AFI BLOG: Media and Technology

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In the weirdly complex world of blank-check IPOs and SPACs, this one is a bit of a puzzler: the talent agency William Morris (WMA), along with John Mass, EVP and head of corp dev and new ventures at the agency, and two other SPAC vets, have recently filed to raise about $500 million in financing on the American Stock Exchange, for acquisition in the entertainment, media and publishing space. The company hasn’t yet identified any target.

Eric Watson, the SPAC’s chairman of the board and treasurer, and Jonathan Ledecky, its president and secretary, have been involved with various other blank-check companies in the past. Other directors of the company included actor Ashton Kutcher, Jim Gray, the ESPN (NYSE: DIS) sportscaster and Ed Mathias, media and entertainment lead at Carlyle Group. Some of the directors of the company were recently part of another blank check company Endeavor Acquisition, which last year bought American Apparel.….read on….