Twelve years ago, Emily Gipson and Caitlin McFarland created ATX TV Festival, a yearly festival that has since developed into a year-round event that is entirely focused on the television medium via its most engaging programming that brings industry leaders and fans together every June for a four-day event that consits of panels, premiere screenings, and late night events.
On Monday, Penske Media Corporation, the parent company to Variety, Rolling Stone, and The Hollywood Reporter, announced that it is acquiring the Austin-based ATX TV Festival for an undisclosed amount. Other leading industry leading brands under its portfolio also include Billboard, SHE Media, WWD, Deadline, and Robb Report.
The ATX TV’s core team, including its co-founders and co-presidents Gipson and McFarland will continue their responsibilities of running the brand, while Laura Kincaid and Jennifer Morgan will remain as director of operations and director of programming, respectively.
“We have long admired ATX’s commitment to creating unique content that celebrates every aspect of television,” said Jay Penske, chairman, CEO and founder of PMC, owner of The Hollywood Reporter, in a statement. “Emily and Caitlin have built an incredible community and world class programming over the years, and we look forward to helping them expand their footprint for an even bigger audience in the future.”
McFarland told The Hollywood Reporter that ATX TV, among other things, needed more resourced to achieve “its very big goals.”
“Our partners needed more opportunities to reach audiences and our audience needed one another…We are so proud of all we have done with our team, but we are ready for our next chapter of growth and are thrilled to have Penske Media as partners to help us achieve it together,” she added.
ATX TV Festival Season 12 will take place June 1-4, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
