Festival Productions, Inc., George Wein's internationally celebrated music festival company, has joined with Shoreline Media, LLC to form The Festival Network, LLC (The Network), creating one of the world's premier entertainment and production companies.

The recent transaction marks a new era for lifestyle marketing. Through The Network's consolidation of the destination festival market, music fans will enjoy more diverse live entertainment experiences and content. At the same time, corporate sponsors will gain access to highly coveted audiences through a single, unique and efficient marketing channel.

Headquartered in Manhattan, with offices in Newport and Los Angeles, The Network will produce 18 music festivals (more than 105 days of music) in 2007, and will rapidly expand its offerings in 2008 and beyond. With live musical entertainment as its foundation, The Network will leverage its expertise and international relationships to produce festivals leading up to, and coinciding with, the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games, as well as with other major sporting events.

“I've waited for years to find the right partner to guarantee a legacy of a lifetime in music, of which I'm so proud. Now I can't wait to see what we can achieve together," said George Wein, CEO and founder of Festival Productions and creator of luminary events including the Newport Jazz Festival, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Newport Folk Festival, and hundreds of other festivals, concerts and tours throughout the world. “With the vision, executive experience and resources behind The Festival Network, we'll be able to make some long-held dreams come true."

“We are committed to continuing our relationships with our current sponsors and we look forward to forging new partnerships, not just in music, but in sports and entertainment events in general," said John Phillips, President of Festival Productions. “We aim to broaden our scope and build new outlets for sponsors, artists and audiences." Chris Shields, CEO of The Festival Network, added, “We're especially honored to be working with industry icon George Wein, the man who launched 'the Festival Era'. It's his equation of location and artistry that lies at the heart of the festival experience. With this merger, we will continue to expand upon the company's sophisticated productions in unique and beautiful destinations around the world. We now have the expanded capability of providing corporate sponsors a level of marketing integration and reach never before offered."

Among several multifaceted business leaders who have dedicated their resources and expertise to The Network's vision are its Chairman, Dr. Joseph Stanislaw, co-founder, former President and CEO of Cambridge Energy Research and a recognized authority on corporate strategy and geopolitics, and Richard Sands, Chairman and CEO of Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ), the leading international producer and marketer of wine, spirits and imported beer.

“Destination festivals have become cultural institutions that attract the most desirable and receptive demographic," said Sands. “From a brand marketer's perspective, The Network will give its sponsor-partners one-stop access to national festival audiences for the first time. It's exciting and gratifying to work with professionals who have a passion for music, the people who create and play it and the people who love it."

Stanislaw underscores a unique feature of The Network - its commitment to environmental sustainability. “Beyond producing cultural offerings, we want to ensure a harmonious existence between the festivals and the surrounding eco-systems," he said. “We believe The Network's example of creating green events will educate and inspire audiences worldwide."

The Network's core team includes event production, music industry and marketing veterans Landon Mertz, Ian Zaider, Hudson Ansley, Thomas Rosen and Hank O'Neal. In addition to Wein (Chairman of Festival Productions) and Phillips (President), long-time associates Darlene Chan (Senior Vice President), Dan Melnick (Artistic Director), Bob Jones and Rick White (Producers), Charles Bourgeois (Public Relations Director), Scott Foster (Finances) and others will continue working on events around the world.