Content Partners Expands Into Creator Economy, Launching Wonderloom Media With Ed Simpson, Acquiring Dr. Insanity True…

Content Partners is extending its reach into the creator economy, teaming with media veteran Ed Simpson on the launch of Wonderloom Media. The venture is designed to partner with promising creators to help them expand their scale and scope of their media activity.

Wonderloom Media has made its first acquisition, buying the popular YouTube true-crime channel Dr. Insanity, which counts more than 5 million subscribers. Content Partners, which began 20 years ago as a creative rights acquisition platform, is well-positioned to help creators gauge their true value in emerging and traditional media platforms. Simpson, a longtime executive with producer and entrepreneur Brent Montgomery, serve as CEO of Wonderloom.

The Wonderloom launch was steered by Content Partners’ executive VP Scott Hemming and partner Alphonse Lordo. Hemming also serves as CEO of the Content Partners-owned Revolution Studios library.

“Our experience investing in content gives us a unique vantage point, and we’re applying that expertise to build this new venture,” said Hemming and Lordo said in a statement. “By evolving our content libraries into active creator partnerships, we will drive creator ascension, delivering hands-on support to help top creators build and scale high-quality, original programming at a pivotal moment for the industry.”

At Wheelhouse, Simpson also had experience investing in emerging media and creators through the investment venture that Montgomery launched in 2018. Simpson joined Montgomery’s Leftfield Pictures production banner in 2012 and helped the unscripted outfit build up a volume business through acquisitions. Simpson followed Montgomery to an executive role at ITV America following ITV’s blockbuster acquisition of Leftfield in 2014. He exited Wheelhouse last month.

“YouTube is no longer the disruptor. It has become the incumbent. The creator economy has matured into one of the most important sectors in media, and Wonderloom is built with the creative and operational experience to deliver on the needs of creators as they expand into diversified media businesses,” Simpson said.

The Dr. Insanity YouTube channel bills itself as offering the “Scariest stories on the internet.”

“Dr. Insanity is the perfect first acquisition: a leading true crime channel with a strong editorial voice, a loyal audience, proven storytelling and meaningful room to expand,” Simpson said. “We are thrilled to launch this next chapter with Content Partners, and we are already partnering with creators ready to take their content further.”

Willkie Farr & Gallagher served as legal counsel to Wonderloom, Paul Hastings counseled Content Partners while business management firm Night and law firm Baker & Hostetler represented Dr. Insanity.

(Pictured: Content Partners’ Alphonse Lordo and Scott Hemming and Wonderloom Media’s Ed Simpson)