Fairground Entertainment Raises Capital to Launch AI Studio, Streaming Service

Fairground Entertainment logo showing a blue circus tent.
(Image credit: Fairground Entertainment)

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.—Fairground Entertainment, a new studio and streaming distribution service focused exclusively on AI-generated content, has announced it has raised a $4 million seed round from a syndicate of investors led by Viant Technology.

Fairground reported that it will roll out its first wave of original feature-length programming in the third quarter, developed in collaboration with creators using advanced AI technology.

"The entertainment industry is at a pivotal moment, driven by the rapid advancement of AI technologies that promise to redefine content creation," said Colin Petrie-Norris, founder and CEO of Fairground Entertainment. "Fairground's charter is to empower emerging creators to master these new tools, enabling richer storytelling that the industry is hungry for. We aim to set new industry standards by fueling a burgeoning content community, delivering high caliber entertainment at unprecedented speeds to market, and across a vast distribution network.”

In a release announcing the funding, the company said that Petrie-Norris previously built, scaled, and sold Xumo TV to Comcast, later expanding it through a joint venture with Charter Communications.

“Fairground Entertainment shares our vision for innovation in streaming entertainment, centered on the transformative power of AI,” said Tim Vanderhook, co-founder and CEO of Viant Technology. “Viant Technology founded Xumo together with Colin, so we know first-hand that he is a skilled entrepreneur. His expertise in scaling and monetizing streaming platforms makes him the ideal leader to move the content creation space forward with an AI-first approach.”

For more information, visit fairground.tv.

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George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.