Ryan Seacrest, who already is a host, producer and spokesman for Clear Channel, will soon be an investment partner as well.
On Tuesday, the radio conglomerate is expected to announce its acquisition of a minority stake in Mr. Seacrest’s television and film production company, financing future growth and allowing for new collaborations between the two.
The investment in Mr. Seacrest — who will remain the main owner of Ryan Seacrest Productions — comes weeks after Clear Channel Radio renamed itself Clear Channel Media and Entertainment to promote its move into other media, including television.
Separately, the parties involved said, Mr. Seacrest also will work with the two private equity firms that own Clear Channel, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital, to identify new investments and acquisitions. The firms have committed as much as $300 million to the initiative, which could focus on music publishers, technology makers or other companies. Mr. Seacrest will help the firms find opportunities and close deals.
The investments attest to the backstage business ambitions of Mr. Seacrest, who became famous a decade ago for hosting “American Idol” on Fox. While remaining a television and radio host, he is simultaneously building a diversified media company by linking up with companies like Clear Channel, the talent agency CAA and the events promoter AEG.
Mr. Seacrest said by telephone Monday night that the Clear Channel investment was an “efficient route for future growth” and said he would tap into the company’s marketing assets, including its many radio stations and Web sites.
Separately, in a deal with CAA and AEG that was announced this month, Mr. Seacrest will have a stake in AXS TV, a cable channel that will replace HDNet this summer.
The parties involved in Tuesday’s announcement would not disclose the size of Clear Channel’s investment in Mr. Seacrest’s production company, but it is expected to produce scripted and unscripted TV shows and other types of content for Clear Channel. Ryan Seacrest Productions currently makes “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and related shows for E! and is preparing new reality shows for CMT and Bravo.
Robert Pittman, the chief executive of Clear Channel, praised Mr. Seacrest as a businessman and said the collaboration was a chance “to share in some of the success we think he’s going to have, and to enable some of it.”
Mr. Seacrest remains in talks with Comcast about an expanded relationship with its E! channel and other parts of NBCUniversal. Such an expansion could include a role on NBC’s “Today” show, prime-time specials and a presence on the company’s coverage of the Olympics.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Seacrest said that the Clear Channel investment would not preclude his productions for NBCUniversal or any other network or studio.
Once the negotiations with NBC conclude, Mr. Seacrest will still have at least one other bit of unfinished business: whether to renew his contract with “American Idol.” His current contract is set to expire this spring, and both he and Fox have signaled that he will probably remain on the show.
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