FremantleMedia To Create and Produce Original Content For YouTube Initiative
Los Angeles, CA, 31 October 2011: FremantleMedia, producers of The X Factor, American Idol and some of the most successful reality and game show formats in the world, is bringing a new channel to YouTube as part of YouTube’s new original channels initiative, announced Friday. The original Pets & Animals channel (title TBA) is scheduled to launch in Spring 2012.FremantleMedia’s new YouTube channel will be an entertaining and informative destination for pet and animal lovers that celebrates the bonds between people and their pets, and shows how these relationships enhance our lives together. Programming will include original shows that explore topics covering expert opinions, pet health and wellness, celebrity pets, owner advice and real life animal stories.
Through its long-standing commercial partnership with YouTube and with more than 50 official channels currently on YouTube on four continents, FremantleMedia is an established online content creator and one of the only TV producers to have content in YouTube’s Top 100 most viewed videos of all time. The new Pets & Animals channel builds upon this success by combining FremantleMedia’s strong legacy of inspiring entertainment with commercial, production, new media and digital expertise in original online programming.
Richard Vargas, SVP of Development & Production for FremantleMedia’s new media division, FMX, commented, “We are really proud to create quality entertainment and talent shows that ignite people’s passions. Now, we are bringing the same storytelling and production skills to a subject close to everyone’s hearts - their pets - to make truly compelling viewing.”
Olivier Delfosse, VP, Interactive, Mobile & Digital Content, FremantleMedia Enterprises added, “Our new YouTube channel will serve as a stand-alone destination for fans of pet and animal content outside of traditional television networks. FremantleMedia has a longstanding relationship with YouTube, from our many audition programs to numerous partner channels, and we are excited to bring a unique experience to pet and animal lovers of all ages.”
FremantleMedia’s content on YouTube has garnered more than 2.6 billion views to date since the start of its partnership with YouTube, with more than 1.2 billion views so far in 2011 alone. Driving those views are viral videos from global entertainment shows including the The X Factor from both the UK and Australia, Korea’s Got Talent’s Sung Bong Choi audition, American Idol’s Chris Medina audition and the Family Feud with host Steve Harvey. Other popular videos include the incredibly successful Susan Boyle audition for Britain’s Got Talent which has achieved over 300 million views in aggregate, and Jackie Evancho’s audition for America’s Got Talent which propelled the 10 year old singing sensation to stardom after auditioning for the show through a season-long partnership with YouTube.
YouTube has announced plans to bring around 100 new original channels, created specifically for today’s connected viewers, to its platform. Well-known personalities and content producers from TV, film, music, news and sports, as well as some of the most innovative new media companies in the world and some of YouTube’s own existing partners, will launch new, advertising supported channels for YouTube’s worldwide audience. The first channels will start launching on YouTube next month and continue over the next year.
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Notes to Editors:
Following are links to popular FremantleMedia videos on YouTube:
Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
Family Feud with host Steve Harvey
Emmanuel Kelly on The X Factor Australia
Sung Bong Choi on Korea's Got Talent
ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, and Neighbours.
For further information:
Catherine Philbin
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: + 1 818 748 1382
catherine.philbin@fremantlemedia.com