Variety Buys Research Firm TVtracker

In the US, entertainment news provider Variety Group has acquired research firm TVtracker. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Hollywood-based TVtracker was founded in 1999 by Mark Hoebich, who had worked earlier at Fox Broadcasting and Warner Bros. Television.

His company tracks and analyzes all aspects of US filmed entertainment, and currently supplies more than 250 entertainment and media companies in over 15 countries with program and feature film tracking, digital programming, daily TV ratings and more.

As part of the acquisition, the TVtracker staff will move from their office on Crescent Heights Boulevard to join the team in Variety LA's office on Wilshire Boulevard.

Variety Group President Neil Stiles says the acquisition will help his firm grow its offerings beyond news and information and provide data that is integrated into the workflow of entertainment industry execs.

'We're thrilled to be joining Variety and count this as a win for TVtracker.com and its customers,' Hoebich said. 'Our subscribers will benefit from Variety's unrivalled pedigree and their aggressive, entrepreneurial approach to tackling the challenges faced by our industry.'

Web sites: www.variety.com and www.tvtracker.com .