YouTube programmer Maker Studios raises $40M -- report
The company is expected to close the round by the end of the year, All Things D reported. Time Warner reportedly led the financing.
Maker Studios, a company that delivers professional programming to YouTube, is getting a big cash infusion from Time Warner, according to a new report.
Time Warner Investments, the venture-capital division at the media conglomerate, is leading a $40 million round of financing for Maker, All Things Digital reported yesterday, citing people with knowledge of the deal. The round is expected to close by the end of the year.
Maker Studios stands with Machinima, a company that produces gaming videos, at the leading edge of what has become a more professional push on YouTube. Maker Studios offers what's called "sustainable programming" aimed at building large audiences for professionally produced videos. The company's videos are viewed across more than 1,000 YouTube channels and have 80 million subscribers. Maker Studios says its videos are viewed one billion times each month.
If Time Warner does, in fact, lead Maker's investment round, it would mark the second cash infusion YouTube-focused companies have received this year. In May, Google led an investment round in Machinima to the tune of $35 million.
It's not clear what Time Warner might want with Maker. However, it would be a notable move for a company that has made its name in the offline world.
CNET has contacted Maker for comment on the All Things Digital report. We will update this story when we have more information.