Food Network Picks Up ‘No Recipe Road Trip With the Try Guys’ as a Series

On September 14, 2021September 14, 2021 By alanapotIn Cable, Media Covergence, YouTubeLeave a comment

(Image from The Try Guys / https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/try-guys-no-recipe-road-trip-series-pickup-food-network-1235059984/)

Last week, Variety announced in an exclusive article that Discovery’s Food Network had picked up “No Recipe Road Trip With the Try Guys” for an additional five-episode order. An initial one-episode special was agreed upon back in February but has been expanded upon in this new agreement. The initial special and these five additional episodes will air as Season 1 with no official release date yet, but will most likely air on both the Food Network channel and the Discovery+ streaming service.

The show will follow The Try Guys, Zach Kornfeld, Keith Habersberger, Eugene Lee Yang, and Ned Fulmer, as these best friends and content creators travel across the U.S., taste new foods, and try to recreate them, modeling their popular youtube series, “Without a Recipe”.

The Try Guys are a Youtube group that gained popularity at Buzzfeed in the mid-2010s, when the group of four co-workers began to create videos together, trying new things, for the internet media outlet. With a social media following of more than 13 million followers across social media platforms and racking up over 3 billion video views, the quartet decided to leave the company in June 2018 to start their own production company, 2nd Try.

This deal between the traditional medium of television to feature an idea from a group that’s fame originally came from the Internet is a great example of media convergence. Fans of The Try Guys, who normally watch the creators on Youtube, now have the chance to watch the group on cable television. While this deal is exciting for the smaller production company, it also shows that larger, more established, traditional companies need help appealing to a younger audience and are partnering with several influencers who have come to fame through the Internet.

Spangler, Todd. “The Try Guys ‘NO Recipe Road Trip’ Picked up to Series at Food NETWORK (EXCLUSIVE).” Variety, Variety, 9 Sept. 2021, variety.com/2021/digital/news/try-guys-no-recipe-road-trip-series-pickup-food-network-1235059984/.

BuzzFeed Revenue rises by more than 50 percent

On September 13, 2021 By Marlene TurreyIn Data, News MediaLeave a comment

BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti, Image Via The Wall Street Journal

On Thursday, for the first time since announcing plans to go public, BuzzFeed reported quarterly earnings. They reported that its revenue rose by more than 50 percent in Q2 of 2021, reflecting improvements in advertising as the economy emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. In Q2, advertising revenue was up 79 percent to $47.8 million and Content revenue was up 5 percent to $24.2 million. As consumer spending improved, the company attributed some of the growth to its e-commerce business too, which generates revenue by recommending and selling products online. Ecommerce and other revenue rose by 82 percent to $17.1 million.

“Our data-informed approach to content creation and capital allocation allows us to capitalize on secular trends in advertising and commerce and helped fuel our significant topline growth in the first half of the year.”
BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti

These reports are important, as BuzzFeed will be the first of digital media giants to go public. As the company announced in June, it reached a deal to merge with 890 Fifth Avenue Partners Inc. and is going to acquire Complex Networks. BuzzFeed CEO Peretti explains: “This impressive performance in the year to date lays the foundation for what we expect to be an exciting second half, with the anticipated closing of the acquisition of Complex Networks and our simultaneous emergence as a public company.” Their valuation of the combined company at $1.5 billion serves as a sticking point for other digital media firms looking to go public, for instance Vice Media, Group Nine Media, or Vox Media.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/buzzfeed-q2-2021-earnings-1235010437/

How the major TV networks reported Hurricane Ida: Very few mentions of Climate Change

On September 2, 2021 By Bruce WarrenIn News MediaLeave a comment

According to a recent 96 hour survey of coverage of Hurricane Ida by major TV news outlets by Media Matters, only 4% of the coverage connected the storm to climate change. The survey, conducted from August 27-30, analyzed 774 TV segments.

The key findings of the analysis included:

Corporate broadcast TV outlets — ABC, CBS, and NBC — aired a combined 93 segments about Hurricane Ida during morning and evening news programs from August 27-30. Only 5 of these broadcast news segments referenced climate change.
Of the 5 climate mentions, ABC had 3 mentions, while CBS and NBC contributed one each.
Cable TV news outlets — CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC — aired a combined 681 segments about Hurricane Ida during all original programming from August 27-30. Only 4% (29) of cable news segments referenced climate change during their Ida coverage.
Of the 29 climate mentions, CNN had 5 mentions, Fox News mentioned climate twice, and MSNBC had the most out of all networks with 22.

Media Matters’ position on this coverage is that “the failure to communicate the connection to the climate crisis is media malpractice.” Additionally, the survey analysis also noted that “TV News rooms with a few notable exceptions did not report on Ida through a justice lens.” “The fact that poor communities and communities of color bear the brunt of the climate crisis is chronically undercovered by TV news, particularly in moments when those impacts are most stark,” they write.

Journalists are beginning to cover the impact of extreme weather events beyond the number of inches of water that has fallen in a storm or the strength of the wind during a hurricane. “Good journalism is grounded in science,” suggest Covering Climate Now, a collaboration of 460+ news and media partners “to produce more informed and urgent climate stories, to make climate a part of every beat in the newsroom — from politics and weather to business and culture — and to drive a public conversation that creates an engaged public.”

Unprecedented Popular YouTube Video Topics

On May 2, 2020 By David SonIn Censorship, Content Restriction, coronavirus, Media Covergence, National coverage, YouTubeLeave a comment

YouTube has been a hub for prank and cat videos, but now since the pandemic even more odd videos have come up to surface. A couple months ago, the popularity of these videos would have made no sense, but because of the pandemic these videos are being watched worldwide.

Tutorials on making fabric face masks and “pandemic makeup” have been buzzing on YouTube recently. On a more serious note, videos that touch upon the dangers of online education have also became popular.

YouTube CEO, Susan Wojcicki mentions how the YouTube company would have never seen these videos coming. Tutorials such as hand-washing have become popular. Information on really basic information has become popular on YouTube.

YouTube users are also seeking other people’s lives under quarantine as a form of entertainment. People are interested in what exercising, doing dishes, fixing appliances, and giving haircuts are like in quarantine. These are all unprecedented popular videos people are viewing.

YouTube views has skyrocketed since the stay at home order. In the first week of April, there were 32 billion minutes being watched within a week. Compared to last years, 15 billion minutes, that is a lot.

With more viewers comes more concerns. YouTube has been working on giving out the right information about the Coronavirus. YouTube has been working with the World Health Organization to keep the information as accurate as possible. New claims can now be flagged on YouTube videos such as “medically unsubstantiated” claims. Videos that would get flagged as such are videos that claim there is a miracle cure to the Coronavirus. Videos that contradict WHO’s recommendations are also being flagged as misinformation.

YouTube now offers a section of their homepage dedicated towards Coronavirus news. In this section one can be updated on current status as well as extra tips into keeping safe away from the virus.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/23/media/youtube-videos-pandemic/index.html

Late Night Shows Impacted by the Pandemic

On May 2, 2020 By David SonIn Cable, coronavirus, coverage, Media Covergence, National coverage, News Media, Social Issue(s), TelevisionLeave a comment

As late night shows are directly impacted, hosts and broadcasting stations have found ways to keep viewers entertained. The biggest late night television stars are keeping the show going by filming from inside their homes. With this in home production comes many pros and cons.

Aside from all the production, the hosts have seemed to lack the energy driven by a live audience. With late night show hosts missing that energy, comes a lot of authenticity as well. Show host’s like Stephen Colbert adds that his dog has created a more intimate and relaxed environment to his job. In the privacy of their own homes, hosts have been able to feel less tense also in part of the less promotional stunts they would usually have to perform.

Jimmy Fallon adds that you can’t really fake anything. It is really you on National T.V. and that is all. Other late night show hosts have changed their normal ways. John Oliver has embraced the minimalist approach to Late Night shows while Bill Maher has added audience laughter to his monologue to add a more familiar setting.

Music has become a big source of entertainment during these shows as well. “One World: Together at Home” concert was on April 18, which played on multiple networks to fund raise for those fighting Covid-19

Other broadcasting stations are practicing alternatives towards their content. Saturday Night Live added the “at home” experiment which began a solo act for comedians to perform. Another innovative idea came from ESPN, while they created a “HORSE” competition in which known sports figures can compete in a game of “HORSE” for entertainment.

Although these companies are trying new ways to entertain the public, it has not come with the most exciting response. This sort of content can bore a viewer very quickly. Needless to say, their efforts are appreciated during these times of uncertainty. Any sort of entertainment to keep our minds off the pandemic is appreciated.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/entertainment/social-distancing-tv/index.html

~Club Zoom is in effect~

On April 30, 2020 By Aidan PlunkettIn Consumer behavior, coronavirus, Marketing, Media Covergence, Social Media, Streaming, Technology, ZoomLeave a comment

During the current era of social distancing, we have seen many artists, musicians, and DJ’s bring their performances to video conferencing platforms such as Zoom in order to give fans and supporters concerts, or content, or share tricks of how to create or be creative when it comes to music or art, or whatever the topic may be. With everyone streaming something from their home, we are seeing new ways of doing things that are currently just not possible, nor are they safe. For instance, at the moment you can’t really go grab a drink at your favorite bar, but people are coming up with alternatives.

We’ve heard of Zoom happy-hour with friends or family, but have you heard of a Zoom nightclub. Well, this article from Bloomberg Business says that they’re here, and no, they are not free. People are actually paying money to get into Virtual nightclubs on Saturday nights amidst the pandemic. The Zone, a 16 room virtual nightclub has been hosting people on the video conferencing app. A bouncer greets guests in the waiting room where they are inspected to make sure they have on the proper attire, as well as beverages in hand. The guests are then let into ‘dance rooms’, where there are different costume themes and a live-streamed DJ. Later, guests are invited to the ‘hot tub room’ where swimming attire is a requirement.

I wanted to write about this because I found it to be an interesting idea/concept. Personally, I think it’s a bit ridiculous that people are paying real money to get into these virtual nightclubs. I could maybe understand if it was set up by a particular nightclub and how friends or people who frequent it are simply trying to support a business they do not want to see go under. Not everything can be streamed and have a virtual session be the same as the interactions people had in person, and dancing in your living room is not the same as dancing at the Borgata. I respect the idea behind it and see how it fulfills a current need for the frequenters of clubs and those who need the gratification of being ‘exclusive’, but I am very interested to see if this type of nightclubbing will last.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-14/virtual-nightlife-grows-past-dj-livestreams-to-paid-zoom-clubs

Facebook Just Invested 5.3 Billion Into An Indian Company–It’s Largest Investment To Date

On April 22, 2020 By Kirsten BeachIn Brand, Data, Distribution, facebook, Marketing, Media Covergence, News Media, Social Media, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Yesterday, Facebook made its largest single investment into Jio Platforms of India which was a huge bet on the developing company.

Because Facebook wants to appeal more to the Indian audience, they felt the investment was essential, especially since over the past four years, more than 388 million people in India have been connected to the internet.

Mark Zuckerberg spoke on this in a Facebook post saying,

The country is in the middle of a major digital transformation, and organizations like Jio have played a big part in getting hundreds of millions of Indian people and small businesses online…With communities around the world in lockdown, many of these entrepreneurs need digital tools they can rely on to find and communicate with customers and grow their businesses.

Jio Platforms itself is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries (which is one of India’s biggest multinational companies and a major provider of cellular and internet services in the country,) therefore, the investment proves to be something that will propel the company forward and will ultimately help the Indian people to stay connected through the internet.

Although the Coronavirus pandemic has created a very fragile time for large tech companies when it comes to moving forward with investments, Facebook felt that taking a risk with Jio Platforms was necessary during this time and wants to display perseverance during this difficult period.

With this deal, Facebook will incur a 9.9 percent stake in Jio Platforms, and the respective money from Facebook will help Reliance to reduce some of their debt and invest further into its network (which it needs to do after regulators delayed approval of a high-profile $15 billion deal to sell 25 percent of its energy business to the Saudis.)

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/technology/facebook-jio-india.html

Coronavirus Sees Ratings Gain For Tv Networks

On April 14, 2020 By Jared RohlfingIn News Media, TelevisionLeave a comment

The pandemic currently sweeping the globe has ironically had some positive effects on television networks struggling to retain relevancy. Adam Epstein in his article for Quartz covered the massive ratings gain seen by all four major television networks including NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox. It was reported that around thirty-two million Americans watched the evening news in the last week; the largest ratings numbers seen in decades. The surge is so impressive that ratings for networks are up forty-two percent compared to the same period last year. The global pandemic is also benefiting shows like American Idol and Ellen’s new show called Game of Games which both saw massive increases in viewership over the last few weeks. Interestingly, viewership among the 18-49 age demographic is also up five percent compared to last year which shows that older viewers are not the only ones partially responsible for the ratings boost. However, it should be noted that these numbers are almost certainly temporary as millions of Americans remain home due to social distancing mandates; and numbers for streaming services likely dwarf those seen by networks.

I found this article to be incredibly insightful in regard to how the COVID-19 crisis is affecting all aspects of life and business in this country and around the world. While obviously this event is a largely negative one with thousands of people losing their lives, it does not go without its silver linings such as this story. It will be interesting to see if after the stay at home orders go away network ratings immediately slip back to mediocrity where they previously were.

https://qz.com/1824422/coronavirus-has-stopped-the-decline-of-broadcast-tv-ratings/

What is going to happen to Olympic Sports and other Sports Broadcasters?

On April 8, 2020 By David SonIn Cable, Comcast, Consumer behavior, coverage, Distribution, Media Covergence, National coverage, Sports, TelevisionLeave a comment

The Tokyo Summer Olympics will not be happening this year. For obvious reasons, athletes and sporting federations have chosen to push back the Olympics to hopefully next year. The Olympics have been postponed three times in history. Once because of World War I and another because of World War II. The Prime Minister of Japan has insisted the Olympics to not be cancelled but postponed to next year. Although Japan has made great progress in dealing with this crisis, the rest of the World has not. Not until 2 weeks ago, people were insisting that the Olympics go on, but it is becoming seen as impossible and seriously ill-advised to do so.

NBCUniversal has already signed contracts with local stations and distributors for them to use their production. Now that the Olympics are pushed to next year and their contract extended, NBCUniversal could make them end up paying double.

But given the long-term relationships with these companies, NBCUniversal will most likely come up with accommodations in order to not decimate these local stations. On the other hand, NBCUniversal would probably end up facing serious lawsuits if they chose to make their partners pay double. No decision has been made yet.

Media executives worry politicians may carry-out a plan to have all TV bills be paid back to their consumers. A large domino effect that comes from no sports being paid.

There are campaigns for sports networks to refund some of the paid subscription back to the consumer for no sports. This would result in hundreds of millions of dollars, but sports broadcasters are trying to come up with accommodations in order to not lose out on so much money. Many broadcasting stations are figuring out ways to keep the consumer’s happy by rearranging release dates and payment plans. The Michael Jordan documentary was supposed to be released in July but has been pushed up to keep consumers happy.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/01/coronavirus-sports-cancellations-set-up-media-fights-over-refunds.html

Current Issues In Media Management

Category: Media Covergence