Next stop for "Soul Train" is new ownership

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Don Cornelius has sold his "Soul Train" franchise to MadVision Entertainment, a multimedia company specializing in branded urban content and production.

The deal gives MadVision production rights to the weekly "Soul Train" series along with a catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage from the show's 37-year run.

"Soul Train," which has featured artists from Aretha Franklin to Michael Jackson, airs in syndication. New episodes haven't been produced since 2006, but it's understood that MadVision is considering putting the show back into production at some point.

"The 'Soul Train' legacy and brand are of the utmost importance to me and to 'Soul Train's' millions of fans," Cornelius said. "After years of offers, I feel the time is now finally right to pass the torch. The MadVision team understands and respects my vision."

Peter Griffith, who founded MadVision with Kenard Gibbs and Anthony Maddox, said the company also is eyeing new opportunities for "Soul Train" on DVD, broadband and video-on-demand.

"Our goal is to preserve the show's legacy and expand the brand for the generations to come," Gibbs added.

MadVision's credits include Showtime's "White Boyz in the Hood." Private equity firm InterMedia Partners, led by Leo Hindery and Peter Kern, is the primary investor in MadVision. Financial terms of the "Soul Train" deal weren't disclosed.