Zinc Media Group has gained a presence in Wales for the first time with the acquisition of Raw Cut Ventures, which owns factual indie Raw Cut Television and its distribution arm, for £1m worth of shares.
Raw Cut is the label behind factual crime hits including Police Interceptors for Channel 5, ITV1’s The Detectives: Inside the Major Crimes Team, Sky’s Road Wars and This Cop Life for Really and Discovery+.
Founded in 2002, the indie is responsible for over 800 hours of factual television, including true crime, history and feature documentaries for various broadcasters and streamers. Raw Cut’s distribution division is based in London and will support Zinc’s aim to deliver greater secondary programme value.
In a stock exchange statement Zinc said that Raw Cut delivered £4.4m revenue, had a profit before tax of £400,000 in the year ended 31 December 2023, and had net assets of £1.6m. It is forecast to deliver revenues of £4.6m and profit before tax of £500,000 this year.
The sum paid for Raw Cut will increase if the company hits targets in the next two years. The fee rises by an additional £5.5m if Raw Cut achieves profit before tax of £1.3m on average in the financial years 2025 and 2026.
Zinc CEO Mark Browning (pictured) said: “Their expertise in ‘blue light’ and documentary programming aligns perfectly with our vision for world-class factual content. This acquisition strengthens our production capabilities, expands our IP catalogue, and reinforces our commitment to regional storytelling.”
Raw Cut CEO Steve Warr added: “Joining Zinc Media Group presents an exciting opportunity for Raw Cut. We’re proud of our legacy in producing must-watch television, and this partnership allows us to collaborate with Zinc’s talented team to broaden our reach and accelerate growth.”
In April, Putin vs The West producer Zinc, which already operates extensively across the North and Scotland thanks to offices in Manchester, Cheshire and Glasgow, announced its “big ambitions” for expansion through strategic acquisitions following a record year for both revenues and profits. https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/zinc-eyes-growth-through-acquisitions/
Zinc’s current roster of labels includes Brook Lapping, Red Sauce, Supercollider, Tern Television, Rex and Atomic, along with Bumblebee Post Production.
