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Bellrock Media formed to produce premium digital content for
mobile and broadband platforms - June 16, 2005
Hiroshi Nakata CEO in Japan; Peter Levin President in U.S.
Major investors include, Yoshimoto Kogyo/Fandango, Faith, Intel Capital, AC Capital
and C.S. Loginet
SANTA MONICA, CA, June 16, 2005 – Hiroshi Nakata, Chief Corporate Strategist of Yoshimoto Kogyo, and Peter Levin, co-founder
and partner at Quattro Media, have formed Bellrock Media, Inc. to focus on the development, production, and delivery of digital content
for mobile and broadband platforms.
Nakata, who will be in California for meetings next week, will serve as Bellrock's CEO, working in Tokyo. Levin, based in Santa Monica,
California, will serve as Bellrock's president.
Bellrock has received funding from Intel Capital (NASDAQ: INTC), Yoshimoto Kogyo (TSE: 9665), Japan’s most prolific television production company
and largest talent agency; Yoshimoto Kogyo’s affiliated joint venture, Fandango, which produces and distributes content for broadband
consumption; and Faith, Inc. (TSE: 4295), the mobile industry leader of enabling software and ringtone technology. Rounding out the
initial round of investors are Japanese investment vehicles AC Capital and C.S. Loginet.
Through Sedona Capital, an affiliated fund based in Japan, Bellrock Media will actively pursue strategic investment opportunities within
the emerging mobile and broadband markets in the United States and throughout Asia. Nakata will be a director of the fund.
Nakata, a well-known media executive in Japan and throughout Asia, will continue in his position as a director of Yoshimoto Kogyo.
Nakata is also the founder and a director of Fandango, Inc., a joint venture between Yoshimoto, KDDI, NTT Communications, and
Faith, Inc., among others.
“Bellrock is a unique blend of strategic and resourceful partners from the worlds of media and technology," said Nakata. "Intel, with its
engineering prowess, Faith, with its powerful software applications, and Fandango/Yoshimoto, with its footprint on the Japanese media
landscape, have funded a state-of-the-art production and delivery entity. I could not be more pleased to be working with the people and
entities involved with this venture.”
“The ability to work with such talented and dynamic players in the mobile and broadband ecosystem is an opportunity of a lifetime," said
Levin. "I’ve been fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with Yoshimoto and Fandango, and appreciate their respective
strengths and standing in the world’s most mature mobile market. Adding Faith and Intel to the equation brings significant additional
resources and relationships.”
Levin is co-founder and partner at Quattro Media, a leading entertainment industry management, production, and marketing firm. He is
leaving the company to helm Bellrock Media’s United States offices as President. Levin has vast entertainment and technology
industry experience, having worked at Disney Online as Senior Producer and managing technology investment and consulting vehicle
Lynx Technologies for Michael Ovitz. Levin was point person on Lynx’s investments in Applied Semantics (sold to Google 4/03),
Gamespy Industries (sold to IGN 12/03) Ask.com (sold to IAC 3/05), and Atom Entertainment (sold to Viacom 8/06). Levin also served as a member of the Board of Directors at
Gamespy and as an advisor to Applied Semantics prior to their respective sales. In addition to his entertainment and technology
interests, Levin is also co-owner of the Chicago Rush
of the Arena Football League and part owner of 3 minor league baseball teams.
Roger Vakharia, Managing Director, Intel Content Services Group said, "Our collaboration with Bellrock Media and Yoshimoto Kogyo
demonstrate Intel's commitment to working with content owners to develop exciting new consumer experiences in a more secure and
flexible environment."
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