BPI Communications Acquires Sunshine Group Worldwide
Posted on March 11, 1998
John Babcock Jr., President of BPI Communications announced today together with Robert Sunshine and Jimmy Sunshine of Sunshine Group Worldwide, the entertainment company that operates Cinema Expo International and CineAsia, publishes Film Journal International and produces ShowEast, the signing of a letter of intent that will result in BPI Communications acquiring a majority portion of the assets of the Sunshine Group Worldwide. BPI Communications publishes The Hollywood Reporter among its many other trade publications. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of March.
Sunshine Group Worldwide has been publishing Film Journal International for more than 65 years and recently spearheaded a successful effort to take the magazine international where it has now become one of the top trade magazines for cinema owners not only in the United States, but also in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Cinema Expo International, Europe's largest trade fair and convention for the cinema industry, now in its seventh year will once again take place in Amsterdam from June 15th to 18th. In 1995, Sunshine Group Worldwide expanded into the international marketplace with the creation of CineAsia, which just completed its fourth edition in Singapore. This year, CineAsia will be held in Hong Kong. It will take place December 8th to December 10th 1998 and will attract cinema owners based in the Asia/Pacific region as well as Australia and New Zealand. In the US, the Sunshine Group Worldwide has produced the annual ShowEast convention for the past 12 years, which caters to domestic cinema owners.
Managing Directors Jimmy and Robert Sunshine speak enthusiastically about joining forces with BPI, whose parent is VNU, the international publishing and information company based in the Netherlands. According to the Sunshines, "Teaming up with a powerhouse international entertainment company gives us the chance to have access to greater resources than ever before. In combining our contacts, we have a real opportunity to show tremendous growth over the next several years and we are very excited about it."
Robert and Jimmy Sunshine and their team will continue to run all facets of the conventions and publication. The overall operation will be coordinated by Robert Dowling, Publisher of The Hollywood Reporter and President of BPI's "Film Group." Dowling stated, "I am really looking forward to working with Bob and Jimmy. I have personally dealt with them for over 10 years and have always been impressed by their professionalism. Their conventions have set industry standards. This is a partnership that has tremendous potential for growth."