Covington’s practice combines long-standing experience working with funds and emerging companies with a deep understanding of the intricacies and opportunities in the communications and media industry, whether in traditional or new media. Our experience and broad legal capabilities allow us to create investment structures that address regulatory requirements, while also achieving the parties’ finance and investment aspirations.
Representing start-up companies looking to develop new technology, exploit new or existing spectrum, or distribute new content, we have crafted transactions that combined traditional venture capital funds and strategic investors already in the communications and media space. These companies have ranged from emerging television station groups that have matched experienced broadcasters with funds focused on the media space to cutting-edge new media companies whose model relies on acquiring newly available digital spectrum for new content and information services, to emerging companies focused on new technologies or the delivery of voice, data or content services via a new medium.
Representative Matters
- Barrington Broadcasting in its formation with Pilot Group, L.P., and its subsequent station acquisitions.
- Labrador Communications, a start-up new media, in connection with its initial and later-round equity financings.
- U.S. Digital Television in its $25MM equity financing with a consortium of fund and strategic investors, including News Corp., McGraw-Hill and Hears-Argyle Television.
- Mobile Satellite Ventures in various equity financing and strategic investments.
- Quadrangle Partners, a private equity fund, in acquiring Ntelos, a diversified wireless and wireline communications company.
- Hicks Muse Tate & Furst (currently known as HM Capital)in its acquisition of a cable system in Puerto Rico.
Accolades
- Chambers USA, leading Communications Finance practice (2006).
- Chambers USA, leading Communications practice (2004-2007).
- Chambers USA, leading Media and Entertainment practice (2006-2007).
- Ranked by Practical Law Company as a leading Communications practice in 2005-2006.
- Our partners have significant experience outside of the practice ─ for example, on Capitol Hill, where they were deeply involved in the development of telecommunications legislation, and in the executive suites of major and highly visible media companies.
- Our partners have over the years held leadership positions in major associations in the media field ─ including the Federal Communications Bar Association, the International Radio and Television Society Foundation, the Media Institute and the Media Law Resource Center.
|
|