Manwin, RK Netmedia File Plan to Merge

VIENNA — Manwin and Reality Kings' parent company have filed a merger notification with Austria's Federal Competition Authority, an agency that probes mergers and acquisitions. Manwin officials confirmed the merger deal on Friday.

The planned acquisition involves "essential parts" of Miami-based RK Netmedia Inc., "as well as some of the subsidiaries," according to the authority in a posting.

"Manwin and Reality Kings jointly authorized the filing with the Austrian Competition Authority in furtherance of their discussions with respect to the terms of a  potential proposed agreement," Manwin spokeswoman Kate Miller told XBIZ. 

Miller said that terms of the pending deal "are not yet final" and that "Manwin and Reality Kings will provide further information as it becomes available."

The merger notification between Manwin and RK Netmedia was made April 16.

"Every entrepreneur, whose legal or economic interests may be affected by the merger, may within 14 days (April 30) from the date of the notice ... submit a written statement," the authority said.

The agency plans to end its investigation of Manwin's planned Reality Kings acquisition on May 14.

RK Netmedia launched its network of adult websites in 2000 with CumFiesta.com. Other brands followed — two dozen of them — including BangBros.com, MILFHunter.com, 8thStreetLatinas.com and RoundAndBrown.com.

The membership-based websites span the gamut — ebony, latina, teen, big breast, big ass, MILF, amateur and reality porn — and the company operates affiliate program NastyDollars.com.

In 2009, Reality Kings brought their exclusive online content, along with Bang Bros content, to satellite television with Reality Kings TV. RKTV is available on DirecTV and Dish Network, as well as through transactional video-on-demand channels.

Reality Kings, in a deal with Playboy that same year, produced the "Money Talks" series for Playboy TV.

Manwin now operates Playboy TV through its Playboy Plus Entertainment division in a licensing deal made last year with Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Playboy Enterprises.

The company also owns a number of blue-chip brands and has been on an acquisition spree in the past two years, most recently purchasing Digital Playground. It already owns Brazzers, YouPorn and Twistys, as well as Spankwire, Webcams Tube8, ExtremeTube, KeezMovies, Mofos, ExtremeTube, JuicyBoys and PornHub.

Manwin is starting up new sites too, including HD porn site Babes.com, which is in development

The Luxembourg-based company, with offices in Montreal and Los Angeles, claims to be the owner of the largest network of adult websites in the world, with more than 60 million daily visitors.

And it has tried to spread its wings with its recent bid for adult transactional distributor New Frontier Media.

Manwin made the proposal to New Frontier Media's board to acquire it for $1.50 per share of outstanding common stock. The offer represents a 32 percent premium over New Frontier’s closing stock price on March 8 and a 35 percent premium over the six-month historical average of New Frontier Media's share  price prior to that date.

In the proposal, Manwin said that it is "highly impressed with New Frontier Media, its board of directors, management team and operations but believes it has been undervalued in the  public markets because of its size and market capitalization." 

Manwin said that by combining New Frontier Media’s transactional TV business with its own and by leveraging Manwin’s online assets, including both content and traffic, "it will be able to offer even more compelling programming to pay TV distributors and drive additional customers to the pay TV experience."

Last year, Manwin and Digital Playground teamed up, prior to Digital Playground's purchase,to wage an antitrust suit against .XXX operator ICM Registry and ICANN, which runs the Internet. The suit seeks to "redress for monopolistic conduct, price gouging and anticompetitive and unfair practices, broadly harming competition, businesses and consumers, and arising out of the establishment of .XXX ... ."

Filed at U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Manwin and Digital Playground's suit goes on to say that .XXX “defensive registrations” are causing confusion and dilution of adult websites’ values, and that the costs and disadvantages of them outweigh any benefit of the sTLD.

Related:  

Copyright © 2023 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

New Mexico AG: Pornhub, OnlyFans Safer Than Facebook, Instagram

The office of New Mexico’s Attorney General Raúl Torrez admitted in a statement announcing the state’s lawsuit against Meta that some instances of CSAM are ten times “more prevalent” on Facebook and Instagram than on Pornhub and OnlyFans.

Fiji Government to Launch Task Force to Reduce Porn Viewership

Fiji’s government has decided to take action after a political and media campaign that sensationalized the issue of access to adult material in the island nation, and has announced a forthcoming “task force” aiming to reduce porn viewership among its citizens.

Skinfluential Media Launches New 'Cosplayground' Site

Skinfluential Media has debuted a new site, Cosplayground, focused on cosplay and porn parodies.

Tennessee Republican Proposes Felony Charges in Copycat Age Verification Bill

Republican state Rep. Patsy Hazlewood on Wednesday filed an age verification bill with the Tennessee state legislature, a copycat version of the numerous age verification bills being advanced by religious conservatives and anti-porn crusaders around the country.

Byborg's Le Shaw Research Institute Appoints New Directors

LiveJasmin parent company Byborg Enterprises has appointed Bobbi Bidochka and Simon Dubéof to head its Le Shaw International Sexual Health and Wellness Research Institute.

Amie Harwick's Murderer Sentenced to Life Without Parole

The convicted murderer of Pineapple Support therapist Amie Harwick was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

UK Government Unveils Controversial Age Verification Guidelines for Adult Content

U.K. media regulator Ofcom, the government authority tasked by the recently enacted Online Safety Act with online content restriction enforcement, issued on Tuesday its first guidance to adult websites regarding age verification.

Ethical Capital Partners' Solomon Friedman to Deliver XBIZ 2024 Keynote

XBIZ is pleased to announce that Ethical Capital Partners (ECP) partner and VP of Compliance Solomon Friedman will deliver the keynote address at XBIZ 2024, set for Jan. 15-18.

The Guardian Continues Publishing Anti-Porn Articles Funded by U.S. Billionaire

Over three years after XBIZ reported on how an obscure U.S. foundation was sponsoring anti-porn content in The Guardian newspaper, the self-proclaimed “world’s leading liberal voice” continues publishing slanted pieces calling for state regulation of adult content online.

Ron Jeremy's Release to Private Residence Granted at Hollywood Mental Health Court

An LA County judge in the Hollywood mental health courthouse granted on Thursday a petition by Ron Jeremy’s conservator to release him to a private residence.

Show More