E.tv owner eMedia has acquired a 30% stake in Pristine World Holdings, a specialist provider of visual effects services to global film and television markets, for R119-million.
The purchase will be made by eMedia Investments and payment made to Pristine World owner Convergence IT Services FZCO – a company incorporated in United Arab Emirates.
In a statement to investors on Thursday, eMedia said the move will help the company expand into secondary content creation markets by leveraging Pristine World’s services, which include computer-generated imagery, motion capture, digital compositing and animation.
“This investment forms part of eMedia’s strategy to diversify and strengthen its revenue streams within its existing ecosystem. By acquiring a stake in Pristine World (and, in effect, in MR Factory), eMedia gains access to the technology and innovation of MR Factory. It aims to incorporate high-quality visual effects capabilities into its content production pipeline, thus enhancing the quality of its offerings and positioning the eMedia group for international project collaboration,” the broadcaster said.
The move coincides with eMedia’s construction of its own visual effects (VFX) capability at its Hyde Park, Johannesburg studios, aimed at enhancing the quality of the content produced for its eVOD and e.tv platforms.
The company aims to leverage Pristine World’s expertise, specifically in MR Factory, to enhance its own productions and give external clients using its studios the opportunity to incorporate real-time visual effects in their productions.
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The transaction’s effective date is 1 October, subject to regulatory approval by the South African Reserve Bank and the conclusion of a shareholder agreement between eMedia and Pristine World. – © 2025 NewsCentral Media
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