RMG Networks Sells Off Its Airline Media Business

July 1, 2015 by Dave Haynes

It looks like the last little bits of the media business built up by RMG Networks are being sold off, and RMG is now pretty much Symon Communications again, under the newer name.

Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE), a media company focused on the travel industry, has  “certain assets” from RMG Networks Holding Corporation – the ones related to inflight advertising and sponsorship.

By acquiring the rights to certain technologies and onboarding key personnel, says a release, GEE now offers airlines and advertisers a more robust foundation from which to serve advertising and sponsorship opportunities via digital media, in either a connected or offline environment, seatback screen entertainment and digital signage in airline lounges.

The certain assets include RMG’s Chief Revenue Officer Scott Pawloski, who will be joining GEE, along with many key members of his RMG team, to head all global advertising and sponsorships.

The announcement comes in tandem with news the company has acquired a Mumbai, India company called Western Outdoor Interactive, which does apps and games to the inflight entertainment (IFE) market. 

“With the completion of both acquisitions, we’re excited to continue expanding our offerings to airlines and the maritime industries by growing our Digital Media Solutions and Content Services verticals,” says Dave Davis, CEO of GEE. “Digital media, coupled with inflight advertising and sponsorship, provides a burgeoning offering that will provide expanded opportunities to meet the rapidly evolving trends in the industry.”

“Further, we have strengthened GEE’s development and advertising sales teams in terms of scope and depth, while also adding new customers and product offerings,” adds Davis. “We believe both deals will drive new opportunities in the coming years as we realize synergies and integrate the assets into GEE, while offering new opportunities for our customers to improve the passenger experience.”

This is all very interesting because RMG was, not that long ago, seen as a high flier in the digital OOH and digital signage spaces. The company was pretty much all about digital OOH ad networks but in going public – to beef up its balance sheet and offer – it bought Symon Communications, a signage software company in Plano, Texas that focused on corporate communications and went nowhere near media.

That has pretty much totally unravelled since then, and now RMG (now based in suburban Dallas) doesn’t appear to have much tangible business involving the selling of advertising. It does still have an office media network.

I’m sure it has been a strange little journey for the Symon guys who stuck around and went for the rollercoaster ride.