future releases will be made available on the site as well. The films will be available on demand or with a subscription.
The deal was signed with Jiaflix Enter-prises of Beijing, which supplies content to M1905. Jiaflix has an office in Santa Monica and was launched by a trio of film and sports industry veterans to help Western film companies break into China. One of its founders is Sid Ganis, producer of Adam Sandler comedies “Mr. Deeds” and “Big Daddy.”
Box office in China topped $2 billion last year, and the government has loosened its restrictions on exhibiting foreign fare, presenting new opportunities to film companies.
Other Chinese film deals are expected during the American Film Market, an annual Santa Monica sales event for independent films that runs through Wednesday this year.
The market, operated by the Independent Film & Television Alliance, said this year will bring the largest showing ever of Chinese attendees. More than 100 distributors, producers and other executives from 50 Chinese companies are expected to attend.
Separately, at the U.S. China Film summit at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles last week, Chinese film executives from companies such as Wanda Group, owner of AMC Theatres, expressed interest in forming partnerships with U.S. producers to create more cross-border co-productions.
Comings and Goings
Nicole Sabatini has been named senior vice president of marketing and Beecher Scarlett vice president of ad sales at Holly-wood cable channel TV Guide Network. … Randy Rovegno was promoted to vice president of content distribution marketing at Santa Monica cable channel Ovation. … Simon Thomas has been named executive vice president of global sports and content sales at Fox International Channels in Century City.
Staff reporter Jonathan Polakoff can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext. 226.
