Media Content · Series B Stage Due Diligence

Media Content Series B Due Diligence Checklist

The complete Series B due diligence checklist for Media Content startups. Prepare your data room, anticipate every investor request, and close your round faster.

All Checklists

6–12 weeks

Typical DD Timeline

5

DD Categories Covered

50+

Checklist Items Total

Media Content Regulatory DD Context

Media DD includes FTC disclosure compliance (sponsored content), copyright registration status for key IP, and platform Terms of Service compliance reviews. De-platforming risk is a standard investor concern.

Data Room Essentials for Series B

Documents to have ready before DD begins

  • 3 years of audited financial statements
  • Full customer list with contract terms and renewal dates
  • Complete IP portfolio with FTO opinion
  • All board materials and resolutions
  • Material subsidiary documentation
  • Insurance policies (D&O, E&O, cyber)
  • All government filings and regulatory correspondence

LEGALLegal Due Diligence

Institutional-grade legal DD covering corporate governance, regulatory risk, key contract change-of-control provisions, and cross-border compliance. Full rep and warranty review.

General Legal Items

  • Certificate of Incorporation and all amendments
  • Bylaws and any shareholder agreements
  • Cap table with fully diluted ownership by class
  • All convertible instruments (SAFEs, notes, warrants)
  • Option pool documentation and all grants
  • Founder IP assignment agreements
  • Co-founder agreements and vesting schedules
  • Material third-party agreements

Media Content-Specific Legal Items

  • Content ownership and work-for-hire agreements with creators
  • Music licensing (sync, master, performance rights)
  • Platform distribution agreements and exclusivity provisions
  • Talent contracts and key person dependency
  • Ad network agreements and brand safety compliance

FINANCIALFinancial Due Diligence

Audited financial statements (typically required). Revenue quality review by Big 4 accounting firm. Deep customer cohort and retention analysis. Cap table fully modeled through exit scenarios.

General Financial Items

  • Financial statements (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)
  • Bank statements (12+ months)
  • Accounts receivable aging report
  • Accounts payable aging report
  • Payroll records and headcount history
  • Revenue recognition policy documentation
  • Tax returns and any outstanding tax obligations
  • Insurance policies (D&O, E&O, general liability)

Media Content-Specific Financial Items

  • Revenue breakdown by monetization model (ads, subscription, licensing)
  • Content cost per unit and average lifetime revenue per piece
  • Platform revenue share and CPM trend by channel
  • Subscriber retention and churn by content category
  • Audience concentration risk (dependence on YouTube, Instagram, etc.)

PRODUCTProduct and Technical Due Diligence

  • Content management system and production workflow
  • Distribution platform API stability and algorithm risk
  • Video hosting and CDN cost structure
  • Analytics platform for audience intelligence
  • Content moderation policy and enforcement track record

MARKETMarket Due Diligence

  • Audience demographics and advertiser desirability profile
  • Brand safety track record and content guidelines
  • Platform algorithm performance over time (YouTube ranking, SEO)
  • Competitive content differentiation and moat analysis

TEAMTeam Due Diligence

Executive team professional background investigations. Non-compete and non-solicitation enforceability analysis. Board composition governance review.

  • LinkedIn profiles for all founders and officers
  • Employment agreements for key personnel
  • Equity grant history and vesting schedules
  • Any prior employer IP invention disclosure forms
  • Non-compete and non-solicitation agreements
  • Professional reference contacts (3+ per founder)
  • Advisory board agreements and equity grants
  • Organizational chart as of current date

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Series B due diligence typically take for Media Content startups?

Media Content Series B due diligence typically takes 6–12 weeks. Institutional-grade legal DD covering corporate governance, regulatory risk, key contract change-of-control provisions, and cross-border compliance. Full rep and warranty review. Having a complete data room ready before DD kicks off can reduce this timeline by 30–50%.

What Media Content-specific items do investors review during Series B DD?

For Media Content at the Series B stage, investors focus heavily on: Content ownership and work-for-hire agreements with creators, Music licensing (sync, master, performance rights), and Revenue breakdown by monetization model (ads, subscription, licensing), Content cost per unit and average lifetime revenue per piece. Media DD includes FTC disclosure compliance (sponsored content), copyright registration status for key IP, and platform Terms of Service compliance reviews. De-platforming risk is a standard investor concern.

What should I put in my data room?

Your Series B data room should include: 3 years of audited financial statements; Full customer list with contract terms and renewal dates; Complete IP portfolio with FTO opinion; All board materials and resolutions; Material subsidiary documentation; Insurance policies (D&O, E&O, cyber); All government filings and regulatory correspondence. Use a structured folder system that mirrors investor expectations — most institutional investors use a standard folder taxonomy.

What are the most common due diligence deal-killers?

The five most common DD deal-killers are: (1) undisclosed founder litigation or criminal history, (2) IP ownership gaps — particularly for university-origin technology, (3) customer contract terms that prevent assignment on change of control, (4) cap table math errors or undocumented equity grants, and (5) financial restatements required after revenue recognition review.

What team due diligence should I expect at the Series B stage?

Executive team professional background investigations. Non-compete and non-solicitation enforceability analysis. Board composition governance review.

Download the Full Checklist

Get the Media Content Series B due diligence checklist as a Google Sheets or Notion template. Track completion status for every item in your data room.

Includes data room folder template, investor question tracker, and reference FAQ guide

Other Media Content Stages