Lightworkers Media
{{Short description|American Christian media production company}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox company
| name = LightWorkers Media
| logo = Lightworkers Media.jpg
| logo_caption =
| type = Subsidiary
| genre = Religious
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2009|11|12}} in California, U.S.
| location = Los Angeles, CA, United States
| founders = {{plainlist|
}}
| products = {{plainlist|
- Television series
- Feature films
}}
| parent = United Artists Media Group (2014–2015)
MGM Television (2015–2023)
Amazon MGM Studios (2023–present)
| owner =
| homepage = {{URL|lightworkers.com}}
}}
Lightworkers Media is an American independent Christian media and film production company helmed by President Roma Downey and her husband Mark Burnett and owned by Amazon MGM Studios.
LightWorkers Media produced the Emmy-nominated The Bible on the History channel as well as A.D. The Bible Continues on NBC, The Dovekeepers on CBS (based on the novel by Alice Hoffman), Women of the Bible on Lifetime, and Answered Prayers on TLC. They also produced the feature films Ben-Hur, Son of God, Little Boy, Woodlawn and On a Wing and a Prayer.
History
Lightworkers Media was formed by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey with a partial stake held by Hearst Corporation, which owned a stake in Burnett's One Three Media.{{cite news|last1=Busch|first1=Mike Fleming Jr,Anita|title=MGM Buys 55% Of Roma Downey And Mark Burnett's Empire; Relaunches United Artists|url=https://deadline.com/2014/09/mgm-roma-downey-and-mark-burnetts-united-artists-838595/|access-date=March 6, 2017|work=Deadline|publisher=Penske Business Media|date=September 22, 2014|archive-date=October 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021200446/http://deadline.com/2014/09/mgm-roma-downey-and-mark-burnetts-united-artists-838595/|url-status=live}} One of its first productions was The Bible for History, premiered in early 2013.{{cite news|last1=Lowry|first1=Brian|title=Review: 'The Bible'|url=https://variety.com/2013/tv/reviews/the-bible-1200506789/|access-date=March 6, 2017|work=Variety|date=February 28, 2013|archive-date=September 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902033637/https://variety.com/2013/tv/reviews/the-bible-1200506789/|url-status=live}}
On September 22, 2014, MGM acquired a 55% stake in Lightworkers Media and One Three Media and consolidated the two companies into MGM's new TV production unit, United Artists Media Group, with Burnett as CEO. On December 14, 2015, MGM announced that it had acquired the remaining stakes in UAMG in a stock and cash deal, and that Burnett would become the new CEO of MGM Television, replacing the outgoing president Roma Khanna.{{cite web|title=Mark Burnett Named President of MGM Television|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/mark-burnett-named-president-of-mgm-television-1201661210/|website=Variety|date=December 14, 2015|access-date=December 14, 2015|archive-date=August 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827040815/http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/mark-burnett-named-president-of-mgm-television-1201661210/|url-status=live}}
With MGM purchasing out of Hearst and Burnett and Downey's shares in UAMG, a channel in the works was still a planned streaming service. However, Hearst and Burnett and Downey retained their stakes in the channel.{{cite news|last1=Lieberman|first1=David|title=MGM Taps Mark Burnett To Run TV Operation After Buying Out JV Partners|url=https://deadline.com/2015/12/mgm-mark-burnett-run-tv-operation-united-artists-media-group-roma-downey-hearst-1201666743/|access-date=March 6, 2017|work=Deadline|publisher=Penske Business Media|date=December 14, 2015|archive-date=September 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902033640/https://deadline.com/2015/12/mgm-mark-burnett-run-tv-operation-united-artists-media-group-roma-downey-hearst-1201666743/|url-status=live}} MGM announced the formation of Light TV on November 16, 2016, with a launch planned for December on thirteen Fox TV stations.{{cite news|last1=Busch|first1=Anita|title=Roma Downey, Mark Burnett And MGM Launch Light TV With Fox Stations On Board|url=https://deadline.com/2016/11/roma-downey-mark-burnett-mgm-light-tv-faith-based-network-fox-1201855425/|access-date=March 6, 2017|work=Deadline|date=November 16, 2016|archive-date=February 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227055150/http://deadline.com/2016/11/roma-downey-mark-burnett-mgm-light-tv-faith-based-network-fox-1201855425/|url-status=live}}
''The Bible''
{{main|The Bible (TV series)}}
The series is the first project together from husband and wife producing team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/05/mark-burnett-to-produce-the-bible/1|title=Mark Burnett to produce 'The Bible'|date=May 24, 2011|access-date=August 28, 2011|first=Gary|last=Levin|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company|archive-date=September 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903180638/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/05/mark-burnett-to-produce-the-bible/1|url-status=live}} In addition to Burnett and Downey, executive producers include Richard Bedser and History's Dirk Hoogstra and Julian P. Hobbs.{{cite web|url=http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/05/mark-burnett-producing-the-bible-miniseries-for-history-channel.html|title=Mark Burnett producing 'The Bible' miniseries for History Channel|first=Rick|last=Porter|date=May 24, 2011|access-date=August 28, 2011|publisher=Zap2it|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828222210/http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/05/mark-burnett-producing-the-bible-miniseries-for-history-channel.html|archive-date=August 28, 2011|df=mdy-all}} The first episode of the mini-series was seen by 13.1 million viewers, the largest cable television audience of 2013 to date.{{cite web |url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/04/bible-ratings/ |publisher=Entertainment Weekly |date=March 4, 2013 |author=Hibberd, James |title=Mark Burnett's 'The Bible' begets record ratings |access-date=April 2, 2013 |archive-date=December 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215055713/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/04/bible-ratings/ |url-status=live }} The finale delivered 11.7 million total viewers.{{cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2013/04/01/historys-the-bible-finale-delivers-117-million-total-viewers-14-percent-increase-vs-last-week-915410/20130401history01/#3vWlgSE1R9QOiR2E.99 |publisher=Futon Critic |date=April 1, 2013 |title=History's "The Bible" Finale Delivers 11.7 Million Total Viewers |access-date=April 2, 2013 |archive-date=September 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902033640/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2013/04/01/historys-the-bible-finale-delivers-117-million-total-viewers-14-percent-increase-vs-last-week-915410/20130401history01/#3vWlgSE1R9QOiR2E.99 |url-status=live }}
The Bible shattered sales records in its first week of home video release, selling 525,000 units to become the top-selling TV miniseries of all time.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mark-burnetts-bible-becomes-top-434875 |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |date=April 8, 2013 |author=THR Staff |title=Mark Burnett's 'The Bible' Becomes Top-Selling Miniseries on Blu-Ray and DVD |access-date=April 17, 2020 |archive-date=September 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902033642/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mark-burnetts-bible-becomes-top-434875/ |url-status=live }} In total, with subsequent airings, 'The Bible' has been seen by more than 95 million viewers.{{cite web |url=http://live.hollywoodjesus.com/?p=11512title |publisher=Hollywood Jesus |date=April 8, 2013 |title=#1 TV on DVD in the last 5 years}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Amazon MGM Studios}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Television production companies of the United States
Category:Former Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer subsidiaries
Category:Entertainment companies based in California
Category:Entertainment companies established in 2009
Category:Christian film production companies
Category:Christian mass media companies
Category:Mass media companies established in 2009