Participant Media, founded by eBay billionaire Jeff Skoll, has been a leader in producing socially conscious films for the past 20 years, winning 21 Academy Awards for its efforts. However, the company has struggled to balance social impact with financial success in a rapidly changing entertainment industry. With the rise of streaming services, which prefer all-audience, apolitical content, Participant has faced challenges in selling its documentaries and dramas that explore underrepresented communities. Skoll recently made the decision to shut down Participant due to the atrophying entertainment business.
Despite its financial struggles, Participant has had critical and commercial success with films like “The Help” and “Spotlight”, as well as documentaries such as “An Inconvenient Truth” and “RBG.” The company’s documentary film division was highly regarded and had successes both in terms of social impact and box office success. However, Participant often operated at a loss, emphasizing the concept of a “double bottom line” where social return was as important as profit. The company’s dedication to activism through entertainment has influenced other companies in the industry.
Under the leadership of David Linde, Participant experienced a resurgence in the past decade, with critical and commercial hits like “Roma” and “Green Book.” Linde focused on sharpening the company’s social action campaigns, developing film and television ideas, and laying off unnecessary ventures like the cable channel Pivot. Despite these successes, Participant has faced challenges as studios and streaming services have cut back on distributing niche content, leading to financial difficulties for the company.
Jeff Skoll has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Participant since its founding, but has recently decided to shift his focus to his philanthropic foundation, which champions social entrepreneurship. The decision to shut down Participant was based partly on the changing landscape of the entertainment industry, with streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix selling ads and preferring more mainstream, apolitical content. Mr. Skoll’s departure from Participant marks the end of an era for the company, which has inspired other activism-oriented entertainment entrepreneurs in Hollywood.
Participant’s commitment to social impact through entertainment has left a lasting legacy in the industry, with films like “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Green Book” earning critical acclaim and sparking important conversations about social issues. However, the company’s financial struggles in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape have led to its closure. Despite this, Participant’s influence on other companies and entrepreneurs in Hollywood is undeniable, proving that activism and entertainment can coexist in a meaningful way.
